SOUTH COMMITTEES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1940, Page 10

SOUTH COMMITTEES

SCHOOL WORK DISCUSSED Subjects ranging from the rebuilding of schools and the policy of consolidation to the value of agricultural instruction and the employment of married women teachers were discussed by Mr. J. A. Valentine, chairman of the Taranaki Education Board, when he addressed the quarterly meeting of the South Taranaki School Committees' Association which met in the parish hall at Kaponga. After each section of his address the speaker paused to permit questions and comment which were both plentiful. Mr. Valentine paid a tribute to members of school committees for their interest in school work. He also referred to the fact that he was accompanied by the board's architect, Mr. C. H. Moore, who gave freely of his spare time to make visits with him to all parts of the boaid s district. The matter of rebuilding schools and residences had been so long postponed that the idea of providing an intermediate school for Taranaki had been set aside in the meantime. He explained that the principal reason for delayv in commencing rebuilding work was that the erection of schools in areas not already possessing one and of residences where they had not existed previously took precedence over replacements. The board was fully in accord with the Education Department's policy in this respect. No Agricultural School. Taranaki had been particularly successful in agricultural work. This was due to the fact that for 16 years there had "been three instructors ip. the area. On the other hand there was no agricultural school. Owing to wartime retrenchment only two full time instructors would be employed but a third would spend half of his time in the Auckland and Taranaki districts respectively. The value of the work in school garden, in potato and other root competitions, forestry, calf raising and judging was demonstrated by the fact that the Henry A. Lane Shield had only once gone out of Taranaki. The consolidation of schools was a matter of considerable interest. For the last 25 years the department's policy had been to consolidate and over 30 schemes were in operation in the district for the conveyance of children from outlying areas. These were working very satisfactorily, but no further consolidations were likely while petrol restrictions continued. Where scb|)ls had been closed they were made available for fycial centres in cases where local settlers were willing to keep them in repair. This arrangement was not working satisfactorily because those having charge of the buildings found difficulty in raising funds for repair and maintenance work. In some cases school bus services were being abused as parents were sending children away to another school. This was illegal. The only children entitled to conveyance in school buses were those living more than three miles from a school if over 10 years of age and over two miles in the case of children under that age. Married Women Teachers. The chairman then dealt with the question of the employment of married women teachers. Until three years ago the board had had a discretion in the matter but as it now stood they had no choice if the grading marks of a married women entitled her to priority. An unsatisfactory feature was the fact that a woman who resumed teaching after being out of the profession for many years must be reinstated without , loss of grading marks. This was particularly unfair to young teachers. In answer to a question as to whether a school committee's right to object to a teacher was ever upheld, Mr. Valentine said that it was most unlikely that it would ever succeed unless two or more teachers with the same grading marks applied for the position. Mr. Valentine lastly dealt with the various classes of assistant teachers. School committees had considerable difficulty in distinguishing between probationary assistants, additional assistants and supernumerary teachers. The probationers were those just out of training college. They had to serve a year before they could be graded or be given a certificate. The additional assistants were appointed temporarily to schools whose rolls increased so as to qualify for an extra assistant. At the end of the year the school would be regraded if the roll was maintained. Supernumerary teachers were those without a job. The board had to find work for them, but could send them anywhere. If they refused to go they were ineligible for other work. • No teachers from another district could be appointed so long as a supernumerary was available. An anomaly existed in regard to the rent of school houses to teachers paid according to the grade of their school irrespective of the size or age of the house, stated the speaker. There was a 'good attendance at the meeting. Mr. D. Wards presided and committees were reprasented as follows: Manaia (2), Mahoe (2), Pihama (1), Riverlea (4), Mangatoki (1), Kaponga (3), Kapuni (1), Auroa (4), Te Kiri (1), Matapu (2)., Okaiawa (1). During the evening Mr. Rod Syme, one of the board's agricultural instructors, gave an interesting explanation of the work of the Boys' and Girls' Agricultural Club. The steady increase in entries from 285 in 1924-25 to 950 for last season was evidence of the increasing interest and enthusiasm of school children. It was suggested that each committee should appoint a supervisor to assist in forwarding the work of the clubs.'