EDUCATION MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1922, Page 2

EDUCATION MATTERS.

NEEDS OF COUNTRY PUPILS. FARMERS’ SUGGESTIONS. Various matters relating to country schools, which were the subject of re-. solutions at the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, have been dealt with in a letter to the Dominion secretary of the unioln by the Minister for Education, the .Hon. C. J. Parr. Referring to the suggested consolidation of groups of small back-blocks schools, the Minister stated that the department has repeatedly and strongly urged on education boards the advantages that would arise from the adoption of this suggestion. Unfortuntely, added the Minister, any proposal in the past by the (boards to carry this plan into effect, had been met by strenuous opposition oh the part of the parents and committees of the small schools concerned. In the face of such opposition it would be impossible to secure a satisfactory working of the arrangement. A trial of the scheme, however, was to be made in North Auckland, the committees of a group of small schools having proposed that the schools be consolidated. “I am satisfied,” said Mr. Parr, “that this experiment will demonstrate to other country settlers that they are standing in their children’s light by opposing the consolidation of schools. I would suggest that your union could do good work through its branches in so placing the matter before the parents and committees concerned with groups of small schools that they also would propose to the education board that consolidation should be effected.” The suggestion that elementary bookkeeping be taught in the higher standards of the primary schools is not favored by the Minister. He stated in his letter that he was advised that the subject would Ibe beyond the experience of the pupils, since they would not be conversant with the business significance of the matters with which they would have to deal. Under the proposed junior high school system, he added, there was no doubt some extension in the desired direction could be effected.

In regard to school books the Minister stated that much had already been done to secure as near an approach as possible to uniformity in order to avoid waste. It was hoped soon to establish a system of standardisation at least as regards secondary schools. In the matter of dental treatment Mr. Parr stated that every endeavor will be made to bring the advantages of dental, treatment within the reach of country children. The number of members on the dental staff of the Department of Health was being substantially increased. and the first draft of dental nurses trained under the dental division would shortly be available for service. It was fully recognised that it was in those districts where there were few dentists, and where children would have to travel long distances at considerable expense to secure treatment that the benefits of the school dental system should be most freely applied.