EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 244, 3 July 1918, Page 5

EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

PROPOSALS OP FARMERS.

Various remits in connection with 'lie education system of the Dominion have been' set down for discussion at the annual conference of the Now Zealand Farmers' Union, to bo held in Wel-'ng-ton at ihe end of the month. Tho .proposals of the Educational Institute have prompted the 'i'aranaki U.nion to forward the following remit:— "That this conference is in full sympathy with tho efforts of the Educational Institute in trying to effect improvements in our educational system. The conference fully recognises tho value •of tl-e teaching profession, as trainers of the manhood and womanhood of the nation, considering it to he by far the. most important branch of the Civil Service of the country, and is of opinion that, in order to produce Ihe desired improvements in our educational system, swial attention should bo paid to the Dillon - insr points in order named:— "(a) The development of tho,characters of tho children on right lines. The r ~st e«pntial towards this is the seeming of the right class of teachers which, in our opinion, must be brought, about by improving the status and general conditions, including remuneratioa, under which teachers arc at presold, expected to work. "(b) The training of the bodies under thoroughly hygienic conditions and the training of the brain. "That this conference strongly urges the Government not only l<> resist all attempts to encroach upon the national system of education, but also without delay to make provision for imnrortments and extensions necessary to enable the nation successfully to cope w ill after-war conditions," is the wording of a remit received from Otago. As a sound step towards uational efficiency, the Wellington and Southlmd branches recommend that tho Minister of Education bo urged to carry through a 10 per cent, increase of teaclicra' salaries. The following remit suggesting that instruction in hook-keeping should be given in the primary sclinn's has been received from Auckland:—"That, in the opinion of this conference, the time has now arrived when, the sixth standard in our primary schools should be taught bookkeeping, particularly as the law now provides that, farmers shall keep books and submit their income accounts to the Department, and that the svllabns 'be revised so that tho child shall be better lilted for its future occupation than it is at present.''