Why Doesn't Someone Do Something?

VETERANS' DAY October 20 at The College News-Sheetof the L-~~~I see back page Geelong College Community RD No. 30 SEPTEMBER, 1973 WHY DOESN'T SOMEONE DO SOMETHING? The Question Is ·WHICH SOMEONE? WHAT SOMETHING? The report of the Interim Committee of the Australian Schools Commission (The Karmel Committee), entitled " Schools in Australia" , recommends substantial grants, amounting to a total of $660 million during the next two years, for all schools, government and non-government; of which the 'lon-government schools content is $179.3 million. This article has been condensed from a statement prepared by the Principal for the in formation of all parents and friends of the College. The grants recommend ed are to be al deal more needed to be spent on primary may mean th at so me non-government located on a so-called 'needs' bas is, and second ary education, there is naturally schoo ls have to choose between lowering though it does not see m c lear whether so me se ri ous apprehension amongst those th ei r standard s or becoming so economic the Government means th e 'needs' of who believe in freedom of choice because ally exclu sive that th ey will be al most children, or of parents, or of schoo ls, or of the acceptance of so me of the principles irrelevant to the Australian community. It the community in general, or of th e Labor and assumptions underlying the Report (continued overleaf) Party. Nor is it c lear wheth er th e 'needs' are to be purely material or are to inc lude cultural, ethi cal or social 'nee ds.' The In te rim Committee has assumed that it is the 'needs' of schools, and assumes this can be se parated fro m th e 'needs' of parents, even in fee-chargin g schoo ls. The formul a fo r assessment of needs appears to be gross ly oversimplified and to discrim inate unjustly against various pes of schoo ls. A datum point of 100 ,• las been taken and the aim of th e recom mend ations is to raise all schools to a leve l of 135 :0 140 by 1980. All schoo ls at present below th is target level will re ceive increased aid, and those above will receive re duced aid or no aid at all. The 'non-systemi c' Cath olic schoo ls and all Protes tant and secul ar independent schools have been assessed on the basis of a questi onn aire se nt to all sc hools (which seems to have been interpreted diffe rently by different schoo ls), and placed in categori es A to H, according to th e re so urces used in the schoo l in 1972. No other inform ati on was use d in the assess ment. In the cases of schools in category A, the report recommended th at th e present recurrent grants should be ph ased out over a two-year peri od, so th at th e sc hools wo uld have time to adjust to th e sub stantial loss of in come (ranging bet ween $1600nl for the schools $50,000 and $200,000 per annum, accord i /( -' , '." I' . " Henzlcy pla n,,; U' " ing to th e size of th e schoo l) . However, " ( _.,,_, al'rne J ~ ,.. ... .. hools the Government did not accept this reco m i . l·eal1.)' Vel' rallS m'e ··- In)· UStiee to Se lt mend ation , even th ough th eir decision could I. not have saved th e Government more than . , J 11lOdest . binet's t aU about $6 million in a total of $660 million. -.- ..._ ~ lS C~ .. :.:~; Whilst all educationali sts welcome the 38 s(;hoo]s appea l over aiel categ-'- "v.-;:-''::: ' :'~'~"; . recognition of th e Government th at a great ':''' ~.~~~';; 0J¥."#(:f'lr$,. ,,' ;.~;~~~~~~ f. i;;1· ~;~{~J~'~~ ' .. WHICH SOMEONE? DEGREES CONFERRED Congratulations WHAT SOMETHING? UNIVERSITIES (conti nued from front pa gel Peter Keddie ('66) won the three top B.Agr.Sc. : G. A. David academic awards made by the Gordon is about these long-term basic principles, Institute of Technology. rather than the short-term gains or losses, M.B.A. : P. F. Fenwick, P. J . Young In 1970 he received the Staff Academic that we should be mainly co ncerned. B.A. : D. F. Galbraith (Hons.), A. deG . Award made to the student with the best Fairhead (Hons.), S. Andersen academic record over the first two years of The National Council of Independent the course. Schools, the Catholic authorities, the B.E.: R. G. Hepburn (Civil), I. R. Borth- wick (Mech.) The other two awards were received at Associations of Independent Schools in the the completion of his year of graduation various States, the Headmasters' Confer B.Sc.: R. F. Molony, I. W. "J amieson in Mechanical Engineering. These were ence of the Independent Schools of Aus the Princeps Scholar and the J. C.Taylor tralia and the Association of Heads of In M.D.Sc. : J. S. Robson awards. dependent Girls' Schools of Australia, have B.Com. : P. C. Hardy (Hons.), M. J. Betts, T he Princeps Scholar is chosen on the all been active, but we must be aware that B. G. Fagg, P. L. Marendaz we are in a difficult position in presenting basis of scholastic achievement, qualities a balanced view of the situation. We can M.B. , B.S. : A. H. Cunningham (Hons.) of character and leadership, and sport. not expect much sympathy for demands B.Ec. : A. R. L. Wettenh all The J . C. Taylor award is made to a for grants to well-equipped schools. final year student for academic excellence M.Sc. : I. E. Penrose throughout the full course. This is why the emphasis should be on grants to parents, and the right of parents M.Com. : R. E. Wright to freedom of choice, rather than on grants to schools. Gordon Graduates FOSSILS Business Studies: A. A. Cherry, D. W. Ham Also, because of the consistently false ilton, T. G. B. Wood reference to 'wealthy,' 'rich,' 'elitist' Members of the biology department Wil _ schools by the media it is difficult for the Civil Engineering : P. L. Betts, D. M. Rol appreciate help from Old Boys in aug school associations as such to take more land menting their collection of fossils and rock direct action than they are doing. specimens. They have taken responsibil- Mechanical Engineering : M. J. Anderson , ity for the care of the fossil and rock col J . R. Bowler, P. L. Keddie There are, however, two other lection previously displayed in the House of Guilds. This collection includes a tooth Marcus Oldham important spheres of action in and some bones of a Diprotodon (AUS Farm Management College Graduates which parents and supporters can tralia's largest marsupial-now extinct), and must help. Peter Fraser molluscs, echnoderms, petrified wood and Andrew Wall other fossils yet to be identified. 1. The efforts of all who are fighting fo r Lewis Stone (Honours) Rock specimens are used for teaching the survival and prosperity of independ 3rd and 4th form geology and much of the ent schools need to be carefully co other material is used in senior biology ordinated and guided. There are many classes. talents and much energy available to ation. This does not deny the need As well as maintaining a display and us, but this can be effective only if it for additional assistance in cases of reference collection, the biology depart is united and carefully directed. The educational disadvantage; ment is keen to obtain class sets, each of National Council of Independent Schools (2) that parents should have freedom about a dozen specimens, of fossil is already widely recognised by Gov material. ernments and by the general community of choice of the type of school they as representing the interests of the non wish for their Children, without los Help will also be appreciated from any government sector of schools. The ing Govern ment su pport for basic who are expert in the field of fossil identi limitations of its effectiveness are al education needs as a consequence fication as many of the original labels have most entirely economic. Its manpower of exercising this choice; been devoured by thysanurous insects, and other resou rces are limited by its more common ly known as silverfish (non (3) that the appropriate instruments for extinct). meagre income. The present average reducing the economic inequalities level of contributions by parents of families are the taxation and (through member schools) for the work social welfare systems which deal of both the National Council and State with individuals and families-and r Association is about SOc per child per not schools; • annum. Parents and well-wishers co"ld OLD BOYS' TIES AND help greatly by advocating as stronoly (4) that the arrangements for the fund as possible the prov i ~ i on of a sub ing of schools must not discourage INSIGNIA stantially increased fighting fund. the endeavour to achieve improved quality by parental and local com Rephccment costs have made it 2. The second important way in which in munity effort; necessary to review prices. The fol -1 dividuals can help is by themselves lowing o.rc available from the OGCA taking every opportunity to make per (5) that the funding of schools and office: sonal representation to the press, by school systems must provide them Woollen Ties $2.00 each signing petitions, by writing or speaking and the families they serve with a La])<!l Badges $1.00 each to their local M.P 's, and indeed to any sense of security, and enable bud Tie Clips $1.00 each geting an d long-term plann ing.

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