EDUCATION BOARD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1974, 29 June 1900, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

The regular monthly meeting of the Education Board was held in Dunedin last week. APPOINTMENTS, AND WHAT WAS SAID THEREON. The Selection Committee's report having been considered in committee, the Chairman moved that the resolutions made in committee, embodying the following appointments, be confirmed: Owen James Hodge, head teacher, Albany street, vice John L. Ferguson, deceased. Dorothea J. Wilkinson, head teacher, Kokoamo, vice Elizabeth M. Gunn, left the service. Grace M. Farnie, head teacher, Otakaia, vice Andrew Chesney, promoted. Jane M. Young, head teacher, Macraes, vice Kate T. Trayes, left the service. Walter Eudey, senior relieving teacher, vice Owen J. Hodge, promoted. Mr Mackenzie moved as an amendment — "That-the resolutions bs adopted with the exception of the appointment of Mr Eudey as senior relieving teacher." Mr Eudey's qualifications were the lowest of those included within the list of eligibles. and it almost appeared as if the line of qualification had been drawn so as to suit Mr Eudey. Another reason why he opposed Mr Eudey's appointment was because he was a resident in the City. He held that where teachers were to be found enjoying equal or superior qualifications in country districts they ought to obtain a preference of these appointments. In the list of those considered eligible by the Selection Committee there were several gentlemen so qualified. There was Mr Pinder, who held an Al certificate, and he was in a country district. He had moved that Mr Pinder be appointed, and that was lost Mr Methven also enjoyed a very much higher certificate, and had been twelve years in country districts. He held that unless these men who were consigned to the back regions bad some opportunity of getting on in the service they were submitted to an injustice, and this was one of those appointments' the Board might reasonably have o-iven to a man better qualified than the man who got it. One of the reasons for Mr Eudey's appointment was that he and his head-master were at variance. If that was held to be a basis of appointment in the future, all that assistants and headmasters had to do was to get up a quarrel and they would be qualified for promotion. He had nothing personally against Mr Eudey. He was an excellent man, but on general principles he denied that it was a right thing to have men appointed in that way. Mr Snow seconded the amendment, ana endorsed all that Mr Mackenzie had said. The Rev. Mr Fraser wished to know when ho would be able to move an amendment which he had tabled the previous morning, to the effect that the matter of the appointment of a relieving teacher at £240 per annum be held over until after his motion dealing with reductions had been dealt with. It was decided to take Mr Fraser's amendment after Mr Mackenzie's had been disposed ofMr Borrie objected to Mr Mackenzie's statement that the qualifications had been draw so as to fit in with Mr Eudey's appointment. Mr Mackenzie might give the Committee credit for being at least fairly honest. The minimum qualification was made to coincide with the minimum qualification required for a rector of a district high school. The qualifications of Mr Eudey, or of anyone else, were never thought of when they were discussing what qualification for the position must be required. Mr Nicolson said that the duties of relieving teachers were mostly in the country, and therefore Mr Mackenzie's remarks on that head did not count for much. Mr Kyle said that Mr Pinder could not be regarded as a country teacher. He had been head-master at Sawyers Bay. and his appointment to Waikouaiti was only a recent one. Mr Mackenzie having replied, the amendment was put and lost, only Messrs Snow and Mackenzie voting for it. Mr Fraser did not vote. The Rev. P. B. Fraser then moved his amendment,, postponing the question of appointing a relieving teacher until after the consideration of his motion dealing with certain reductions, one of which was in the relieving department, had been disposed of. The relievements of the Board could be accomplished in a much more economical way than at present, and lie considered that there had been unnecessary haste in making the proposed appointment. He wished Mr Eudey every success in any position in which he might be placed, but with the knowledge which he possessed, and which every member of the Board and each School committee should possess, of the manner in which the relieving service was being conducted, he believed they would never have dared, in the face of the* retrenchments they were carrying out in the province, to suggest that a gentleman should be appointed to this position at a cost of £240 per annum. To show what had been done by the two relieving teachers on the permanent staff he had got a return from the office, and it showed that within two years £B4l had been spent for two men and their expenses. It had been said that they required to pay £240 a year for this officer, because he had to fill high positions. If it had not been that the position was in occupation before he would have moved that the whole system of relieving teachers be abolished. It was nothing but a sinecure for friends of the Board, and it was only too plain that it was only a steppingstone from one position to another, and that the old teachers in the province had to stand aside in order to make room for one who had been a relieving teacher. Apart from the cost, he had this objection to the permanent relieving officer system : it excluded entirely all young men waiting for appointments, from filling temporary positions. There were twenty men in the service of the Board who were receiving under £IOO a year, and most of them getting about £7O ;>, jejii, and some of them had been sent down to Catlins, and were there yet, and they had been sent there, some of them, more than two years ago, on the understanding !hal the appointment was only temporary, and that they would get relieving work or would be shifted. They were sent to Siberia and forgotten, whilst those men at hand, who came in after them, were appointed to better positions and higher salaries. If the Board did anything like justice to the young men anxious to learn their profession, they would keep this relieving work open for them, and when a head-mas-tership fell vacant they should allow the first assistant to fill the position until an appointment was made. To say that the man they were appointing was better than any first assistant in town, and should go in front of the first assistant, and take the head-master's place, was absurd. Now, on the point of cost. He had had a return prepared in the office showing the positions held and filled by the two relieving teachers within the past' two years. The total amount spent in relieving was, as he had said, £B4l. One relieving teacher receives £175 per annum and expenses, and for six solid months had been conducting a school the average attendance of which was fifteen. With regard to the senior relieving teacher, who was paid £240. he found that during the whole of the two years he had scarcely ever been filling a position equal to £240. He concluded with moving—- " That consideration of the appointment of a relieving teacher, at a salary of £240, be held over until the Board have taken into consideration whether they cannot supply

the relieving service of the B«>»r4 by a less costly method." Mr T. Mackenzie seconded the motion. Mr Mitchell said that even admitting that everything Mr Fraser had said was absolutely correct, they could not in justice leave their relieving work to haphazard selection. Where such a position as the head-master-ship of a district high school was vacant, they should have at command a man capable of going in and taking on the work of those schools and continuing it without any break or interruption, and that man must have the confidence of the school. After a short further discussion the amendment was lost, only Messrs Fraser and Mackenzie supporting it. The motion was then put and carried. PORT CHALMERS DISTRICT HIGH SCHC'OL. Mr T. Mackenzie moved—" That the status of the Port Chalmers District High School be restored." Speaking to the motion he said that the school commanded a large district, taking children from as far as Waikouaiti, Evansdale, and Waitati. The school, as a district high school, cost only about £3O more than it did at present. The children receiving secondary education numbered from twenty-four to thirty-seven. The expenses in respect to its being a district high school came to £129 per annum, and this was supplemented by such items as senior scholarships and capitation grants. The great principle underlying the necessity for the school was that if this country was to become a great maritime Power navigation ought to be made a prominent subject in the curriculum of that school. Mr Mackenzie went on to say that he thought the disrating of the district high schools was a distinct departure from the spirit of the times, and he maintained that educational advantages ought rather to be extended. If New Zealand was to hold its own in with other countries it could only be by extending educational advantages ; and he submitted his motion for favorable consideration by the Board. Mr Nicolson seconded the motion, and spoke briefly in support of it. After some discussion the motion was put, and the chairman declared it lost on the voices. A call for a division showed that the ayes were Messrs Mackenzie, Nicolson, and Fraser, the remaining members voting against the motion. RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were accepted : —Grace M. Farnie, head-teacher, Akatore; Helen Malcolm, mistress, Flag Swamp; Christina D. Robertson, mistress, Pahnerston; Elizabeth M. Harlow, junior female assistant, George street; Lucy A. Fitzgerald, matron, training college; Owen James Hodge, senior relieving teacher. TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS. The Rev. P. B. Fraser moved— " That the secretary lay on the table a return showing the names of all teachers holding temporary appointments under the Board, with date of their first and present appointment; the class of position held; showing who appointed them, together with the salaries paid to such teachers from time to time." Mr Nicolson seconded the motion, which was carried after some discussion. GENERAL. The secretary reported that the following school districts had failed to elect school committees:—Kelso, Stony- Creek, Marumato, Tahora, and* Warepa.—The Board appointed the following gentlemen commissioners for each school: —Kelso, Messrs Rentoul and Edgar; Stony Creek, Messrs Smith and Kinder; Marumato, Messrs M*ckay and Reid; Tahora, Messrs Macdonald and Docherty; Warepa, Messrs Wood and Christie. Half-cost of improvements was granted to the following schools : —Cambrians, £3 5s ; Cromwell, £3 ss; Evansdale, £3; Tokarahi, £l6; Pukeuri, £2 ; Upper Junction, £3; Katea, £4 ss.—Applications for repairs to outhouses, etc., were granted co the following schools:—Wakari, St. Leonards, Oamaru North, West Taieri, and Pukeiwitahi.—Messrs Tonkin and Co. having offered £2 10s per annum for the use of a school site at Wedderburn, it was resolved that tenders be invited for the section. —A memorial was received from settlers at Pomahaka Siding for the establishment of a school. A number of Dalvey settlers also wrote protesting against the petition being granted.—The matter was referred to Mr Sim to report.—The Secretary of the Otago Educational Institute wrote forwarding a copy of the following resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Institute :■ —" That as in the great majority of our schools, representing the great majority of our pupils. Standards V. and VI. are combined for the study of English, the Education Board be asked to amend the English syllabus for the junior scholarship examination, so that the Fifth and Sixth Readers may be used alternately ; the examination for the year ending December, 1901, to be taken from the Fifth Reader. The head-teacher of the Kaikorai School also wrote on the same subject. The Board decided to adhere to its regulations in regard to the matter. NOTICES OF MOTION. The following notices of motion were given for next meeting:—By Mr P. B. Fraser—- " That all correspondence bearing on the sale of the Inch Valley School be laid on tha table at next meeting, together, with a. statement of the cost of erecting the building, its age, and the price offered and obtained for it." By Mr Mackenzie—" That the Board consider the propriety of compensating Miss Arnet for the loss she sustained at Rongahere by the action of an incendiary." By Mr Mackenzie—" (1) That the Board shall,, at its first full meeting, consider the whole question of secondary education in Otago, with a view to reducing fees; and (2) consider the propriety of establishing district high schools at Tapanui and Naseby." By Mr Mackenzie—" That, inasmuch as certain inaccuracies occur in the secretary's letter to the Minister of Education of May 21, 1900, and as such letter never obtained the sanction of the Board, it be withdrawn."