CLOSING THE SCHOOLS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 23 February 1917, Page 4

CLOSING THE SCHOOLS.

TEACHERS ADVERSELY COMMENTED ON. THE CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS Considerable discussion ensued a€ Wednesday night's meeting of the Wa« nganui Education Board concerning the action of the Board in closing the schools at noon during the month of January. It appeared that the extra time off was more appreciated by the teachers than the scholars. The Chairman (Mr F. Pirani) said since the last meeting of the Board Mr Sewell had suggested closing the town, schools at noon during the "heat wave' in January. The chairman had readily fallen in with the idea, but he thought that the head teachers in the Vg schools could have been trusted not to close the schools on cool days. Continuing, Mr Pirani said, "We have a few conscientious teachers in our schools, but I am surprised to find there are so few." He stated that Lytton school was closed during th e afternoons, while the District High School was closed on about only four ocasions. This particular school was kept open on cool days. He added that at Palmerston North he believed that one teacher wanted to keep the school open, but the others wanted to close it. He believed exactly the same thing occurred at Wanganui—some of the teachers thought it a good idea to close the schools every day. At this stage Mr Fraser interjected that the Foxtou school was closed one half day only.

Proceeding, the chairman said teach ers might have been expected to exer cise a little common sense and discre tion. The Board did not want to coot. children up in the hot weather. He ha 6 since given instructions to re-open th(, schools.

Mr Joblin was of the opinion thai the instructions should have been gen eral. He considered that the schools should have been closed at Taihape il they were closed at Marten and Hun terville.

The chairman remarked that the aid tude was higher in Taihape, and th< weather cooler. On account of the crowded state of the school at punter villo the committee had requested tha.l the school be closed during the hol weather. Mr Joblin: The position should b. governed by temperature. The chairman: The matter should b< best left in the hands of committees and not teachers. Mr Collins said that at some of tin country schools children had to wall three miles home and then milk cows and they did not have baths to get int< like the town children. The chairman held the opinion tha some discretionary power was uecessar in summer time, and it would be bette if regulations are framed. After th recent experiment the Board would no try it again According to Mr Christie some of th teachers at Ohakune wanted to kno\ if the school would be dosed, but tb heod teacher hud decided to keep oper The action of the chairman in ai ranging for the closing of the school was approved. It was intimated tha an endeavour would be made to get re gulations framed to deal with aidtto in future.