EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 21722, 17 May 1934, Page 10

EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS

OTAGO BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board was concluded today, Mr.J. Wallace (chairman) presiding. ' RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were accepted;—Mary A. Mackenzie, sole teacher, Hyde; Christina M- M'Diarmid, sole teacher, Kaihiku; Fay C. Sanders, sole teacher. Lee Stream: Agnes E. Henderson, sole teacher, Lindis Pass Hid.; Ann L. Bloxham, sole teacher, Moonlight; Edna G. M‘Lean, sole teacher, Te Houka; Gordon W. White, Waitepeka; John M. M‘Lauchlan, assistant, Alexandra D.H. ; Alice Glanville,- assistant, Forbury; Margaret J. Richardson, assistant, Lowburn; James H. Sargison. assistant, Mosgiel; Myra M. Pollard, assistant. Port Chalmers; Frances H. Shepherd, assistant, Roxburgh D.H.; Olive H. Gibson, assistant, Warrington. APPOINTMENTS. The following appointments were made;—Eric W. Hanson, sole teacher. Owaka Valley; Ellen M. Crosbie, sole teacher, Artnurton: Doris M. Petrie, sole teacher. Circle Hill; Edith V. Double, sole teacher. Kuriwao; Clarice F. M. Courtier, sole teacher, Pukerangi ; Elizabeth P. Dunn, fourth assistant, Kaikorai; Alice Glanville, fourth assistant. Union Street; Christina M. M'Diarmid, assistant, Shag Point; Edna G. M'Lean, assistant. Waiwera South: Margaret J. Richardson, seventh assistant, Oarnaru North ; Olive H. Gibson, third assistant, Ravensbourne; Robert M. Sullivan, fifth assistant, Musselburgh : E. Neil J. Hannah, seventh assistant, Port Chalmers. ACCOUNTS PASSED. Accounts amounting to £14,873 5s were passed for payment. REQUESTS FROM PINE HILL. A letter from the Pine Hall Committee asked—That the new, school be erected at Liberton without further delay ; that, should such not be possible, the board proceed with interior painting of the present school and the installation of a septic tank. etc., as recommended by the school medical officer.— It was decided to ask'the architect to prepare plans for a two-teacher school. The committee further asked for an increase in the incidental grant; which had been reduced by £B, the committee considering that it was £l7 short of its actual expenses.—Tim, board decided that nothing could be given at present. • ■ A further request from Pine Hill was. for assistance in putting a stop to the menace and danger to school children from wandering cattle and stray bulls from the board’s property at Liberton. The letter added that the city ranger was. not provided witli any means of transport, and that he could not reach Pine Hill in time when cases were reported to.him.—lb was decided to leave any action deemed necessary to the secretary. , ' • PORT CHALMERS PLAYGROUND. The board considered, the Port Chalmers Committee’s application for a grant of one-third cost of renewing the asphalt of the lower playing area.—The Architect reported that this area was in. bad order, and practically half the asphalt required renewing. It was subject to soakage underneath from the higher ground above, which could be overcome by a line of field- pipes along the top side of the ground. • Cost of work in asphalt under supervision % of board’s foreman would be £94 6s, and in concrete £l2B 4s 6d. Some repairs were required in the top playing area at a cost of £3 16s 6d. ft was decided to hold the matter over for a report from the architect as to the additional cost of levelling the area. UNIVERSITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATION. The Registrar of Otago University intimated that the term of office of Mr J. Wallace as a member of the University Council expired on June 30.—1 t was decided to make the appointment at the June meeting of the board. SCHOOL' COMMITTEES. It was reported that r. second election for school committees was required in twenty-five districts, and that Monday, May 21, had been fixed as the date of such elections. The board was asked to approve of additional names in cases where the required number had not been elected to committees.—Agreed. Requests were made by the committees for teachers to act as clerks at Waipahi. Queensberry, and Chatto Creek.—Agreed. KENSINGTON APPLICATIONS. The Kensington Committee asked for a corridor for the head master’s office, for the renovating of an annexe, and for the renovating of the infant and adjacent rooms. It was stated that the committee was prepared, if_ necessary, to give an increased contribution towards the whole of the improvements. —The Architect estimated the cost of the corridor at £l7, and of the renovating of the annexe at £25, if the walls and ceilings were lined and painted. If the woodwork and ironwork were left in their present state, and painted with two coats, the cost would he £4 10s. The renovating of the infant rooms would cost about £7. These were remodelled and painted in 1926, and were in fair order, but what was wanted was the painting of the dado a lighter colour, together with' revarnishing.—lt was decided, after discussion, that the hoard give up to £ls, and leave it to the committee to decide what work should be carried out. CORRESPONDENCE COURSE. A parent at Lindis Pass wrote asking what assistance the board was willing to give him. He stated that the correspondence course was out of the question, and considered he must be entitled to the amount it would cost if he availed himself of it.—lt was reported that hte writer had been informed that the hoard toqk up with the Minister a, similar case in North Otago, and that the Minister replied as follows:—" 1 regret to say that it is not possible to approve of such grants. The parent should give the system of correspondence tuition a fair trial. The system is an excellent one, and the teachers are most painstaking. Parents can be assured that, with the aid of the notes and model answers supplied and- the corrections of the pupils’ work made, a girl of eleven will need so little help from her parents that they will probably have little else to do than see that the child devotes a certain amount of time every clay to the work.”—Noted. OTOKIA COMMITTEE’S APPLICATION. Application iv;is. made by the Otokia Committee lor tables aud chairs lor the pupils, and for the levelling of th*

school floors, towards which the committee would contribute £l3.—Agreed. TAHORA SCHOOL. It was decided to seek the permission of the Education Department to sell the Tahora School and glebe.