SCHOOL REQUISITES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 201, 20 May 1921, Page 4

SCHOOL REQUISITES

ASSISTANCE FOR PARENTS PURCHASE THROUGH THE BOARDS The Minister of Education (Hon, C. J. Parr), replying to suggestions made by the New Zealand Teachers’ Institute, said yesterday that he believed it would be well to establish stores for tho distribution of school requisites. He had called a conference of education boards recently, and this had been one of 1 lie matters discussed. He had promised the support of the Government and the Department to boards that would establish stores from which stationery and other school requisites cduld be supplied. He would be glad to know that the teachers would give their help. He had been told that a good deal would depend upon whether tho teachers would take the supplies into the schools and collect the money. Some teachers were doing this already. A. considerable amount of trouble was involved, but he did .not doubt that the teachers would give such reasonable assistance as might be asked of them in order to make the scheme a success. The arrangement would effect a reduction in the cost of the things that every parent had to buy. Mr. Parr added that he could not hold out any hope to parents of the issue of free stationary and free books. Indeed, he thought it just as well that people should have to pay a little. for the c-ducation of the children. Things that were got for nothing wore not always valued as highly as the things that had to he paid for. But if th® boards would establish the central depots'—and some of them were moving already—the teachers and the children would be nble to get cheap stocks, and the Department would give all the assistance possible.