SCHOOL COMMITTEE FEDERATION

Shannon News, 12 August 1921, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE FEDERATION

USEFUL OBJECTS ACHIEVED

Mr A. C. Holms, of Tiro Tiro Road, gave a few particulars to a v News reporter yesterday regarding the School Committees’ Federation, the advantages of which Mr Holms pointed out in a letter to the 1.3.un School Committee at last week’s meeting. He stated that he was the founder of the Wairarapa Association, ami its first president. The organisation had spread throughout New ZealaiHl, and had-proved a big success, it had . worked lor the realisation of three essentials, which were (l) the -increased capitations paid to school committees; (2) the raisng of the primary leaving age of scholars to 15 — a great benefit, to country children; and (3) to secure increased expenditure on education, particularly in the building programmes, and to advocate for the improved status of teachers. At the last, conference, of the eight remits sent down by the Wairarapa, seven were adopted and incorporated in the Federation’s school programme, including the leaving age, and the establishment of a system of continuation classes. The Federation also dealt with the question of the unsatisfactory • system of appointing teachers, favouring the setting up of an appointment' hoard for each education -district, with the object of selecting teachers rather than inviting applications for vacancies,- thus placing them on the same basis as the civil service. Mr Holms stated that every district in New Zealand had joined up with the Federation with the exception of the Horowhenua. An association of district committees could he formed in the Horowhenua as was done in other places, and then affiliate with the Federation, because matters of na- , tional as well as local interest came within its scope.