EDUCATIONAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 422, 11 August 1908, Page 3

EDUCATIONAL.

School Committees Waking Up.

An Association Formed

At Wanganui on Friday night a meeting of representatives of the Wanganui and country school committees was held for the purpose of forming a School Committees Association. Mr Wm. Bruce, chairman of the Wanganui School Committee, presided. Mr Bruce, in opening the proceedings, emphasised the importance of the matter they had met to discuss, and expressed his pleasure at the apparent unanimity of opinion held by the various committees, every communication he had received in response to their circular expressed strong disapproval of the provisions of the amending Bill affecting the status of school committees. He said the committees, as at present constituted, are distinctly under the eye of and in touch with the parents. Through the committees the parents have some control of the teachers, under whose charg; the children spend so much ot their time. In the amending Bill it is proposed to give the power of the selection and appointment of teachers absolutely over to the Board. They may consult the committees. I see, said Mr Bruce, that Mr Hogben says it would be proper for the Boards to give due consideration to the committees’ recommendations. One wonders if he smiled when he made such a recommendation, or if he expected that to be taken seriously. Members of committees both through their chairmen and their own personal visits to the schools are in a better position to judge of the personal and moral influence of the teachers in developing the moral tone and characters of the children, who spend more of their active daylight time in the school than in the homes. And after all, the personal character and stimulating influence of the teachers is, in the minds of the great bulk of the parents, far more important than the teaching of the subjects, on the school syllabus, valuable as they are. Members of committees being so vitally interested and being more familiar with local conditions are in a better position to judge of a teacher’s general suitableness than say members of the Board who may live 150 miles away. For instance, said Mr Bruce, why should power be given to members living say at Foxton, Feilding, or Eltham to have the absolute choice ot the teachers for our children in Wanganui or Araraoho. We need not be afraid of appearing presumptuous in claiming that we are the best judges, and what applies to us applies with equal force to committees generally. I know it is maintained that if the power is given to the Boards, the selection would be left to the inspectors—or supposed to be at any rate. But the way may be opened to make log-rolling possible, which would in a large measure be avoided if committees have the choice. Self interest alone would lead them to endeavour to secure the best teachers. The more we can improve the permanent status and encourage the promotion of the deserving teachers the better will it be for the cause of education, and I think power should be given to Boards and committees to mutually decide, say by conference of committees or their sub-committees and inspectors as to removal or promotion, and filling of vacancies. These joint decisions might be confirmed or vetoed by the Boards. Schools would be graded and teachers classified, and appointments made from the grade in which the vacancy occurs. In many cases in the country committees, would doubtless leave the selection to the inspectors, but still they would have the power to have a voice in the changes if they deemed it desirable. If the proposal in the amending Bill is retained, then the committees should demand a more democratic method of electing the Boards, say by ballot of householders at their annual meeting This would keep the members of the Boards as they should be—more under the direct control of the householders. One thing is very certain, if the proposal in the amending Bill is carried through the 1600 committees will make test questions of it at the next election, and continue to agitate until far more effective power is given to them to directly control the affairs of the school. The motion to form a School Committees Association was carried unanimously and it was resolved that the committees in the Wanganui education district be invited to join the Association. It was further resolved that the chairmen of the committees represented in that evening’s meeting constitute a sub-committee to give effect to the motions. Mr N. G. Armstrong was appointed hon. secretary. After a brief discussion it was unanimously resolved on the motion by Mr Thomson, “That this Association protests strongly against any curtailment of the powers at present vested in School Committees in the selection of the teaching staff as set out in the proposed Education Act Amendment Act.”

It was resolved that the motion be forwarded to the Minister of Education and the members of Parliament representing the districts embracing the Wanganui education district.