SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 183, 28 April 1908, Page 5

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

• •ANNUAL MEETINGS.- v r -Tho statutory'annual schoor meetings of State school committees wero held throughout the district last evening, and iu.the majority of cases were remarkably, well attended. Tho. unusual interest displayed was doubtless due to the activity of the Biblo- . in-Schools Leaguo. ■ The matter • was; touched on m several .'of tho schools, but the feeling generally expressed was in favour of the preservation of- the present free and secular form ■of national education. Tho references to. this question aro sot out in another column. . The - following ,are reports of the various meetings:—' . ■ v , ■MOUNT, COOK SCHOOLS. . Probably tho largest attendance of householders ; for ( the .annual election; of a district school committeo was held in: tho Mount Cook- Boys' School- last evening. . Mr.' W. C. Howitt,' Chairman of. the outgoing Schbol .Commiiteo, presided, and over 300 electors were' present. . There - were present all.,the constituent cleriients of a. very lively meeting, but. the .Chairman knew his business,;and .kept a ; firm hand ion-the\proceedings. The annual, report, stated that the attendance of tho three, schools had been, appreciably affected by epidemics of, sickness. Owing to concessions made by the Education Board in counting the average-attendance , on two quarters of; the previous school year instead of the' actual: average, the loss 'of a grade,- ' and cbiisebuent reduction of staff and salaries, were avoided. Satisfactory reports-had been received from the ; inspectors, who had .visited . tho ; school . . The school sports and cadet corps 'continued to bo a feature' of the boys' ■ department. • The' Chairman, Mr;' John Ferguson, had sustained' a:.serious paralytic stroke, from which he had not yet- recovered. Mr.',v'Ferguson had' been' a member of the Committeo -for .thirteen or fourteen years, and his fellow-members thought' that Mr. Ferguson's to the', school should be by'the districts Taken as.a whole, y a good year's 'work had - been accomplished. Tlie c buildings, , though old, were in - fair .order, but new structures would bo absolutely .ne'cessar,y in-the near--future. ' - t; Referring to the. schbol library,-' to the credit of which £1-9s. 7d.f had been reoeived in-subscriptions, the\ headmaster,' had ' ex- . pressed ; the ,'opinion that a change in the organisation and. conduct of this department '•of the school was desirable. ' >Tho following shows the gradual decline in the. avera^e r roll number since ' 1897:— .'1897,- .598;-1898, 571; 1899 a 581; ,1900, 560 • 1901, -550; .1902, 540; 1903, 513; 1904, 481 : ; 1905, ,451; .1906, '396; 1907, 384—a total decline of !?14. . . ' .-TheQuestion of the,site of the new latrines to be erected by the Education Board had, after some difficulty, been settled by' the <?Board acijiiiescing in the; wish' of tho Com-■-'"aiittee that the sheds be situated at" tho. rear 'of the cround. ... ~-: . ; / r--Complaint ..was nir.de .that; the Education Board had unduly delayed the fulfilment of

its; undertaking- with reference to science equipment,' and ,the.headmaster.-was, in; con- . ,i6oaueaico y Seriously hampered in his;work. THE GIRLS'' SCHOOL. '. iTho. reports of the. inspectors showed, that the .work of the Girls''.Sckoorwas favourably ■ commended.- A Board- scholarship ■ was obtairiod, by; Hilda: Munro, ' and Chamber of Commerce prizes were secured by Hilda Muriro;' : Edith Parlier, arid : Una; Cameron. Thef Committee .marked its, appreciation - of the excellent attendance of Grace., Twist and Violet Donnelly, both of whom have unbrokenrecords for four years; and Gladys Spierling, one-absence for the sirne period,: by'presenting 'those pupils with medals.' : ■ ~, • i " 1 ; ' INFANTS' SCHOOL. . ' vThe'inspection reports for this school were satisfactory'. Plans. had been drawn for, new and' up-to-date, ( latrine-sheds; to .reolaco the antiquated; structures rioiv in' pxisteiice! : The following.'.committee was- elected for the ensuing year:— Reid (chairman)", Murphv; (secretary), Lodge, O'Brien, Nolan, 'Hy]wa,^ :^rtin^;HQgg > ..'.'Barbidgo<v'.' Only otie'"b£^thQ- ! 'Bible-in-schools "."tickct"-.was' -olectOd:'' ; :-'■<' •" ''' TE AP.O. ' : %. About seventy ; householders ', at To Aro-School;last.'ovemiig.'forrthe annual . election of tho.'school committee.' Mr. W. J. Lankshear presided. The outgoing committee, in.its annual report, i stated that, despite the-fact! that less" assistanco had-beeo received from' the Educa-tv-fti Board this year than in previous years, 1 • :ie. committee had . carried out important' work.. • .v 1 An amount, of £146 had been expended on thePmain and infant . schools, distributed as fog-firs:—Cleaning, £63; firing and lighting, £:' ;.wooks, maps,- etc., £20';.' cricket- tennis, 311 ;V?epairs,:;'M).. • Tho receipts .from- ' - '-pting; of-, T the:'.school - building-amounted .1®?; concert; receipts, .'£29 /Is.; • ll ,; • arid 'the committee went .out - of "office sheet; i-' . infant school playground, which formerly was converted into a pool of water in '. winter, being four inches below the level of the path, had received twelve loads .of/coke and .92; loads_ of gravel. Through the efforts ' of. tfyo.committfse; this work was carried,\out at_ :less . than, half the estimated 'contract price—£6s: :AVnew shed- had been erected by the ;>Board,'7arid'tho high' brick wall; which had. been. constructed to overcome, tho nuisanco crcated by tho noise of a fact-ory ad-, jaceut to tho school, had proved' satisfactory.. , The roll number had, since 19C6, steadily declined. In that year it was 781, in the following year 705,; and . in 1908 620. This docline, in the opinion of the committee, was duo to—(1) shops replacing dwellings in the; district; (2) extension of. tramways to the suburbs; and (3). high rents., , Epidemics of influenza, measles; and other, -ills'-.to which juveniles, are .liable were'much in evidence.Good work was'reported to have been done by> the school staff. , A Scholarship had been won. by Oscar Browne, and an Education Board Scholarship by William. Osborne. .uA pentre for- woodwork classes had. also been established.' Tho school had maintained its prestige in sports, having won the Schools Football Championship, and was runner-up for the Girls' Tennis Championship. ■'>; -Tho retiring - committee : was re-elected as follows:—Messrs. W. J; Lankshear ; (chairman); :T: L. Churchward (secretary), Browne, Crane, Laurenson, Hill, Kitching, Thompson, arid Skinner. -. - 1 TERRACE. At the annual meeting of the householders .okthe Terrace School district, the following committeo was elected for the ensuing year: —:Rev. W'.J- Comrie , (chairman), Rev. H. Tan Staveren, Messrs. F. Boit, P. Galvin, J.' A: Thomson, J. J. Mallard;: A% P. Webster, 6.? H. Myers, and Thos.' Ward. 1 ' .''Mi: H. A. Gold was re-appointed secretary. ,'l'he 'outgoing Committee, in submitting its report , for the year ending. March 31, 1908, stated that probably . tile ' most- ■ important - matter v.'as. the endeavour to ■'Bocuro additional ground, for the children; as a playground. Efforts in this direction up to the present time had cot proved successful, due to the following reasons: —The Education Board .-.nd School Commissioners wero alike unable to allocate funds- for the purpose, and tho .ground required was held under a leaso for an unexpired term' of some twelve years. An attempt was now. being made to extend'.the pl.'Vit.rouiid up to tho boundary fence on the oa;;t side, and the Board had been approached to'contribute a portion of the sum lequired, the Committee bavins somo £25 in* hand towards the cost, contributed by parents and friends. . General , sickness during last winter was tha cause.pf a marked decrease in the average attendance 'of scholars. Good attendance: in the first term of this year reached the average required to retain tho present staff. - •Tho ■teapliors, organised a successful conwhich resulted 'in a net eain Ito the school funds of £19,45. id . : V- Tho annual picnic • was hpld; in .February at Day's Bajy a', larger iiumber of 'children and adults at-' tending than: in the previous year. The Committee gratefully,acknowledged the presentation to the school of -a'challenge cup by -Mr. Fenton, and a medal; presented by Mr. Mallard to the winner of-the cup." -! .Repairs constituted a considerable item in oxpenditure, due largely to the recurring " eharges for- putting the old latrines in order.:

Should tho additional ground he brought into use for playground purposes; it would involve the. removal of. tho present latrines, and this would. bo an opportune time for tho renewal of tlio necessary fittings. The school funds wore in a-fairly satisfactory position. The balance in hand amounted to £13 19s. 2d., and at March 31 there had' accrued twothirds of tho amount duo for capitation grantf and also tho special grant; the - lia-b-ilities arfiounted to £J4 10s. 2c'.. Tho incoming -Committee would, concluded the report, no doubt press the playground extension to completion during tho present year. V NEWTOWN., About' 50 (householders were present at the annual election of tho School Committee for the Newtown District High School last evening. -;M'r. Joseph Martin, Chairman of the outgoing corn'mittee, presided. Tho Committee, in its,annual report, referred to ..the fluctuating nature of tho school roll. Although 450 names had been added during the year, the not increase in the roll number'was only 10, the present roll number being 964. Roferenco was mado to■ the advent of tho new headmaster, Mr., 11. A. Parkinson, M.A., who succeeded Mr. T.- H. Gill, M.A.', LL.B., and to tho departure of Messrs. F. A. Wilson, C. J. M'Kinnon, and •Brockett, their places being filled by Miss Hayes, Messrs. E. H. Ward, and Mousley respectively. A falling-off in the attendance at the secondary department was noted,'"and regret was expressed that advantage •; was not more freely taken of t-ho facilities for 'higher education afforded by this department. ' The outstanding feature of tho year,. continued tho-report,' was'-the ■ epidemics which decimated tho attendance during a' part of th'eNyear.N The average roll was. 951, and of this number, at least 600 suffered from the ravages of the epidemics, ft . was pointed out that the average attendance of 799, from a roll number of 951—58 per cent. —reflected discredit on the• district; one-eighth of the teaching was wasted because one-eighth of the; pupils wore absent, and one-eighth of the income from capitation was lost. Complimentary references were made to the work of the teaching staff, and it was stated'that the school, academically, had maintained its high prestige.- Ono board scholarship, and twelve passes in the junior Civil Service examinations-(iriost of whom were in tho "credit" list) testified to the good work of. the teachers.. ■ ', Tho'following were elected as the Committeo for the 'ensuing year:—Messrs. Joseph Martin (chairman), J. W. Salmon, A. W. Pcarman, A. J. Weeks, J. C. Arbuckle, C. Copeland, J. H. Johnson, R. C. Hardirip, J. Webb. Mr. R. H. Chinchen was re-appointed secretary.at a remuneration of £15 per annum. - V , A CLYDE QUAY. ..Thero was a large attendance at the annual meeting of the Clyde Quay : School Committee. , Mr. .David Robertson (chairman) presided.- ~ In; his annual report Mr. W. T- Grundy stated that'tho epidemics during, last winter and (Spring, and the number br changes in the staff during the year, considerably .militated against the 'attendance and tho progress of the children 'during the greater part of .'.the year.- , On. tho re-opening after the summer vacation the number or pupils in attendance considerably 'increased, - and -..the average attendance showed 1 'improvement. Tho ; school was successful in obtaining an Education Board Scholarship,- which was won by Roland Coppock. "I am gratified," said Mr. Grundy, "to be; able to report that two old pupils of the school greatly distinguished themselves during the year. Mr. Solomon Zirnah, a pupil who left in 1897, was,chosen Rhodes . Scholar for .the' Dominion, and Mr. Frahk; J6lly, wh6 left in 1903, was placed first' on 'the list •' for Australasia' in ; the recent. examinations in accountancy. In ' the interschool'competition the school again won the championship for swimming, and the Duthio | Cup has now ibeen ..won three • times' in succession." In.conclusion Mr. Grundy thanked tho first assistant (Mr. Thwaites), the staff, and the committee.for their support.during' the -year. l •. > Tho annual,- report of the committco "incri.Jiad: been - made. with, t-lie tho completion of'which the committeo considered itwas tho duty of every householder! to coritri-, buto; During the year the school had been connected with tho. city's water system. Tho 'report nbted that during the year a portion of-tho school fence had been burned dowi) through a grass fire, and it was a ; cause for thankfulness that the school itself- was not, destroyed. '/Tho Board had. sanctioned tenders being .called for,repairing tho, fence, and it was completed shortly after, tho school opened. The balance-sheet showed; a. credit of' £9 7s. Bd. The committee thanked tho 'ladies who had helped tho committee in their offorts for the welfare of, the. schbol during tho,year.-.' ■ •; ■ A vote of thanks:.was .'passed, to Mr. Grundy'and . tho-staff;, , ' -.Tho' 'following l .committee-, was olected for the ,incoming year:—Messrs.D. Robertson (cha:irman)i -D. M'Lean, 'George Wilson, E. Hurleston, W. M'Doriald, R;- Johnstone, J; Russell, and W. J. Gaudin. V/ELLINGTON. . The annual meeting of the Beihampore householders was ,;: held' at' ! the- 'school. la-st evening; There'was a good attendance, and Mr. A., : A. .Whitelaw .(chairman of the outgoing committeo) occupied 'the chair. The following were elected "to form thb committeo:—Messrs. A. Cooper, G. Lynn, F. A. Vaiighan, C. Orf, G. W. Key, G. Barker, W. ;Miller, W. Higginbotham, and G. Vaughan. , At a meeting afterwards, Mr. F. A. Vaughan, was elected chairman, and Mr. G. W. Key. secretary. , , During the meeting a number of matters of. interest to tho school were discussed. ■' ..-The subject of a caretaker's cottage evoked ■cohsiderable ,, discussion,, and the' following motion was carried unanimously: " That this mooting is of opinion that it is essential that a caretaker's cottage should bo erected, the present building having cost about £9C00." Tho insurance of the school buildings was also discussed, ibut-.no action was taken. Mr. Mattliewson brought forward the matter of miniature rifle ranges, and urged that all possiblo bo- done to encourage the boys. The incoming committee -Tras recomriiended to', push the irattcr -forward. - A hearty vote pf than--f-.i-- accorded the outgoing'committee, and . rvticularlv the retiring secretary, Mr.-'J. .'who had been;connected '-with the cin.i ittce r. r vci its inception. > Mr. F. A. "ir J.Bell, and Mr. G. Flux (tho hca.inuisicr; were the speakers. ■ ' KILBIRMIE. The annual meeting of parents'of,the Kilbirnio School District was held last evening, 150 being present. Mr. H. A. "Huggins occupied the chair.. The report of. tho committeo stated that the inspector's reports 'had been uniformly good, and the district might be congratulated on having an efficient staff of teachers carrying on the work of tho school. ;There!wero 370 scholars.on the'roll, but there was only accommodation for 235. The schbol. had. been very successful in the. inter-school games. . Tho cricket team, which for two previous years had carried off tho Junior Pnblio School Cup, succeeded in its first attempt in winning the Senior Public Schools Cup. In the? lawn tennis contests tho school gained tho championship in both single and the double'games. The' efforts of tho committee to have a school erected to serve South Kilbirnio and Maranui had at last been crowned with success. The Minister for Education, the Education Board, and tlio 'member for the district wero each approached in turn, and after many negotiations Mr. Harry Crawford's, offer of half an acre freo of cost was accepted, an additional 1J acres purchased, and the amount necessary to -build 'tho school authorised by tho Government. Plans were being prepared, and it was hoped that long before this: timo next year the school -would be in full working order. Owing to great increase in the schbol roll the Education Board had-rented the Wesloyan Church for the' accomriiodation of the scholars, and about GO were being taught there'. Tho financial position was satisfactory, the balanco carried forward to next year amounting to £9 4s. 3d. The following committee was elected:—Messrs. H. A. Huggins, J: Dillon, F. W. Barnett, H. Lamberg, 3. W. Ivinliiburg, G. E. Smith, J. W. Easson, J. Cap-'-per, ,and A. J. Ibbetson,

BROOKLYN, There wore between 50 and 60 persons present at the meeting of tlio Brooklyn School Committee last evening. Mr. J. 11air occupied tho chair. The report of'the committee referred to the reduction in the attendances caused by sickness, which still existed to a great extent. Tho committeo congratulated tho headmaster (Mr. Hopkirk) and his staff on tho work dono during the year under trying circumstances. • Scholarships were won by C. S. M. Hopkirk, Albert Kcllaway, and Clarenco Willis, and their names have been added to the honours board. During the year tho committeo had a retaining wall built on tho boys' playground at a cost of £80 7s! 6d., besides excavating and filling in, £45; and fencing, £23 10s., making a total of £173 Is. 6d. The,so improvements wero' a great boon to the boys. During tho year tho Board purchased tho section facing Washington Avenue, and had decided to erect two rooms thereon. Tho committee was endeavouring to have the addition built in brick in such a manner that the school might ovontually be reconstructed in brick throughout. A resolution was passed asking tho Board to make tho matter of these additions an urgent work. A balance of £21 was carried forward. Tho following committee was elected: — Messrs. F. Stewart (secretary), W. J. Parsons (chairman), A. E. Mills, A. Gilbert, S. Stockbridge", S. Thomas, W. Daniels, and H. J. Willis. NORTHLAND. Between thirty and forty householders assembled at tho Northland school last evening, when tho following wero elected members of tho district school committee for the ensuing year:—Messrs. Grant (chairman), Rose (secretary),' Pearco, Russell, Shapcott, Clark, arid H. Piatt. JOHNSONVILLE. .' Forty householders attended the meeting for . tho election of tho Johnsonville committee. .The following wore elected: —Rev. J. Vospor (chairman), Messrs. F. T. Moore (secretary), T. W. Kirk, AV. 11. Doyle, A. Mills, T. Pattle, R. Bould, T. Jackson, and J. B. Marshall. The following motions wero passed:—(l) That the secretary write to the Education Board requesting them to hold their hands respecting the new buildings until the facts of the provision of a new infant school and the accommodation at the Parish Hall are thoroughly explained to them. (2) That the new main school be at once proceeded with, as'it is impossible for the headmaster' to. attend to his duties in the main school and scrutinise the teaching in ,the Parish Hall. (3) That the Education Board be asked not to erect any buildings, fencing, or other improvement on the new school site without first consulting tho local committee; The chairman reported, in reference to the last matter, that the committee: had been occupied for twelve months in obtaining a suitable site for the new building, -Mr.' Jennings finally obtaining the sanction of the. Minister for Lands to their having the. area required. KARORI. ' Tliore was a good attendance of householders at the meSting for the election of the Karori School Committee,- Mr. Lissington being in tile chair- The following were the successful candidates for .election to the new • .Committeo:—Messrs. Lissington, ' Su'nley,Sarst, ■ Frasor, Spiers, Mqriaghan, and Moore. All,of those gentlemen were asked if they were in favour of Bible-reading in the schools, and replied in' the negative. Subsequently Mr.. Lissington was elected chairman of the newly-appointed Committee. -v • PETONE. . ' , ' Tho best attended school : committee meeting ever held in Petone tools place last ovening in the' infant school, the capacity of .which was,severely taxed ,to accommodate householders. The following. committeo was elected for tho ensuing year:—Messrs. 0. M'Kcnzie, J. Lift, W. Hill, J. .M'Dougall, Revs.- Thompson and Russell,' A. Marsden, and C. Brocklebank.. • ' LOWER HUTT. , A large attendance'of householders in. tho Lower -Hutt High School district was present at tho.'annual electionof Jibe school'.committee, last.'evening.. 'Mr. AI",H. .Vile, presided. Tho annual report', stated 'that tho year oommenced with a £47 9s. 7d., out of which £10 has .been oxpended on new books for the school-library,, and £3-for. airguns for indoor practice for tho school cadets, which, with repairs, to tho. cricket, pitch, and tennis pourt, form tho principal items of ox T pondituro... A credit balanco of £22 15s.- 7d. was :le,ft for the new committee. Tho total roll number in tho primary division was 487, tho year's average being 454, and tho average attendance 379. In the secondary school tho roll-was 3G, with an average 0f.30.- Tho primary staff numbered nine, and the secondary.staff two. One of the latter, tho schools would shortly lose for-want of scholars, many of those qualifying preferring ,tho Wellington Technical School to the High School classes. Scholarships were gained by Brian Overton arid. Guy Natusch. Tho committee congratulated tho teachers oil: tho excellent results ■of the year's work, which was carried on under considerable difficulties., The Chairman reported , that tho new . school at the' King's Road;site would not be a side school, but a separate district, and would probably bo managed - as. a. separate school district. This statement gave general satisfaction. The following were elected:—Messrs.... Wilson, M'Caskill, Webley, M'llvride, Barlow, Buck, Jenkins, Shield, Hendry. UPPER HUTT. The largest and most exciting meeting of householders ever recorded in the Upper Hutt District took pla'ce last evening on the occasion of the annual election of tho local Schbol Committee. Over 200 wero and 166 votes wero recorded. The following • were elected:—Messrs. W. Gregg, C. Davis. J. Cannon, J. Benge, T. Edwards, and A. J. M'Curdy. EPUNI. At the annual election of members of Iho Ep'uni.District School Committee the following were returned:—Messrs. J. J. Bum, J. Swain, W. Brecri, H. England, and T. Kitt. No chairman' was elected. The list of membersyis one short of, tho required number. TAITA. N. •Tho annual meeting of householders in the Taita school district was held in the schoolh<ju33 at 8 o'clock last night. The following qu/.ii'ied residents wero declared elected for t .:, coming year:—Messrs. W. P. Edwards (c'liiirman), W. Kilmister, J. C. Mabey, I)-H August, F. Bertelsen, Maurice ..elcii, and W. Cleland (secretary). The annual report of the outgoing 'committee showed a satisfactory state of affairs. The outgoing committeo left behind them a credit balance of £7 Is. lOd. IN OTHER DISTRICTS. ' (UY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.! , Masterton, April 27. I ■•At the annual me_eting of householders tonight the following" School Committee was elected: —Messrs. A. Chapman, R. Brown, J. N. Buttle, H. H. Cork, W. A. Fendall, C. Perry, G. Townsen, E. H. Waddington, and J. Carpenter. Mr. Brown was elected chairman. THE SYLLABUS. (BY'TELEGRAPH.—VRESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, April 27. At to-night's meeting of householders in connection with tho election of city schools committees, Mr. I'. M. Mackay, tho retiring chairman, drow attention to the uriwieldiness and vagueness characterising the syllabus of instruction. JIo said tho late Minister for Education had declared that tho syllabus was .on its trial, but though it had, had more'than enough of. a trial it still remained 1 unchanged. Ho moved: "That this meeting considers the. Education Department should formulate a scheme for tlio appointment and promotion of, teachers on merit,'and that the present unwieldy syllabus of instruction should. be recast into a more de- , finite and intelligible form." Dr.'-Walker seconded the motion, which was .carried. During the discussion two. householders, declared that they had seen their children going to bed crying because they wero afraid j,heir lessons bad not been done