The Hutt News THURSDAY, JUNE, 28, 1928 EDUCATION.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 6, 28 June 1928, Page 4

The Hutt News THURSDAY, JUNE, 28, 1928 EDUCATION.

The matter of Education has loomed large before the public o± late and one phase of it is agitating the minds of a very large number of people whose attention has been—by means of the public press —drawn to the differences between the Education Department and the Wellington Education Board, anent the appointment of a Principal to the Teachers' Training College. It is not our intention —in this article — to go fully into the merits of the opposing views hold by the two departments concerned, but weare —after a careful perusal of the two view points made public—of the opinion that the whole trouble could have been avoided by a more full and explicit drawing up of the regulations governing such appointment. The public who "pay the piper" has the right to demand that all such • regulations when they are framed should be overhauled by the Crown Law Office so that no am-

bigiiity of meaning shall attach to such regulations and thus prevent such a situation as has arisen in Wellington. .No good puTpose is served by abuse. — the man who has a good, sound case need not abuse the other side —and we certainly are of opinion that the remarks made by Mr. Forsyth at the last meeting of the Board, were ill-advised and certainly did not assist towards a solution. There appears, in the face of the Department's side of the case as published last week, to be no' doubt that the making of the final choice lies —not with the Board —but with the Department. Whatever the outcome of the dispute may be, the public can rest assured that the Training College will not suffer under the acting-princi-palship of Mr Lomas (the Board's choice), as he undoubtedly is a gentleman of the highest scholastic attainment —of irreproachable character, oneunder whose acting control the College has fully maintained its record of efficiency and one who is hold in high esteem by his young men and wome.n students. While we leave this dispute to be settled by those directly concerned, we would ask both Board and: Department what they are doing to grapple with the problem of accommodation in the primary schools- -within

the Borough. Two years ago the question of over-crowding at Eastern Hutt School was brought under the notice of the authorities but nothing was done. Despite the strenuous efforts of the local committee—despite visits paid to the school and district •by numerous officials —the position was riot met and matters became worsco—\When the school became so opercrowded that the building would no longer house the pupils, temporary provision was made by transferring a lai'ge number of the scholars to Knox Sunday School and our readers will, from the letters appearing in the press, know what themothers thought of that temporary; solution of the matter. After long delay a new school was built at Fry's Lane—opened three weeks ago —and is - new, we are advised, full. From enquiries made at Eastern Hutt we learn that it. is full; indeed all the classesare large, none of the standard classes numbering less than fifty and several being up to sixty. Will the Board and Department take at least a year ta deal with this matter or will they do something to convince the people that, they are alive to the situation. -What of the new school at Waiwhetu? Through lack of foresight on the partof those responsible, a school altogether too small was built and right from the opening there arose the urgent necessity for added rooms. Theseare still inadequate to cope with thenumber seeking admission and we= learn . that a Sunday school in the= vicinity of the school has been hiredto accommodate the overflow. Will the. Department grapple with this everincreasing growth of our Borough, schools and cease to pursue a policy of mere expedients and temporary measures which are expensive and unsatisfactory? A knowledge of the probable influx of families can surely be obtained from the Lands Department which. is erecting homes or from the Housing. Committee which decides on the disposal and occupancy of these houses when completed. A little co-ordination: between the Departments would beeasily obtained and would be a sure and reliable guide to the Education authorities as to requirements. A .similar condition of lack of adequate? accommodation exists, we understand,, at the recently opened Wilford School,. so that practically the whole southern end of the Valley demands immediate attention. Before concluding this article we should like to ask whether all was done on the grounds at Waiwhetu. School in the way of storm drainage that should have been done before the school was occupied by the children with whose welfare we are all so deeply concerned. During the several, months that the building took to be erected was the low-lying and consequently wet nature of the ground seriously considered and was the fullestmeasure of comfort given in the particular connection. Were the Borough officials Hupplied with a plan of the - building and of the proposed drainage or was their advice sought at all? We write in no captious strain—in no fault finding spirit —but solely that this^ vital question of school-rooms may be. kept before the responsible authoritiesand in order that the public may know that all is being done—no matter thfr cost —for our best asset —our children.