EDUCATION COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1915, Page 8

EDUCATION COUNCIL.

«**■ A SCHOOL FOR ST.RATFOKD. By Tclegr:\])li.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Council of Education vesuvued on Thursday, Dr. W. J. Anderson presided. The committee appointed to consider the question nf establishing a secondary school at Stratford recommended that subject to compliance with section 33 or the Act, the council be recommended to adviM' the Minister to estabhsli such a school at Stratford. The interim report of the committee on the schemes of control of secondary schools recommended that tl'• council advise the Minister to give notice to the governing bodies of the ClirUtchurch Boys and Girls High Schools and of the Wellington College and Wellington Girls College to forward schemes in accordance with section !!2 of the Act; also that the Minister be advised to adopt the scheme of control for the Gisborno High School a.s amended by the committee. Mr. Pirani, chairman of the Wanganut Girls College Board of Governors, waited 1 on the council to support the objections of the board to the proposed scheme oi ■ control suggested by the department. Mr. Hogben proposed: "That the mat- ! tors be referred to the committee on schemes of control with an instruction . that the date of election be altered from December .'Bl to July 31, and that the fees remain as they have been hitherto, and, further, that the question of expulsion be referred to the committee for consideration." The motion was carried.

On the motion of Miss Chaplin, it wa; decided that a recess committee be sel lip to consider-the. question of dilfcrenti ation in the education of boys and girls

The committee on schemes of control of secondary schools presented its report, Tlie schemes provide the machinery' for the election of members of boards, also the courses of study which are to be provided in the schools, the relation of principles and the board with regard to the control and management of schools, and, in some cases, also provision for the election of chairmen for carrying on the business of the, boards, 'f'he committee recommended that the Minister be advised to approve of the scheme as adopted by the committee. The committee further recommended that some of the members of the governing bodies of girls' schools should bo women. The report was adopted. Mr. C. H. Opie drew attention to the great numbers of pupils who left the primary schools before they passed standard VI, many of them after passing standard IV, and he pointed out that many of them wished for further education in the evenings. At present they had to pay for this education, and his idea was that the technical schools should be made free to them. He submitted a motion in the direction he had indicated. Mr. (J. Hogben pointed out that the same object would be attained by making attendance at continuation schools compulsory under section 124 of the Education Act. ~ Eventually the matter was referred to the recess committee for consideration and a report. The following committees were elected:—Agriculture: Messrs Hogben (convenor), Banks. Opie, Wells, Fleming, and Franklyii, and Miss Myers. Education of girls: Mrs. Talbot (convenor), Misses Cruickshank, Myers, Chaplin, Messrs Hogben, Kirk, Fleming, and Caughley. University entrance: Mr. Fleming, Professor Brown, Messrs Hogben, Campbell, and Caughley. Tests of mentality, medical inspection, etc.: Miss Myers (convenor), Messrs Hogben, Wells, and Kirk, Mrs. Talbot, Miss Chaplin. Attendaonce at secondary schools: Messrs Kirk (convenor), Hon. J. C 4. Aitken, Messrs Banks, Hogben. Opie, and Campbell. Mr. Fleming drew attention to the difficulty in obtaining male teachers at present owing to the fact that so many had gone to the war, and it was impossible to obtain substitutes. The council came to no decision on the matter. On the motion of Mr. Opie, seconded by the Hon. Mr. Aitken, it was resolved: "That this council desires to record its acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered to education 'by Mr. Hogben, the first and the late Director of Education, in the devotion of his life to the building up of the education system of this country. He has put the dominion under a lasting debt of gratitude. We trust ho may long be spared to assist the Council of Education to still further advance the interests of education." The council will meet -again early next year.