DUTY OF PARENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20491, 6 May 1938, Page 3

DUTY OF PARENTS

INTEREST IN SCHOOL NEW METHODS OF EDUCATION DISCUSSION AT HAMILTON EAST That efforts should be made to - ter interest in the assoj ciation amongst parents was the opini ion of largely-attended annual meetI ini-' of the Hamilton East School Par- ! onts' Association held at the school j last evening- Mr W. T. C. Christie i presided. The association was worki ing for the good of the school, and • if was the duty of parents to Interest i themselves in the welfare of their children. Mr J. R. Mcliraith considered that the committee should formulate some scheme whereby more members could be obtained. Several of the older members pointed out that a great deal had been done in that direction, but it appeared that many parents were not willing to take an interest in the general education of the pupils. “We are now in a new era of education." said the headmaster, Mr W. A. Curteis. “Every school is autonomous as to what it can do in the matter of education and is at liberty to reorganise as much as it likes. It has absolute freedom to experiment with methods of teaching, but this, of course, i-s governed by inspectors who in recent years have exercised a more severe form of criticism. Such experiments are being tried out at Hamilton East.” Arithmetic Less Important Continuing. Mr Curteis stated that arts and crafts had been afforded a more important place in the school curriculum than they had In previous , years. In handbooks provided by educational authorities in England it would be noticed that arithmetic was one of the last subjects dealt with. Thus things that at one time were considered all-important for the education of the child were now placed in the background. It was in the matter of helping the school in some of these new forms of education that the association could do a great deal, and for that reason he considered that all parents should interest ttiemselves In the body. Mr A. Fow thought that as the association had showed a considerable credit balance this year, some of the i funds could be expended on the school. The matter was referred to the school committee and the headmaster to report to the association as to the school’s requirements. In his report to the meeting Mr Christie outlined a very successful year. Social evenings had been arranged and had resulted in all those associated with the school being brought together very harmoniously. The new school buildings were opened and had improved the conditions under which the staff and children were I working. (Contlnuvl in next column)

Election of Officers The following officers were elected: President, Mr \V. T. C. Christie; secretary, Mrs W. V. Cliegwidden; treasurer, Mrs F. E. Jacka; committee, Messrs A. E. Burgoyne, J. R. Mcliraith, G. Mills, 0. Svenson, W. Dalton, A. Fow, R- 11. Lloyd, E. Hooper, M. Thomas; Mesdames Svenson, F. Higginson, F. J.- Moore, Lloyd, G. Boardman, Mcliraith, A. J. Anderson, L. Mead, A. Dann and Mills. Messrs H. M. Baker and F. Mead were elected ex-officio members.