SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1918, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' ASSOCIATION.

ASMUiAL CONFERENCE The annual conference of the School Committees' Association was held yesterday afternoon at tlie New Plymouth Technical College. The president (Mr. S. G. Smith) presided. Messrs H. Trimble and P. White (members of the Education Board) were present, and also the board's inspectors (Messrs A. JMorton, W. A. Ballantyne, and H. Dempsey). The following representatives were also present: —Mrs. Cuthibert (Pembroke Road), Messrs T. A- Bocock (Raupuha), A. Klinner (Kaimata), J. OJones and A. Robertson (Oeo), G. H. Dolby, H. Benton, and F. A. Coleman (Central), F. Duckworth and H. H. Grayling (Fitzroy), J- Sanders and J. Garcia (West End), J. H. Downes, H. Sampson, Geo. King, and L- F. Laurent (Bell Block), \Y. K. and F. E. Morris (Oakura), and the secretary (!Mr. W. G. Reid). Mr. Smith, in welcoming delegates, expressed hi 3 satisfaction at the attendance, considering the unfavorable weather. He said the association had been formed for the promotion of the interests of education in Taranaki, and it was hoped to work in co-operation with the Board of Education. He welcomed the members of the board present, and also the board's inspectors.

AitfNUAL REPORT. The annual report stated, inter alias During the year brandies of the association have been established at Hawera and JUthom, thus linking up the whole of the district, save that portion at the northern end at Ohura, where the lacte of reasonable travelling facilities renders it difficult for committees to meet at a convenient centre to form a branch, but as in other localities remote from branches, the committees axe affiliating direct with the central executive, thus showing their interest in and appreciation of the work of the association. Your executive's representations to the Minister of Education in the interests of backblock schools have been met by increasing the rate of capitation payable to grade 0 schools- During the year regular meetings of the executive have been held, and all questions submitted by committees have been dealt with. Two very successful public meetings were held in New Plymouth during the year, at which interesting and instructive addresses were delivered by Mrs. M. Dowling, headmistress of the West End school, and Mr. A. J. Morton, MA., senior inspector of the district. The value of such addresses is so obvious that arrangements have been made to continue them during the coming year, and it is suggested that the branches may see the value of adopting these means of arousing interest in matters educational in their respective centres. The balance-sheet showed receipts for the year to be £7 lis 6d, and the cash in hand 8s 9d. The report and balance-sheet were taken as read, and the chairman, in moving their adoption, said he desired only to add that the formation of school committee as»oeiation3 had been fully justified, and had shown many committee members that there was something more than the keeping of schools clean in the work of committees. In Canterbury the association was so strong as to have a fighting platform. The movement in Wellington had lapsed for a time, but was now, as in many other places, getting into a strong position. It wa s agreed that the establishment and maintenance of the School Committees' Association was a wise step. ' The motion was seconded by Mrs Cuthbert and carried unanimously. The secretary then read the replies from the Minister of Education to representations made to him by the executive of the association.

REMITS. The conference then proceeded to the consideration of the following remits: — That the Taranaki Board of Education be urged to endeavor to make arrangements with the Bank of New Zealand authorities to charge a fixed annual sum for keeping the whole of the accounts of the school committees throughout the Taranaki district, such annual sum to be paid by the board, and thus remove the present great inconvenience caused to country school committees by having to use the Post Office Savings Bank.—Moved by the chairman and seconded by Mr. Bocock and carried. That all schools be supplied with shelter-sheds, free, of cost to committees. —Moved by Mr. Coleman and seconded by Mr. Grayling and carried. In moving that committees having control of two or more schools should 'be entitled to an additional grant to meet the increased cost of cleaning separate buildings,, etc., Mr. Benton said that it was unfair to expect a committee to maintain two or more school buildings on the same allowances as were given to schools of equal size where all the scholars were taught in ona building. The motion was seconded by Mr. Garcia, who said that in the case of a side school the attendance wa3 calculated in the returns of the main school, and capitation paid on the total number of scholars. It must be apparent to everyone that the charges for the care of two buildings, which were often too far apart for the same janitor to attend to both, would be greater than to the" committee whose school was housed under one roofThe remit was adopted. The chairman moved that technical schools or colleges be placed on the same footing as secondary schools as regards staffing, salaries, and equipment. He said the Education Act defined the methods for the establishment and maintenance of secondary schools, but no such provision was made for the technical schools. They had certainly become a permanent part of the country's educational system, and the value and success of such schools demanded that they , be put on a footing similar to secondary schools The motion was seconded by Mrs. Cuthbert and carried. A remit, expressing the opinion that chairmen of education boards sliould be paid an honorarium, was moved by Mr. Garcia. He said the principle had been adopted with regard to the chairmen of local bodies, whose duties were not nearlv so far-reaching nor important as the duties of the chairman of an education board- In Taranaki the chairman of the board had to diffuse his energies over g even county districts, and devoted mt'f l ' f'ttte to the work, and he also In- ; chit;'!! a good deal of expense for which he must often be out of wxfcet, and he

claimed it was unfair to expect such service from any man, and offer him no honorarium. The motion was seconded by Mr. Sanders and carried. A remit dealing with the System which utilised monitors to teach in their own classes, and asking that the system be amended by the board, was introduced by Mr. Bocock, but, after some discussion, it was withdrawn by consent of the conference, it being pointed out by Mr. Ballantyne that the system was not general, and that the case cited by Mr. Bocock was an exception to the general rule. At this stage, the conference adjourned for afternoon tea, as the guests of the Technical College students, and also to give the members an opportunity of inspecting some of the work of the students On resuming, the following remit, moved by Mrs. CutWbert and seconded by Mr. Sanders, was considered: —"Seeing that teaching is rapidly becoming a woman's profession, it is essential that steps should be (taken to provide the necessary inducements to attract suitable young men into the profession, by offering higher salaries than those paid to other branches of the Public Service; and that, further, the present allowance to Training College students should be greatly increased." During the discussion which followed, Mr. P. White and Mr. Morton spoke, urging that more inducements should be given to men to enter the professionMr. White urged that the committees should take up the matter in their own districts and create a demand for an increased vote for education, and press the matter through their members of Parliament. Mr Morton dealt with the method of appointing teachers, and also pointed out that though the Department [had recently increased the salaries paid to probationers and pupil teachers, other Government departments had offered higher increases, and consequently the Education Department was in no better position to compete for the services of suitable teachersThe last remit dealt with with the consideration of the Educational Institute's request for support in their claims for improvements in school buildings, larger playgrounds, smaller classes, increased numlber of inspectors, free medical and dental treatment to all school children, compulsory continuation classes, and more adequate remuneration for junior teachers. Mr. fiollby moved and Mr. Garcia seconded—"That this conference strongly urges the National Government to materially increase the educational vote for 1918, in order to provide adequate ftods for improvements and extension in our national system as outlined by the New Zealand Educational Institute." After discussion, the motion was carried unanimously.

M/TERATION OP ROLES. It was decided to alter rule <t, in order to provide for each of the branches electjng one of their members to he a vice-president, who should aJao hare a seat on the executive. ELECTION OP OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr. S. G- Smith; viceMessrs G. S. Dolby (New Plymouth), F. E. Morris (Okato); secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. G. Reid; executive, Messrs J. Garcia, F. Coleman, H. Grayling, and Lister. THANKS. i Votes of thanks were passed to the members of the Education Board and the inspectors for their attendance and addresses; to Mr. and Mrs. Gray and the technical students for entertaining the delegates to afternoon tea; to Mr, Gray for the privilege of holding the meetings of the association in the college building and for his assistance to the j executive; and to the retiring officers.