BACKBLOCKS CHILDREN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4676, 19 March 1924, Page 1

BACKBLOCKS CHILDREN.

CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS. SUCCESS OF NEW SYSTEM. The success of the Education Department’s new system,for educating the children of the back-blocks by correspondence has. been such that the Minister has decided to increase the staff allotted to that duty. In a statement on the question the Hon. C. J. Parr said that the correspondence school was commenced two years ago in Wellington with id pupils. Now there were 407 being educated, and the Department was receiving Tetters from parents of children showing their appreciation. Ono of these letters, selected from a file, said : “The correspondence school has been God’s own blessing to us.” “The staff comprises a headmastet and two qualified ladies,” said the Minister. "The school was designed to meel .the needs of children in lighthouses and isolated families in the back-blocks areas not served i>y schools. Some of tiiese families reside as much as 100 miles from the nearest school. Once a fortnight the teachers mail to each family the lessons and*the work to be done for the. ten school days of the next fortnight. At the same periods they receive the work for correction. Advice is tendered individually to each child. A high personal interest is maintained in the progress of the pupils.

“Excellent educational results have been obtained,” continued the Minister.” Indeed, it is claimed by the teachers that many of the children make as rapid progress under the correspondence system as they would in a regular school. Of course the parents assist the school in many .n--stances. But the instructions are ro simple that the children may carry them out without assistance. I am personally very keen on this movement, and it is very gratifying to the department to know that the number of pupils has so largely increased. T shall have to increase the staff, as the teachers are finding the work too heavy. To this end T am asking Mr T. U. Wells, M.A., lately retired from the teaching service, who was one of the most experienced headmasters in New Zealand, at present a member of the Auckland Education Board, who knows the backblocks and has many years’ experience with correspondence schools, to join with the chief inspector of schools in furnishing me with a report on the school.”