ACTION — WHERE IT COUNTED 
     
    
   
   
    
     P. E. I. CONFERENCE ON 
     
     EDUCATION 
     
    
   
   
    
     "There Are More Ways . . of accomplishing a goal and 
     
     one of them is to call a conference. In November 1958 a Prince 
     
     Edward Island Conference on Education was held at Birchwood 
     
     High School and Home and School is proud to have been one of 
     
     the forces instrumental in bringing it about. That Conference 
     
     brought together some 130 persons under the chairmanship of the 
     
     late J. Lincoln Dewar. His Honour, Judge C. St. Clair Trainor, 
     
     representing Home and School, introduced Malcolm lVlacKenzie, 
     
     Deputy Minister of Education for P.E.|. Dr. K. A. Parker made a 
     
     summary of the Conference findings. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A quick glance at some of the figures quoted at that 1958 
     
     Conference demonstrates how far this province has advanced in 
     
     fifteen short years. 
     
    
   
   
    
     "In P.E.|. 474 schools are administered by 468 separate 
     
     boards of trustees. Sixtyfour schools have an enrolment of less 
     
    
   
   
    
     than 15 pupils and 108 schools have an average attendance of less 
     
     than 15. 
     
    
   
   
    
     "Of 816 teachers engaged, 316 had Class I license; 373 
     
     Class II; 24 Class III; and 103 were teaching on permit. 21 schools 
     
     were closed. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “Enrolment by grades was: Grade I, 2,694; II, 2,557; 
     
     Ill, 2,571; IV, 2,492; V, 2,399; VI, 2,035; VII, 1,857; VIII, 
     
     1,696; IX, 1,363; X, 1,168; XI, 360; XII, 189 and Commerce 40. 
     
    
   
   
    
     "Between 1945 and 1957 district expenditure rose from 
     
     $250,741 to $1,065,261 while government expenditure increased 
     
     from $438,005 to 81,586,290. Per pupil expenditure varied 
     
     greatly * one district with a tax rate of $2.30 per hundred dollars 
     
     might be spending $50.00 per pupil while another district with a 
     
     tax rate of 60 cents was able to spend $170.63 per pupil." 
     
    
   
   
    
     Although there was a strong feeling at the time that a 
     
     followup to the Conference was needed, and that a second 
     
     conference should be called, that never actually transpired. An 
     
     executive for a Conference on Education was set up, and the 
     
     minutes make several references to Home and School representa- 
     
    
   
   
    
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