COUNCIL OF EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 234, 27 June 1919, Page 8

COUNCIL OF EDUCATION

QUESTION OF TEXT-BOORS UNNECESSARY EXPENDITURE PUBLICATION OF APPROVED LIST URGED The Council of Education continued its sittings yesterday, Dr. W. J. Anderson, Director of Education, presiding.

The first business dealt with was the interim report of committee B regarding education in secondary schools and tho university. * 'In regard to text-books, the committee reported: "It is the opinion' of the comniittee that uniformity of text-bcoks' 'throughout all secondary schools is undesirable, as it tends to restrain both i-cactiers and schools too much; but in view of the increased cost of books, and with n - view of checking too frequent changes in text-books, this committee would advise the publbation by the Department of an approved list of textbooks for use in secondary school's during the first two years if the course." 'Miss A._B. A. Butler said the committee felt that it would be on advantage for schools to have their own school books. Should a school wish to change its text-books it would l,e for tlu Department to authorise the new books suggested. ! ' Mr. T. U. Wells said he thought unnecessary expense had been incurred by parents by too frequent changes of books in secondary schools. If there were-some co-operation in the principles guiding the selection of certain text-books, uiethematics, for instance, he thought it would .prove Iwneficial to people with ■ largo families. . The recommendation was adopted. The following recommendation with regard to term holidays was also approved. "This committee is of the opinion that in all classes of schools the school year fihould bo divided into Hirec terms, 'and that nil 'schools in the same district 'should fix "their holiday? (whatever be Hie'duration of such holidays) so that they are concurrent. - ' Appointment of Teachers. The committee reported that it was kI opinion that it was difficult to see how a change of control would improve conditions until provision was made for i sufficient supply of better-trained teachers. The problem could be met, to some extent, by encouraging promising and properly-qualified primary teachers-to go On to secondary. schools. The question of training was to be dealt with''in the proceedings of Committee A, but the committee recommended that in the ease of 'teachers entering into secondary schools in future the salary of. the trained teacher be in advance of that of tho untrained teacher, and the years spent in training be counted towards superannuation, v , 5Jr. J. Caughley said ihat secondary 6chaol teachers entering a training college were from joining the, superannuation fund unless they had' been pupil teachers. A considerable advantage- was obtained by the untrained teacher who possessed a degree, r.nd who was often nble to.' obtain better positions than the training college student. I<i addition, the untrained teacher was often able to'gain a lead: of two years in the matter of superannuation.' The council adopted the recommendation. • • •■

School Hostels, The committee.advised thnt school hos-. tels be"' established in connection with every secondary sciiopl ind uclinical high school, at which-f reo board could be' given to country children of special attainments. '. ■ .1

Di«. Anderson said ho was of opinion that if they werp. going to provide.secondary education oil a fair amp democratic" basis hostels nn;st be established in connection with secondary schools, training colleges, and universities. He had reason to believe that if reasonable provision were to be made for hostels it would require an expenditure of .£200,000. Although there was a good deal of sympathy' on tho part of the Department in the matter, and there might riot be any great difficulty in getting Hostels established in connection with. training col-, leges,, still, the general application of the principle would be difficult because he did not think the whole of the money could ho made available. Tlio council approved of the suggestion regarding the establishment of hostels. Staffing High Schools, Dealing with the staffing'of district high schools, the committee intimated that it was of opinion that no district high school should be required to provide more than a two \ ears' post primary course. The requirements of pupils who wished to .take a longer or more advanced course could be met by the boarding provisions suggested in the previous recommendation.

Mr. E. C. Banks considered that every attention should be paid to the establishment of high schools in the country. It was necessary to attract the children to the country, and it was essential that country, high school teachers' should be highly qualified. At, present tho tendency was for children to be driven into tho towns. Country high school teachers should be well paid, and he moved nn amendment that the salaries provided for headmasters aud assistant masters at district high schools should be such as to attract men with degrees, who should -be able to instruct children up to the matriculation standard.

Mr. T. U. Wells seconded the amendment.

Professor MacMillan Brown contended th.it the tendency of the present day was for people to crowd into the towns. That was due to the fact that we were prooeediiiß on wrong lines, and were not going tho right way about attracting young people into the country. Mr. J. Caughloy expressed "the opinion that the best way to attract children to thb country was to encourage the idea of country -life amongst' those who were living in the towns. All country children did not want to stay in the country.

After farther discussion, it was decided not to proceed with the amendment,- but to refer the clause back to the committee for additional consideration.

Chairs of Agriculture. The committee further reported: "The supply of students, in the opinion of this committee, is insufficient to justify theestablishment of chairs of agriculture and domestic science at the four university centres, as few students Tequire to pursue these subjects to the standard of university work. This committee realises the need for further facilities ■ in training in these subjects, and thinks that further development ili practical work could be carried out at training colleges and technical schools, with a chair of agriculture for at least one of the university colleges." Dr. Anderson said he thought that four chair of' Agriculture in tho Dominion would be a burden the country could not bear. At the Council of Agriculture it was considered that the best course to pursue would be.to establish a chair of agriculture in one of • tho four centres Otngo specialised in domestic science, and the courses were being successfully conducted.- He did not see any reason for the facilities already provided in that respect because they were sufficient to meet, all requirements. Tho proposal to establish four professorships in agriculture and domestic scicuce would be expensive, and was really out of the question, There was already a school of agriculture in Canterbury, tjid it was his opinion that the chair of agriculture should be established there. If a chair were established in Auckland the type of instruction would be different from that in Canterbury. The recommendation .vus adopted. . Education of Girls. The following recommendations in regard to the education of girls wero adopted:—"(n) The coa»mittee recommends, tho appointment of a sub-commit-tee, consisting of Miss Myers, Miss Chaplin, and Miss Butler, to draw up a suit-, able syllabus* in home and personal hygiene, and fo suibmit it to the Depart, mcufc at as early a (Me i\s possible. ()>) Aesthetic Education.—The comXnitlee nffirras this clause, and is of the opinion that every encouragement should be given to the aesthetic education of girls." -c) Units Allotted to Domestic Science.—The committee is of opinion that tho question of distribution of units in domestic science over tho school period of junior free-place holders should be left to the

discretion of the principal in «*sfe school." Payment by Capitation, The Hon. D. T, Fleming proposed: "That the payment by .capitation for manual training.subjects.'taught'-in public schools be discontinued.' That the Department fix the grades of salary to be paid to all teachers of agriculture, woodwork,' cookery, laundry,, and dressmaking employed in tnose schools, with the approval of the Minister, and provide the amounts necessary for salaries and mnterial." . ■ " . Mr. Fieming said he thought that salaries ought to be placed on a scale apart altogether from capitation of classes. Br. Anderson said the . matter >'as under consideration by the Department, and the motion was in accordance with the wishes of the Department at the present time. The passing of the resolution would strengthen the hands of. the Department. The motion was carried. ■Tho council adjourned until 10* i.m. to-day.