SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 13

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

QUARTERLY MEETING. There was a good gathering of delegates at the quarterly meeting of the Dunedin and Suburban School Committees' Association, held on the 2nd inst. in the Education Office, Mr R. H. Todd (president) being in the chair. The quarterly report contained th« following paragraph® : — "It has now been suggested that the time is opportune when such steps should be taken as will result in the matter of the simplification of the syllabus beingbrought under the notice of the Minister of Education. That this association is not alone in taking the view it does of this important matter is evidenced from the fact that the able paper read by the president of the Education Institute at the last annual meeting contemplates the •difficulties that necessarily arise from the efforts of teachers to administer a cum-ber-eome syllabus. A serious state of affaire brought under the- cognisance of your executive by a communication from the chairman of one of the chief suburbaa schools is the following extract from the> head master's report: — 'Several boys whodkl good work in the Fourth Standard I have found doing' poor work >mr theFifth Standard. On making inquiries t find that -they (eight "boys) arer working from* 10 to 10$ hours per day. Some get up at 3.30, others at 3.45 a.m., to work on milk carts or to go round, delivering newspapers. As one would expect, these children are quite listless Jn eohool. Their day's work is longer than a man's. It is certainly not fair to hold teachers responsible for the educational advance* t ment of these children.' The letter en- . closing the extract goes on to say: — 'We have waited upon the officers of the Education Board and of the Labour Department in connection with the matter, bat it appear* that there is no existing legislative enactment to- provide against the evil compl&ined of.* This therefore is, vra think, a fit subject for discussion by this association, with the object of remedy, if possible. - " The Port Chalmers School Committee has written asking us to have the folldwing motion, unanimously ooirricd by it in committee, brought before this association : ' That in preference to the Government providing free school books it be asked to contribute two-thirds of the cost_ of books, the parents to pay the ether third, the books to become the property of the children.' — " We have to congratulate two' members of this association — namely, Mr G-. C. Israel, on his re-election as a member of the Ota-go Education Board, and tine Hon. Thomas Fergus, on hie reappointment as chairman thereof. The good work accomplished by them in the cause of education is greatly appreciated by all ardent educa-v tionists. " Since our last meeting we notice that the Hawke's Bay district has formed an association, taking our constitution as a. guide, and your executive has forwarded • the necessary information at the request of the chairman of the Mount Cook school district, Wellington, for the formation of a. similar association there. In the near futureit is hoped that each educational district in the Dominion will be- represented by a school committees' association, the advantageof- which 'n combined effort must be obvious." The Chairman moved the adoption of therepert, »nd took the opportunity of congratulating the secretary upon its preparation. Very important educational question* of the present time fully warranted tfoeexistence of the association — one of the chief being that of the simplification, of thesyllabus. The- opinion of committee-men afr. present was that children were being taught uneesentials at the cost of essentials—teaching a little about a lot instead of a lot about a little. Another important matterwas the employment of schoolboye in milk carts. Thie was a serious matter, but as. an association they could hardly do much. The Labour Department could not do anything, nor could the Education Department, and it seemed to him that the only thing they could do was to give the matter as much publicity as they could in order to arouse tihe attention of parents. They would be pleased to notice ,the honours conferred upon the Hon. Thos. Fergus and Mr G. C. Israel in connection with theEducation Board-. — (Applause.) Mr J. B. Waters seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr G. C. Israel acknowledged on his own, behalf and on that of the Hon. T. Fergus, the complimentary remarks made. The President welcomed to the meeting Miss Marahnnt, principal of the Girls' HighSchool, and Mr James Brown, president of the Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association, also Messrs Jas. Allen and J. F. Arnoid, M.P.'s. The evening was taken up with a discussion upon the simplification of bhe syllabus, but the discussion was postponed at Upo'clock for further consideration.