SCHOOLS FULL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1922, Page 6

SCHOOLS FULL.

POSITION IN TARANAKI. OVERCROWDING GENERAL. WAITARA URGES SOLUTION. The overcrowding of schoolrooms, now becoming general throughout Taranaki, not only in the towns, but also in the country districts, formed the subject of considerable discussion at the meeting of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday, members expressing the opinion that the position was becoming very acute, while the department were practically doing nothing, but were sheltering behind the financial stringency. The matter was brought up by a deputation from the Waitara School Conrmittee, comprising Messrs. H. Ford (chairman), Kedgley and W-alkeley, which waited on the board in connection with the position of the Waitara School, which has been before the board for some years past. Mr. Ford said that the main object of the deputation was the same old trouble, viz., the overcrowding of the school. There were various other smaller matters, but they were all hardy annuals. The position as regarded the overcrowding was getting very serious. Their trouble, he said, was of longer duration than that of the New Plymouth schools, and he understood that as far back as 1914 plans for the new ■ school had been approved. The chairman pointed out that the board was fully cognisant of the position, as it had been frequently brought before the board by Mr. Hoskin, who was one of the representatives for that district. Continuing, Mr. Ford said that they had placed the position before the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Education) on his visit, and when he left they were fully under the ■ impression that they would obtain at least : two rooms, if not more. But they had i reckoned without Mr. Spencer, who had upset their hopes. The position was get- ’ ting worse all the time. Last year the average was 285, and this .year 338.2, and : in several rooms it was not possible to put any more desks. They used the Technical Schoolroom, which relieved the position somewhat, but on one day weekly this room was not available, and the class was held in the shelter shed, which , was cold and unsuitable, and a menace to : the children’s health.

> The chairman said that, as far as the ! board was concerned, the Waitara School j was bracketed with Fitzroy, second on the I list. Replying to the Rev. Kedgeley, the chairman pointed out that prior to the war the floor space was based at 10 feet 1.1 the roll number and 12 feet on the average attendance; but since the war there appeared to be no recognised basis. Rev. Kedgeley asked that the board should make some temporary arrangement, either by using St. John’s Hall, the cooking-room, or erecting a temporary movable building. One or more parents said they would not send their children to school for health reasons on the day they had to go into the shelter shed. The chairman said that he did not want any action to be taken by the committee or the board or anyone else that would prejudice the application for a new build-

Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., said that the members of the board were anxious to have something done, but did not want to see the matter taken as one of expediency, because the department would probably jump at that as a reason why they should not go on with the main building. In reply to Mr. Trimble, Mr. Ford said that the best possible use was being made of the available space in the main school,

while the upper standards were at the Technical School; but he pointed out that the pupils from Motonui and Tikorangi were “swung on” to them for technical classes. He pointed out that the people of Waitara had contributed £250 towards the cost of the building. Rev. Kedgeley said the committee wishsd to know if the board could provide any solution of the difficulty. He felt that the board was not altogether sympathetic towards them. The chairman said members of the board were sympathetic and were fully cognisant of the whole position, which had been before them for some time past and had been placed before the department. He gave figures to show that the position at Fitzroy, West End, Fraser Road and Oeo, among other schools, was worse than at Waitara. The chairman said that the deputation could take back to Waitara the assurance that the matter would have the board’s earnest consideration. Subsequently Mr. Hoskin moved that the department be informed that the board regrets that it has had no definite reply to its letter of March 10, regarding improvements to the Waitara School. This was seconded by Mr. Smith and carried.

It was further resolved, on the motion of Messrs. Hoskin and Deare, that the matter of increased accommodation was being pressed forward by the board with the utmost urgency, and that other matters in regard to the residence be referred to the architect.

CONDITIONS AT OKAIAWA. Mr. J. A. Valentine (senior inspector) reported on the position at Okaiawa, where there were 200 pupils with an average attendance of 184 in three room's, with a total floor space of 1763 square feet. He added that the average attendance of 184 had been maintained since the school opened on February 1, the roll varying from 196 to 201. It was quite evident that the rooms were overcrowded, the infant room particularly so. As the building was a concrete one, the only way in which it could be added to was by the erection of n new room, and the overcrowding as yet hardly warranted that expense, at least not in these abnormal financial times. The school had since April 1 gained another assistant, who had no room to teach in. It had been suggested that the services of this assistant should be utilised part-time in two of the rooms, but that was very unsatisfactory to all concerned. He thought, therefore, that with the view of affording temporary relief, application might be made to the department for the provision of a movable room, to be used until conditio i<? enabled permanent improvements to be effected. The adoption of the report was moved and seconded. Mr. Lees said that this opened up the question as to whether the board’s pqlicy in erecting buildings in concrete was the bright one. Apparently the roll number

would have to increase by 50 before the j erection of a new room was warranted. Tawhiti was in exactly the same position. He considered that the children in the country schools which were overcrowded were not being treated fairly in the matter of education. r Mr Smith strongly deprecated the attitude of the department. The population in Taranaki was growing more rapidly than anywhere else, except, possibly, in the chief centres, and yet the department was doing nothing, the only reason given being the financial stringency. The conditions were now becoming such that they were likely to ruin the health of hundreds of children. Some districts were getting what they required, and he instanced the case of Longburn, where the people had practically decided on “direct action,” informing the Minister that they would hot send their children to school unless something was decided upon within a fortnight, and £2OOO had been spent. The people in fanning districts were just aS entitled to consideration as those of the bigger centres. He thought the board should take further action to show the public that they were not getting a fair deal from the department. The chairman pointed out that at present the board was in the dark on certain matters The Minister had made a statement that he hoped soon that there would be one teacher to every 40 children. They would therefore like some guidance as to what basis fhey should build on. If the elapses were reduced to 40, the board should build on that basis. He favored building fireproof structures, and he was quite satisfied these could be built so as to be enlarged. Mr. Lees said that in South Taranaki there was no chance of the attendance going back. He moved, as an amendment, that a new classroom be applied for. Mr. Smith, in seconding, said that in normal times there there would have been no difficulty in obtaining the new classrooms at Okaiawa and Tawhiti. If temporary accommodation was provided, they would have to replace it in a year or two with permanent buildings. The chairman said that in view of other demands he did not think it advisable to push for permanent building at Okaiawa at the present juncture. The position generally, ail over, was very acute, and would become worse, owing to the amount of land being diverted to dairying.

The amenduient was lost and the motion carried.