Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1918. EDUCATIONAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1860, 3 August 1918, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1918. EDUCATIONAL.

THE recent Education Board (lections created little or no public interest, except to (host 1 directly concerned. II is a matter for sincere regret that (In 1 public arc so indifferent in educational affairs, because there is nothing either inside or outside of politics which has such an important bearing on the future welfare of this Dominion and its people, from the physical, moral, commercial and, in fact, every other point of view. The education of our children on right lines is (he only sure foundation upon which the State rests. Yet the public does not seem to realise this, and the indifference.on the subject is appalling. THE Educational Institute, comprising those engaged in the teaching profession, are endeavouring to arouse public opinion to move the Government to bring about necessary reforms, but their efforts need the backing and co-operation of Boards and Committees. Instead of assisting the Institute, some Boards have opposed them, while Committees are deluded into the belief that their duties begin and end'in keeping the school clean! Boards and Committees should consist of men who take an interest in educational affairs, and are willing to co-operate with the Institute so that by united action they may force the hand of the Government. But, first, the public must be educated and aroused. ■fc Si & « EVERY year householders are called upon to elect Committees to .keep a watchful eye on the welfare of the .scholars, and to see that the school

environment is conducive lo the health of the children, iind to husband the eapitation grant to (he best possible advantage. More than that, (lie Committees alone are responsible for electing Board members. Boards, however, have had their powers whittled down to such an extent that they practically duplicate the work of Committees, with this difference, that whereas the work of Committees is voluntary, the Boards employ .salaried ollicials. The Board has no control over the Inspector, who is responsible to the Education Department. It will be seen, therefore, that Committees practically have a> much initiative as intermediary Boards. In our opinion it is only a matter of time when Boards will be abolished, and Committees given wider powers.

THE Secretary of the Educational Institute, in a letter to the press some time last month, re Education Boards, says:—“A great deal of the effectiveness and vitality of an education system depends upon what is concisely summed up in the term “local interest.” The original designers of our system had (his in mind when (hey provided for a national system to be directed by the Department, but administered by local school committees. Unfortunately for New Zealand, the politicians of (hat day saw here a chance to retain for themselves some of the patronage of which they had been divested by the abolition of the Provinces —the' great step, forward that had been taken the previous year. Consequently the original design was marred by the insertion of the cumbrous piece of machinery known as the Education Boards; and as these boards were in origin an intrusion into the system, so they have been on the whole a check and a hindrance to progress ever since; in fact, the fifth wheel of the coach. That is a. sweeping assertion, and the one who makes it must expect to be called on for pi'oof. The proof can be supplied at any lime on demand. For the present it is sullicient to say that the chief value of Education Boards has been not to education, but to actual and prospective politicians, in whose hands they have been a convenient means of sweetening the electorates. The shocking waste of money in the sowing of certain districts with small, unnecessary, and inefficient schools is sullicient proof of this.

“APOLOGISTS for the existence of Education Boards arc in flu* habit of saying that the hoards must he retained as a check on the tendency to centralisation, and as a means of giving play to local interest. The actual facts are that they exemplify in themselves nearly all the evils of centralisation multiplied nine times, since there are nine hoards administering districts as large as provinces; and they consfitulc an effective cheek on any display of local ini crest, in the ordinary sense. What else could he expected, when the question, say, for example, of supplying’ a new lank to a school in Pelorous Sound has to he settled hy a body of twelve grave and reverend seigniors assembled once a month in Wellington from as far a-' part as Marlborough, the Forty .Mile Bush, and Manawatu? Is not this centralisation run mad? Could not the Pelorous Sound people have managed the purchase of that: lank for themselves? It is (dear that on the score of lack of local ini ('rest as well as on the scores of cnmhrousuess, expensiveuess, and inclliciency, the hoards are out of court. Their day of usefulness, except to the politicians, has long since ended, and it is lime this fact came to he recognised.”

AX Association ol‘ School ComiuitIccs in the Southern Ward under I he Wanganui Board lias been formed, with the object of organising' a campaign for (he betterment of our educational system. The Association has set down for discussion this year the following subjects: Standardisation of school book’s, free libraries, modernisation of school buildings and furniture, (ire prevention in schools and (ire drill, scale of capitation allowance to school committees, free school books and requisites, establishment of Federation of School Committees’ Associations, that forty-live children be the. maximum in any class under the charge of one teacher, (he extension of open air classes, and the provision of larger playgrounds, free and compulsory medical and dental treatment of children in State schools, a complete and compulsory system of continuation schools up to the age of 18 years, that the teachers’ remuneration be made sufficiently attractive to encourage the most able to enter the service, and combined school sports’ gatherings. The objects of the Association shall be to consider all questions relative to the administration and maintenance of the national system of education and other matters of interest to or affecting school committees. The members of the Association are to consist of two delegates from each affiliated school committee. It was agreed that the subscription be 10s 0d per year for committees of tive members, and 21s per year for committees of seven and nine members. It was decided that general meetings he held quarterly, and special meetings as required. It was decided that the executive consist of a president, three vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and five other members. A rule was passed giving members of the Association the privilege of inviting fellow-committee members to any meeting, the invited members to have the right tb speak

but not to vote. Membership is to bo open to any school commit 100 1 h:t 1 desires to .affiliate.