PROPOSED EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9145, 22 July 1908, Page 6

PROPOSED EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

SCHOOL COMMITTEES BEING CIRCULARISED.

The following circular is being: sent to the Chairman of the various School Committees in the Wairarapa and Bush Districts by the Secretary of the Wairarapa School Committees' Association (Mr W. M. Easthope) : At the annual t meeting of the Wairarapa School Committees' Association it was decided to make an effort to raise the status of School Committees, and with this object in view to invite a Conference of School Committees and others interested in education, to discuss the following subjects:—(l). That the education system is viewed too much from the standpoint of city schools; that the schools of the Dominion should be divided into two divisions —city and rural —and that modification of classification of schools, of payment and promotion of teachers, of standards of education and of inspection of schools, is urgently required to do justice to rural districts. (2). That the system of paying Committee's capitation and teachers' salaries on the basis of average attendance be discontinued for a mora equitable system, under which Committees and teachers cannot be heavily fined, as is done at present for wet weather or epidemics of sickness. (3). The amount of capitation paid to Committees is insufficient to even keep tne school buildings clean. School Committees are intended by the Legislature to be more than the mere school cleaning machines to which the Board seeks to degrade them, and thdy should be supplied with a fair share of the education grants. (4). Committees from their local knowledge are better informed as to the requirements of country schools than the Board can be, and they should have control of holidays, conveyance of distant children to and from school, and have a controlling voice in all matters relating to their own schools. (5). The Government should provide uniform school books for all schools, and sell them at cost price to parents, and such books should only be changed by the Government, and not by the Board. (6). To take steps to secure a closer union of School Committees in the Bdsh and throughout the Wairarapa. The Association requests you to say if you are in favour of the suggested Conference, and if you will endeavour to have your Committee represented. The Association will welcome suggestions for other subjects than those suggested to be discussed, and if sufficient favourable replies are received to how that interest will be taken in this matter a Conference (of which due notice will be sent), will be arranged at as early a date as possible.~-R. BROWN, Chairman Wairarapa School Committees' Association.