EDUCATION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 557, 13 August 1920, Page 2

EDUCATION

THE NEEDS OF COUNTRY CHILDREN. At a meeting of the Franklin SubProvincial District New Zealand Farmers' Union held on the 10th inst. a Jetter was received from the Education Department dealing with itinerant teachers.

Most members present agreed that this provision did not apply to the Franklin district.

Mr. A. L. Hull, Waiuku, pointed out that there were many districts where children of five and six years of age had to walk three and four miles over bad roads to school. He considered that small infant schools should be built where required in country districts to teach children up to Standard 111.

Mr. W. L. West supported Mr. Hull's contention, and mentioned several districts where an infant school would serve a useful purpose. One speaker pointed out that such schools could be built of a movable type, so that when they had served their usefulness in one part of the district they could be shifted to another neighbourhood. Mr. Mellsop pointed out that it was a severe tax on the health of young children having to ride four and five miles to school.

It was finally agreed to write to the Education Department urging them to build infant schools in country districts, and also to ask the Provincial Office to support the matter of infant schools in country dis tricts.