DISTRICT SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 47, 19 November 1925, Page 7

DISTRICT SCHOOLS

EDUCATION BOARD’S

MEETING The Education Board met yesorday. There were present: Messrs. T. Forsyth, M.P. (chairman), D. McCallum, ( W. F. Howe, G. T. Loudon, R. McLeod, ■■ J. Stonehouse, T. Moss, L. 11. Atkins, It. A. Wright, M.P., J J- Clark, rnd C. 1. Harkness. The statement of finance showed: Receipts from January 1 to October 31, £297,892 6s. Hd., plus credit balance at beginning of year, £5919 Os. 2d.; payments to October 31, £300,853 10s. 7d.; credit balance, October 31 (including trust accounts), ~011,009. The works committee’s recommendations, as follow, were approved:—Silverstream, asphalt £ll2, fencing garden plot £l2 for material; Reikiorangi, residence, .£l5; Eketahuua, chairs, etc., .£2B 10s.; Thorndon, wtodwork, £2O; Tokomar\t, windows, £2O; Normandale, gates, £l5; Mt. Cook, painting, cookery room, anil removal of gallery, £2B; , Otaki, painting cookery room, £l4; Thorndon, painting cookery room, £18; South Wellington, painting cookery room, £10; Jordan, gates, etc., £lO. Tl.la Education Department notified that the teachers’ certificate examinations would commence on Tuesday, August 24, 1926, and extend to September 4. The 1 secretary stated Hint the board’ll holidays were from May 15 to 30, August 21 to September 5, and Easter. At the instance of tho Schcol Teachers’ Association, it was decided to represent to the Department the advisability of provision being made for ballot papers for tho election of members of tho board to be sent to individual members of. school committees. The Education Department intimated that it was pi epared to regard as school attendance time spent oy pupils of . Standards Ilf to VII, or by pupils over seven years of age, in visiting the Exhibition at Dunedin during February or March, providing the visit was paid under the guidance of a teacher, and made of real educational value. The director of the dental division forwarded a copy of a letter to Mr. R. D. Black, Pelorus Sound, regretting that his request for dental treatment for his children nt Blenheim could not bo complied with. Mr. Black stated that ho had eight children, and six needed dental attention badly, but though attending Te Rnwa School he had beeh informed they were outside the allotted circle for free dental treatment. The Department informed the board that the plans for Mt. Cook Infant School should be gone on with, as a grant would be considered at tho earliest opportunity.

The residents at Muhunoa East are to be asked if they desire the school to be reopened. Arrangements are to be made, if possible, for a visit of the executive to Stokers Valley on November 26. In connection with tho termination ol tenancies, Frankville Terrace, Mt. Cook, it was decided: "That the executive be authorised to confer with the Minister regarding future action in view of tho difficulty of obtaining possession of the Frankville Terrace land properties for remoVal, and that the agent be authorised to inquire of the\ various tenants as to the amount which each will be prepared to deposit on property in the evenfi of arrangements a Government advance being possible ' In reference to the relation of school committee members to work undertaken for committees, the recommendations of the executive, as follow, were adopted: "That, as a general rule, it is inadvisable that a member of a schocfl committee should undertake work for, in the supply sd’ goods to, the committee of which he is a member, except where other labour or other supply of goods is not obtainable or is obtainable only on less favourable terinj;. Tho determining principle is that members of such bodies being trustees of the funds they administer, it is very advisable that as far as possible they should avoid any chance of conflict between public duty and personal interest.” The Director of Education forwarded a circular regarding the expulsion of pupils, directing attention to the fact that inefficient teachers occassionally

exorcised the power of expussion without adequate reason, and there was no provision fry their future education. It was suggested that if a child was expelled the services of the child welfare officers of the Department should be availed of so that tho future well-being of the child would be in the hands of those competent to deal with such cases, and tho child not allowed to develop intoayoung criminal. Members agreed with/the letter, and it was decided to adopt; tho suggestion. \ Resignations were accepted as follow: — Miss W. G. Maitland, head teacher, Kelburn»Normal School : Mr. G. W. Chatwin. head teacher, Pahiat.ua D.H.S.; E. T. Gandy, pupil teacher, Clyde Quay; Mr. M. A . Lazarus, splo teacher, Deep Say. . In connection with tho vacancy in tne Thorndon Normal School created by the transfer of Mr. Graham, it was decided that recommendations of the principal be approved and forwarded to tho Department. In reference to a letter from the Educational Institute, on the restriction of certain positions to male applicants, it was decided that the institute be informed flint the. board in all appointments endeavours to carry out the intentions of ‘he Legislature, with a view to the efilcioji'.i conduot of th* schools, j