EDUCATION BOARD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1802, 18 December 1896, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

Afc the meeting of the Otago Education Board, held in Dunedin last week, the following business was transacted : RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were accepted : —Wm. Duncan, head-teacher, Green Island ; Rosetta R. King, head-teacher, Wanakaj Sarah E. Macdonald, mistress, Kurow; Isabella Sutherland, second assistant, BalcluthaElizabeth J. Anderson, mistress, St. Bathans. APPOINTMENTS. The following appointments were confirmed James Nelson, head. - teacher, Maerewhenna, vice, Beveridge, promoted; Margaret J. Falconer, head-teacher, Blackstone, vice Allan, promoted ; Eliza J. Wilkinson, Junior female assistant, Forfaury, vice Sinclair, promoted. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £1,115 Is lid were passed for payment. ABOLITION OP SELECTION COMMITTEE. Mr J. F. M. Fraser moved, in accordance with notice, the repeal of regulations 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 inclusive and to substitute therefor : ** The Board shall forward to committees the names of all candidates possessing the necessary qualifications and of good character, with a request that committees will give special consideration to teachers who have served the Board well in remote or out-of-the-way places.” On being put to the meeting the motion was lost* only Mr Fraser voting for it. INSPECTOR OP WORKS. Mr Fraser moved—“ That the office o! inspector of works be abolished, and that the inspector (Mr Niool) be given three months’ notice.” He had nothing to say about the manner of Mr Nicol’a appointment except that it had been made under a mistake, and the position had been advertised under a mistake. Ho did not think they required an inspector of works;, He was surprised when he found that there was such a small amount of work on hand and would be on hand before October of next year. There were some ten works going on at the present time, or to be put in hand immediately, and that was all there would be before October next. It was a sinecure to appoint an inspector at the salary of £l9O a year for such a small amount of work. He thought that it would be more sensible to employ temporarily a good tradesman at a salary of 10s per day when the architect required assistance. As a public body they ought to avoid doing any injustice, and having appointed Mr Nicol they must be careful to treat him fairly. When the appointment should be terminated was a matter for the Board to decide, but after a certain time he thought it should cease. He really believed that if Mr Sommerville were asked now he would say there was no necessity for an inspector. There was really no work for the man to do, and he had been appointed under a misapprehension. Mr Gallaway seconded the motion pro forma. MessrsMacGregor, Ramsay, Borrie, Gallaway Spoke against the motion, which was lost* only Mr Fraser voting for it. 2 RE EXAMINATION OF STANDARDS' !- AND 11. The adjourned discussion on Mr Ramsay’s motion to direct the inspectors not to reexamine Standards I. and 11. was proceeded with. ■ The following letter was read Though examined twice in some of or in all the pass subjects prescribed for them, these classes are examined but once, and only by the teacher, for standard passes. , Regulation 6 directs that " before the examination held by the inspector the head teacher shall examine classes Standard I. and J Standard 11,, and shall ascertain what pupils are fit to pass Standards I. and 11. respectively, and the pupils he deems fit to pass shall, if they are present in class daring the inspector’s examination in class subjects, be deemed to have passed, and shall thereupon be marked as passed in the list given to the inspector,". The pass list is thus made out by the teacher and thereafter handed to the inspector. There is no further examination for standard passes. , Regulation 3 directs that ‘the inspectors report shall show (with other things) the degree of discretion displayed in the determining of the passes (awarded by the teacher) in Standards !, and II.” These classes are not, nor are they intended to be, examined by the teacher on the day of the inspector’s examination, and, therefore, to determine the “degree of discretion,” the inspector is compelled to examine in some of or in all the pass subjects. Without it he cannot write the required “note on the passes in Standards I. and II.” (see departmental Form 22 attached). In examining the classes, however, he concerns himself very little with the standard passes, his chief aim being to form a general estimate of the condition of each class considered as a working unit. If the class, as such, scores good marks its condition isgregardedasgood, and the teacher’s passes are justified, even if some of the children should not do well. Taking no note of the standard passes, the inspector writes (actual notes on the work of Standard I. and Standard II.): Reading: Satisfactory. n T7l 11. J. . /L - *

The following letter was read :—. Though examined twice in some of or in all the pass subjects prescribed for them, these classes are examined but once, and only by the teacher, for standard passes. • Regulation 6 directs that before the examination held by the inspector the head-teacher shall examine classes Standard I. and Standard 11,, and shall ascertain what pupils are fit to pass Standards I. and 11. respectively, and the pupils he deems fit to pass shall, if they are present in class during the inspector's examination in class subjects, be deemed to have passed, and shall thereupon be marked as passed in the list given to the inspector." The pass list is thus made out by the teacher and thereafter handed to the inspector. There is no further examination for standard passes. , Regulation 3 directs that "the inspectors report shall show (with other things) the degree of discretion displayed in the determining of the passes (awarded by the teacher) in Standards I. and II." These classes are not, nor are they intended to be,' examined by the teacher on the day of the inspector's examination, and, therefore, to determine the "degree of discretion," the inspector is compelled to examine in some of or in all the pass subjects. Without it he cannot Write the required "note on the passes in Standards I. and II." (see departmental Form 22 attached). In examining the classes, however, he concerns himself yery little with the standard passes, his chief aim being to form a generalestimate of the condition of each class considered as a working unit. If the class, as such, scores good marks its condition is|regarded as good, and the teacher's passes are justified, even if some of the children.should not do well. Taking no note of the standard passes, the inspector writes (actual notes on the work of Standard I. and Standard II.):Reading: Satisfactory. Spelling: Excellent (two mistakes among twenty-one pupils). Writing: Satisfactory in Standard 1., and good in Standard 11. Drawing: Good. Arithmetic: Standard I. not examined; Standard 11. satisfactory (twenty-four marks gained out of thirty-six).

He writes no word about the standard passes save the note on Form 22. Where the classes are large they are sampled, some of the children being examined qnly in reading, some only in spelling, and so on; and ths inspector's estimate of the condition or the classes is based on the results fained by the children examined. No opinion is ere offered as to the wisdom or the unwisdom of examining these classes, but attention is directed to the circumstance that, as the department's regulations now stand, the inspector is bound to examine them. P. Gotten, Inspector.. After discussion the motion was lost, the mover and Mr MacGregor voting for it. tfEACHERS ELECTIONEERING. The following telegram was read from Messrs Inder and Cutten, Naseby :— " We are instructed by a number of taxpayers to complain of Mr Malcolm starting to-morrow to travel the district lecturing public for Prohibition, also Miss M'Garthy canvassing and taking active part in the same cause. Will you instruct them not to take active part." Messrs Inder and Cutten subsequently wrote, on December 2, aa follows:—" We wired you yesterday at the request of a number of taxpayers complaining that Mr Malcolm and Miss M'Carthy, two of the teachers in the local Bchooi, were taking a very active interest in the Prohibition movement. The reason for wiring you was that Mr Malcolm proposed to close the school for a day or two and to give his time to the cause above. His programme commences with a public lecture at St. Bathans to-night, and it was hoped that wiring you would give an opportunity for means being taken to stop him. Miss M'Garthy spends a great deal of ler time making a canvass in favor of Prohibition, and we hear of her carrying on such work as far away as Pakaroa, nearly twenty miles away. It is suggested by those who make this complaint that not only Is such action against the interests of the school, but also that it is not right for persona in public employment to take an active interest in party questions, especially a question that so closely affects personal interests as Prohibition. The attention of the Board is respectfully asked for this matter." The secretary of the Naseby School Committee wrote as follows on the same subject: —" I am instructed by the Naaeby School Committee to forward you a copy of the following resolution passed at a meeting of the School Committee held this afternoon (December 7) .—"That the secretary be instructed to write to the Education Board-asking the Board to consider the advisability of passing a regulation to the

effect that teachers at the public schools should be precluded from taking an active interest in questions of a partisan nature, as the Committee consider that such a regulation would strengthen the hands of school committees in dealing with cases where they think it inadvisable that teachers should show such an interest." The Hon, Mr MacGregor moved, and Mr Clark seconded the adoption of the following regulation ;—"ln view of the necessity for promoting and maintaining harmony between teachers and their committees and the people of the district generally, and of the detriment to the interests of education that is likely to arise from misunderstanding and dissensions in the district, the Board enjoins its teachers to refrain as far as possible from taking part actively and publicly in political affairs, in the>lection of school committees, or in any other local nutters, participation in which is likely to bring teachers into conflict with any section of the community. Wilful disregard of this regulation will be deemed a serious offence." Mr Gallaway dissented from the motion. It seemed to him a pity that beoause a few teachers were indiscreet enough to take a too prominent part in public affairs the Board should pass a regulation which would enjoin no act of participation in public affairs on the part of the Board's teaching staff. The Chairman : That is not so. Mr Callaway: That is the effect of the motion. It really puts a weapon in the hands of people who might want* to make things unpleasant for teachers when political questions arose. Considering the large'number of teachers the Board had in their service a question such as this seldom arose, and if the Board simply expressed the opinion that they would not approve of teachers taking an active part in local politics it would be sufficient without passing a regulation. Mr Ramsay did not think the regulation bore the construction Mr Gallaway had put upon it. If he thought it did, he would vote against it. He did not believe there was anything in the complaint from Naseby to justify the passing of the regulation, or that the teachers there had done anything imprudent. There were, however, cases where teachers had overstepped the bounds of propriety, and on the principle of the thing be supported the motion. Mr Fraser said this was by no means a new matter. It came up again and again. He had no hesitation in saying that the Naseby teachers had been indiscreet, and if the regulations had been in force they would have been saved from an indiscretion. Mr MagGregor said this subject had cropped up ever since he had been a member of the Board, and they should put on record their opinion on the subject. There was no doubt that teachera were apt to get themselves into difficulties and imperil their position by their injudicious action in regard to local and political affairs j and he was inclined to think that some of them were also indiscreet in connection with the part they took in religious matters; but that was, of course, a very delicate matter to deal with. Some teachers, for example, had worked as hard on Sunday in preaching and travelling about as they did on any day in the week. Now that was not a thing a teacher should do—(hear, hear)— Kid the necessity lor some such regulation as this was,-ho thought, clear. The motion was then put and carried, Mr Gallaway dissenting. MISCELLANEOUS. It was resolved that the Ravensbourne School Committee be asked to put their requirements in writing and the architect to report. The Forbury School Committee wrote recommending that Mr Maxwell be appointed second assistant (Mr Maxwell at present occupies the position of third' assistant), as, according to the attendance, the school is entitled to a male second assistant.—After a long discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Mr MagGregor, seconded by Mr Ramsay—" That the Committee be informed that the Board cannot comply with their request, and that the transposition of Miss Lawrence and Mr Maxwell cannot be carried out without either Miss Lawrence consenting or the Board terminating her appointment, and then the Board appointing Mr Maxwell to Miss Lawrence's position and Miss Lawrence to Mr Maxwell's position." The following tenders were accepted:— John Agnew, school buildings at Manuka Island, £258 10a; James Tait, additional class room, £162 15a; Alexander M'Neil, new residence at KaitaDgata, £393 17s. The following letter from the Educational Institute was read :■— The Secretary Education Board. Dear Sir,—l am instructed by the Committee of Management of the Otago Educational Institute to lay before the Education Board the following statements with regard to the Institute's recommendation re school books and the inspectors' report thereon:— The proposal to make a change in the Readers first emanated from the inspectors, for in 1893 they reported: "There seems to be a growing feeling among teachers that a better series of reading books than that at present in use in the district could now be obtained. We think this is true, and that an inquiry should be made with a view to the introduction of a better set of Readers. It is generally admitted that the graduation of the lower Graduated Readers is far from perfect, and that many of the lessons of the series are less attractive and interesting than could be desired." (See Board's annual report, 1893, page 35.) In July, 1894, soon after the issue of the above, the Hon. John MacGregor, convener of the Committee appointed by the Board to report upon the question of school books, invited suggestions re school books from the Educational Institute, j The question was discussed by the Dunedin, ; Bruce-Clutha, and Otago Central branches,* and a strong and representative committee was appointed by the Institute to read through and report on the books. After long and careful consideration of the reports sent in by the branches and the sub-committee, the Institute decided to make inter alia the following recommendation to the Hon. John MacGregor : " Reading books—fa) Longman's series of New Readers, (b) As an alternative course the * Royal Crown Readers,' books 1., 11., and 111., and the other numbers of this series, if they are equally as good as Books 1., 11., and III." In 1896 the inspectors submitted a series of books and requested the Institute to express an opinion. A committee, consisting of the head-teachers of the Dunedin and suburban schools, was appointed to consider the question of Readers and histories for the The books were passed out among the head-teachers for private perusal, and in almost every school the head-teachers referred the readers to the class teachers of the various standards. The matter was then referred for a final decision to the following representative committee :~Meßsrs D. White, A. Kyle, J. W. Smith, J. Rennie, J. Jeffery, J. Southwick, and W. Eudey (secretary). After many and long meetings the Committee were unanimous in the rejection of the books at present in use (Chambers's Graduated Readers), considering some of those under review to be very superior in many respects.

A largely-attended meeting of the matrons of the Dunedin and suburban school was held to consider which books would be most suitable for use in the infant departments. They also were unanimous in their opinion that any of the series recommended (was superior to Chambers's Infant Readers, The Committee of Management regret to find in the inspector's recommendation that " the superiority (if any) of the Readers recommended by the Institute over those in present use is not, we think, sufficiently great to justify us in advising the Board to make the change." In view of the inspectors' recommendation, the Committee of Management desire to bring under the notice of the Board reasons which led the Committee to recommend that a change be made in the reading books:— , (a) That a change was unanimously recommended by the head-teachers of large and small schools, by infant mistresses, and by assistants. (6) That the present series has been in use for over seven years, having been introduced in 1889. (o) That the teachers desire a change, as they have been going over these lessons every day and every month for the past seven years. (d) That booksellers, being of opinion that a change was contemplated by the Board, had made preparation for it, and no injustice would be done to:the book trade by introducing a new set of

(e) That Books I. and 11. of the present series are recognised by teachers as far too easy. (/) That teachers are unanimously of opinion that No. 6 is far too difficult a book, and that Nt» 6 is a very unsuitable one. On these grounds, and in the interests of education, teachers are of opinion that a chanre ia deshable,—l have, etc., Waltkr Eudy, Hon. Sec. It was decided to refer the whole matter to the chairman and the Hon. Mr MacGregor to report. It was decided to olose the Board's offices from Thursday, December 2i, to Thursday, January 7.