SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 7

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

South island conference The annual conference of the South Island School Committees' Federation was held on Wednesday in the Otago Education Board’s office. Mr W H Steele chairman of the Otago School’ Committees Association, presided over an attendance of nine delegates as follow: — ?w esS X s - C Sanderson, J- C. H. Somerville, W. Ripley. R. S. Vercoe. M Haig. T. Palhser (Otago), J. Stuart (Canterbury), A. I’. Stocker (South Canterbury), A ’, A ,y Valke r and A. W. Anderson (Southland). DELEGATES WELCOMED. The chairman of othe Otago Education Board (Mr J. Wallace) extended a we!- 1 come to the delegates and expressed pleasure at seeing such a good attendance. He stressed the necessity for strict economy on the part of committees and teachers, who could, in that way, assist the department and the boards in the trying -times through which they were passing, . , - CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS. The chairman, in his oiiening address, said:— This is the sixth annual conference of this federation, and I trust that as a result of the meeting we shall be able to report that we have taken a forward step in linking together in a solid body all of the committees in the South Island. At the conclusion of last conference in Timaru it was. left in the hands of the Dunedin members of A the executive to draft a new appeal with this object in view. This was done and a copy was forwarded to each affiliated association with the result that all, with the exception of Canterbury, agreed to the proposal. The Dunedin members again met, and it was decided that the best thing to do was for the president to go. to Christchurch and address the annual meeting and .endeavour to persuade the northern association to link up with the scheme. This was done, but with only partial success. A further attempt was made later when an executive meeting was called at Timaru, but the Canterbury delegates did not put in an appearance so no further progress was made, and it wag decided to leave the matter over until the annual conference.

“ Capitation allowances to primary school committees are still one of the most disheartening features of the educational system, as 7s 6d per child is received based on the average attendance, against 50s allowed to secondary school boards. As every child in the Dominion is forced to attend school until the age of 14 or until he or she has gained a proficiency certificate, the department should be compelled to provide suitable buildings and give the committees sufficient money to keep the buildings in good order, and in winter time warm and dry. With the 7s 6d per child a large number of committees have not sufficient money to pay a janitor and to pay the coal bill. With a debit balance the committees have to buy requisites for cleaning, pay cost of disinfecting and fumigation, if necessary, keep grounds in order and repair fences, hedges, gates, and buildings damaged by accident, provide stationery, pay for lighting, and many other little items mentioned in the bylaws. The Otago Education Board made a special grant to the committees that were not able ttr buy sufficient fuel, but now the special coal subsidy is withdrawn by orders from'the department. “ The most interesting item in the education world since last conference has been the printing and distribution of the Recess Committeß.’s report and some alterations school committees have advocated for years are included in it.” In- conclusion, the speaker said that they had been sent there by the elected representatives of the householders and the parents of the children attending the primary schools, ind in addition to that

they represented the taxpayers. He considered it was their duty i n these times of financial 'stringency to guard against any wasteful expenditure, but, at the same time, to insist on the children in the primary schools getting a square deal from the Education Department. REMITS. The following remits were endorsed:—I. That the department be asked to legard sympathetically the dismissal of assistant teachers from schools borderin'’ on a lower grade. 2 That a further attempt should be made to unite all school committees in the South Island. 3- That in all cases where their husbands are in a position to support them, married women should not be appointed to teaching positions. 4. that the education vote be made adequate to provide proper maintenance tor primary schools. 5. That the department be asked that, before any alterations are made to the Education Act by Parliament or by regulation, such alterations should be submitted to the School Committees' Association. 6. That this conference ask the federation' to resist any further attempt at centralisation as indicated in the Atmore report, as such action would destroy local interest, and would not tend to efficiency or economy. .7. That the Education Act be amended with respect to procedure in connection with the’ appointment of teachers—(a) That consideration be given to local requirements whether the appointee will be a male or a female irrespective of position on the grading list; (b) that. Where two or more applicants are within a radius of five marks on the grading list, other conditions being equal and suitable, education boards shall hate power to submit such names to the committees for concurrence and recommendation as to the most suitable. 8. That the federation Dress for further teaching of swimming and life saving, and that, where facilities are available, such be made compulsory subjects. 9. That the tenure of school committee life be. extended to two years, with a proportion of the members retiring annually. 10. That the federation request that the teaching of sewing in primary schools be hand sewing. 11. That the federation request that the provision of the syllabus covering agricultural instruction and teaching of grain measurements be made compulsory instead of optional.—lt was pointed out that pupils were known to leave the primary schools not knowing what constituted a bushel of grains and seeds. 12.—That this conference is of the opinion that home work should not be imposed on children under the age of 11 years. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr S. R. Evison (Christchurch); vice-presidents —Messrs J. A. B. Walker (Southland), T. C. Palliser (South Canterbury); secretary. Mr J. Stuart (Cffristchurch); Executive Committee—Messrs T. W. West (Christchurch). W. Gibb (South Canterbury), J. C. H. Sdmerville and L. Sanderson (Otago), A. W. Anderson (Southland). GENERAL. A report submitted by the Canterbury Association on. the Atmore Report was discussed, and several proposed amendments ' were approved.—The report was adopted. It was decided to hold the next conference in Christchurch next March. The delegates will be entertained today by the Otago Association, and will be conducted on a tour of several business houses and the ’ Dental School.