Committee Sits to Discuss Education

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 823, 18 November 1929, Page 11

Committee Sits to Discuss Education

WILL DRAFT NEW POLICY INQUIRY IN AUCKLAND -Our purpose is to form an educational policy more consistent with the reeds of the Dominion at the present time.’ said the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, this morning, when replying to Mr. T. U. Wells, who. on behalf of the Auckland University College, welcomed the Education Committee of the House of Representatives. The committee, which has 10 members, begatt its investigations in Auckland today by visiting the Univarsity and being shown over the I • • m< m !>••;•* a re:- Mr. \\ . A. Bodkin (chairman t. the Hon. H. Atmore. Messrs. G. Black. P. Fraser, 11. Holland, T. V. McDonald, A. J. Murdoch, G. U- Sykes. J. A. Young and the Rev. Clyde Carr. Mr. T. B. Strong, Director of Education, is accompanying the committee in an : advisory capacity. : j The committee has been empowered to investigate ail educational questions, including tlie training of j teachers, higher education, technical j i education, the care of the mentally j defective, and annual instruction. j] Mr. Atmore complimented Auckland ion its educational future, lie considered that all over the world a recou- ; sideration of educational problems was I going on, and that the policies in general were being reorganised and reconstructed. The committee proposed to visit all the distinctive types of ; schools iu New Zealand, and evidence . would be taken from all who were interested in the subject. It was hoped to make it a truly national investigation and, as it. was thought that education was a problem | which affected all classes and all in-1 j stitutions, evidence was being invited j i from such sources as the Farmers’ ; Union and the Chambers of Commerce in the various districts to be j visited. After visiting the university this ; 1 morning the commission went on t.o j inspect the Seddon Memorial Tech- i I nical College and (his afternoon will j j go over the Jubilee Institute for the; j Blind. Tomorrow it will visit the j ! Mount Eden primary school and the I Kowbai Junior High School, the Auck- ; land Grammar School, and the Auckland Girls’ Grammar School. Tn the evening tlie first evidence will be heard in the offices of the Auckland Education Board. The Pukekohe Technical High School and the Northcote Junior High School will be visited on Wednesday, and further evidence will be taken on Thursday and Friday. Educational bodies and teachers’ organisations will be represented before the committee. Th > registrar, i Mr. M. Rocke O’Shea, will represent i the Auckland University College CounI oil, and the Auckland Grammar School ; Board will send Professor A. P. W. | Thomas, chairman, Miss E. M. Johnston. headmistress of the Girls’ Grammar School, and Mr. IT. J. D. Mahon, headmaster of the Grammar School. A meeting on Wednesday of the Auckland Education Board will choose a representative, and The board j of managers of the Seddon Memorial I Technical College will meet tomorrow for the same purpose. Mr. F. A. Garry | has been appointed by the Auckland i Headmasters’ Association to give evidence.