AN ASSOCIATION FORMED.

Taihape Daily Times, 2 August 1918, Page 3

AN ASSOCIATION FORMED.

A meeting was held in Palmerston for the purpose of considering the formati-on of a School Committees As'soc~iation in the Manawatu. -The committee represented were as follows: Terrace End, Mr J. A. Nash; Tiakitahuna, Messrs. N. P. Nielsen and S. R. Richardson; College Street, Messrs. H. Keys and‘ A. B. Gerrand; Campbell street, Messrs. A. J. Mahon and H. J. Can-ten; .Kelvin Grove, Messrs. Gr. Ta.ven<lale, and H, F_‘ Townshend; Fitzherbert East, Messrs. S. R. 'Lancaster and Field; Feilding District High School, Mr H. MOlll. tyre; Lytton street school (Feildmg), Mr O. Aldis; Taihape, Mr A, Jobfin and Mrs de Latour. " Mr. H. Keys, in bringing the subject forward, suggesting that if it was decided that the Association be formed, that the following be included among thesubjeets for discussion during the war: “St-andlardisation of school b-ooks, free liabaries, modern-I isation of school buildings and furni. ture, fire prevention in schools and fire drill, scale of capitation allowance to school committees, free school books and requisites, establishment of Federation of School Committees’ Associations, that 45 children be the maximum in any class under the. charge of one teacher, the extension of openair classes, and the provision of larger playgrounds, free and co.nrp‘ulsory medical and dental treatment of children in State schools, «a complete and compulsory system. of continuation schools up to the age of 18 years,‘ that teachers’ remunera.-tions be made suficicntly attractive to cllcouiage the most able to enter the service, and combined schools sports’ gatherings. Mr. A. J. Mahon said Mr Keys was entitled to all thanks and commendation for what he had done to start the Association. The Campbell Street‘ School Comrmittee would give the pro-: posal every support. l Mr H. Mclntyre (Feilding, who is‘ also a Board member) said that eight ‘ or ten years ago there was a School' Committees’ Association, with headquarters in lWanga.nui, that did good ' work, although it was hardly the sue-l cess that had been anticipated. It) was an open secret that .matters per--taining to education were looked upon in the House of Parliament as unimportant. The Minister for Education wa.s zealous in the matter of educa-l ti-onal reform but he had to persuade his colleagues and the legislature in general. One benefit -of an ‘Association would be that they would have a} definite programme and a federation of School Committees’ Associations could press for the more important alld more practicable of their demands, If 1 they had the local interest and the feeling behind them; they could carry any educational reforms that they asked for. He pointed out that members of the Education Boards were elected by the school committees and were bound to do what the committees ask-, ed. It was for the committees to say what was wanted in the way of some-l thing better for education. ‘ Mr O. Oldis (Ly-tton street) said hisi committee would give its cordial sup-ll ' port to the Association. If they co-i operated. -they would get their desires] for reforms much better than theyi would otherwise.,, A l It was resolved to form an Asso—l_ ciation with Mr Keys as secretary pro tem. An,othelr meeting will ‘be hold A later on., , I