EDUCATION IN OTAGO

Evening Star, Issue 22475, 21 October 1936, Page 13

EDUCATION IN OTAGO

BOARD'S MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board was held to-day, those present being Messrs J. Wallace (chairman), D. C. Cameron, N. Colquhoun, W. M, Cooper, W. R. Brugh, D. T. Fleming, C. E. Richards, E. Morgan, yf. D. Sutherland, and D. Marshall. MAINTENANCE GRANT. It was reported that the 5 per cent, maintenance grant which the board was allowed to spend on ground improvements totalled for the year ending September 30 £5lO. Up to July 31 the board had actually spent £417, and commitments up to September 30 had brought the total up to £550. Any further subsidies granted this year would have te be charged to next year’s quota. RESIGNATIONS ACCEPTED. Resignations of teachers were accepted as follow:—Head master, Gabriel M. Luke, Roxburgh D.H. Sole teachers—John S. Spence, Gimmerburn; Isabel M. Gordon, Kaihiku. Assistants— Anne C. Fraser, Clinton; Sophia M. Bowers, Walton. TEACHERS APPOINTED. Appointments of teachers were made as follow:—Head master, Gabriel M. Luke, Oamaru South. Sole teachers— Lawrence D. Daly, Gimmerburn; Helen A. Murray, Kahuika. Assistants— Lewis J. Clapp, Kaikorai; Irene F. Young, Balclutha; Marjorie Tomlinson, Caversham Convalescent and Dunedin Hospital; Geoffrey C. Brookes, Mornington; Sophia L. M. Bowers, Northeast Valley; Jean E. Dixon, Strath Taieri. Domestic science instructress, Isabel M. Wither, North Otago Manual Centre (Oamaru). ACCOUNTS PASSED. Accounts amounting to £25,748 were passed for payment. APPLICATION FOR SCHOOLS. An application was received from Glenledi for the erection of a school, it being stated that there were 11 children of school age and 4 under school age.—lt was decided to ask the member for the district and the chairman to investigate. Mr J. A. Stewart, of Hokonui, wrote on behalf of the residents, stating that there were eight children of school age, with others to come. The Hokonui sawmill was nine miles from Kuriwao towards the Catlins district. There was no building available for a school, but it was understood the sawmill company would be willing to assist.—lt was decided, on the motion of Mr Brugh, to ask the sawmill company if it would frovido a temporary building. Mr leming said some settlement was expected before long in the district. TAIERI MOUTH. The Taieri Mouth School Committee asked for the extension of tho school conveyance service from across the river and right to the school gate, entailing an extra two miles a trip. The contractor was prepared to run ns far as the bridge on his side to the top of the school hul (from the main road to the school gate was not negotiable by car in wet weather) provided he could receive capitation for the children over 10 years.—lt was stated that if the board

could grant the request under the regulations it would do it.—The secretary was asked to make inquiries and act. GROUND IMPROVEMENT. The Education Department advised that no objection would be taken to a schbol committee holding the amount specially provided for ground improvements (10 per cent, or the total incidental grant) until it could spend it to advantage.—The Chairman remarked that the idea was a very satisfactory one. HEATING SERVICES. The Education Department advised that it was not aware of any change in the policy in regard to the replacing of existing heating services. The present policy was that the department found one-third of the cost, tne board and school committees finding twothirds. REQUEST DECLINED. The Caversham Committee requested that the shelter sheds at the new infant school be fitted with doors in order to prevent unauthorised persons using the sheds at night. The architect reported that roller shutters for the two sheds would cost about £4O. He did not regard the position at Caversham in the matter or trespassers on school grounds at night as any different from that prevailing at most of the town schools.—lt was decided to decline the request, it being considered that the cost was not warranted. TEANERAKI SCHOOL, The department, in acknowledging the board’s letter intimating that the lowest tender for the new school at Teaneraki was £465 in excess of the grant, stated that it was agreeable to tho work being carried out by day labour if the board was of opinion that it could do so for approximately the amount of the grant. The architect reported that, since the estimate for the work was made out in September, 1935, there had been a considerable increase in wages and cost of material, and he did not consider it possible now to carry out the work either by contract or by day labour for that sum. If the department were not prepared to accept the lowest tender it should be asked to agree to meet whatever additional cost over the present grant might be involved in carrying out the work.—The Chairman: 1 think that is a fair thing. The architect was asked to report on the application of the head master at Teaneraki for the sinking of well and installation of an electric pump to provide an efficient water supply at the residence. The Architect said that it might be advisable to consider a system which would supply both school and residence. He was obtaining further information about the position and depth of well, and would report further on the cost. grants approved. The Education Department intimated that grants had been made as follow : Strath Taieri: For the removal of the Ngapuna School buildings to Strath Taieri to provide accommodation for the secondary department. Mosgiel: For the erection of new out offices for the secondary girls. Oamaru North: Additional ’grant to enable the board to accept the lowest tender for erection of the new residence.

Luggate: For additional bedroom and improvements to the teacher’s residence. Mornington; For an additional shelter shed for the infant children. MORE ROOM NEEDED. It was reported that, in view of a rise in grade, an additional class room would be required at the Oamaru North, Ranfurly, and Clydevale Schools. An additional room was also required at the Normal School.—lt was decided to make application to the Education Department for a grant for the first three, the other matter being the concern of the board itself. VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE. The Vocational Guidance Association wrote asking for the appointment of a representative.—Mr W. D. Sutherland was appointed. RAVENSBOURNE APPLICATION. The Ravensbourne School Committee renewed its application for a head master’s residence. It was stated that the school was not regarded as a town school and that a residence was necessary in the district. —It was decided to place the position before the Education Department. APPLICATIONS FOR SUBSIDIES. The Henley Committee asked for a subsidy of half-cost of repairing fences and putting in manuka scrub to act as breakwinds. The estimated cost was £ls.—lt was decided to grant half-cost. The Anderson’s Bay Committee made application for assistance in concreting the back portion of the boys’ playground. The estimated cost was £9O. A subsidy was also sought on the cost of patching and top-dressing asphalt, the total estimated cost being £26. It was decided to grant half-cost of the £26, and consideration of the other matter was held over. The Blacks Committee made application for assistance in repairing and top-dressing the asphalt, which included the tennis court. It submitted a tender of £27, two-thirds of which will be found locally with the assistance of the Tennis Club.—The Chairman said the matter had already been agreed to, £9 being contributed. The work had been commenced. The Otepopo Committee made application for assistance in top-dressing and repairing an area of asphalt, which included two tennis courts.—The architect reported that half the area was very badly broken, while the remaining portion required very little patching, but top-dressing throughout was necessary. The committee submitted a tender of £6O, and offered to find locally, with the assistance of the Tennis Club, two-thirds of the cost, if given time to raise the money.—lt was agreed to contribute a third of the cost. The Macandrew Road Committee made application for a subsidy on the cost of the projector machine recently imported from England for the screening of educational films. The total cost was £l3 9s 7d. (The committee had found the cost of blinds for darkening the room), —Mr Cameron said he thought the board should move carefully in such a matter. It had refused assistance for the installation of radios, and it would not seem right if it granted assistance in this matter.—lt was decided to provide half the cost of the blinds. The Kakanui Committee offered to find its one-fourth share of the cost of installing a septic tank system at the school; £4O of its share was in hand, and the remaining £ll would be available early next year. The cost to the board would be £sl, plus £45 for new boys’ out-offices. The department’s share would bo £ll3 15s.—It was decided to agree to the request of the committee. The Oamaru South Committee applied for assistance in top-dressing asphalt at the school, the architect esti-

mating the cost at £62. —It was agreed to grant a subsidy on the usual terms. It was decided to grant one-third of tlie cost (£4 15s) of the installation of electric light in the room used for tho meetings of the Oamnru South Committee, and to ask the Education Department for a grant. Tho Oamaru South Committee wrote stating it had found the cost of one screen for the open-air class room to be £8 10s, and the board was asked to find the cost of a second one required. —Agreed.