MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC

Evening Star, Issue 25925, 17 October 1946, Page 5

MOBILE DENTAL CLINIC

NEED IN PALMERSTON DISTRICT

EDUCATION BOARD'S SUPPORT

Tho support of the Otago Education Board in establishing a mobile dental clinic in the districts around Palmerston was enlisted at its meeting yesterday by a deputation from the Palmerston Dental Clinic Committee.

iMr R. S. Peder, chairman of the Karitane School Committee, outlined the difficulties in the way of transport and the interruption of pupils’ education which resulted from the existing system of having clinics at Seaeliff and Palmerston, lie said that in many cases pupils had to walk to and from the clinic. Under the present system the nurse was overburdened with work. There were 546 pmpils on her register. It was decided, on the motion of Mr N. H. Colquhoun, to approach the Health Department regarding the establishment of a mobile clinic in the district.

A further motion that the board’s North Otago members should confer with the Minister of Health on the subject was carried. The meeting was attended by Mr -lames Wallace (chair), the Mayor (Mr D. ,0. Cameron), Messrs W. Jacobsen, J.. V. Riach, N. 11. Colquhoun, W. M. Cooper, J. 1. Fraser, C. E. Richards, H. A. Brough, and G. S. Fineham. SCHOOL COMMITTEE GRANTS. The Education Department advised that an increase had been made in school committee grants, to date_ from July 1, 1946. As from the beginning of 1947 the grant would be paid in two separate amounts —(a) a ' grant for wages, and (b) a grant for incidental expenses. In the matter of wages the boards would be required to assess the hours necessary to carry out the work at each school. Full-time male cleaners would receive £5 10s, and fulltime female cleaners £3 10s 9d a week. Part-time male cleaners would receive 2s 10jd an hour, and .part-time female cleaners 2s 4d an hour. The capitation for school committee expenses, apart from wages, would be at the rate of 7s 6d a pupil on the roll as used for grading purposes.' The-sec-ondary departments -of district high schools would received 22s 6d a pupil. Mr Cameron said that it was difficult to understand why, in the case of the country districts, a : grant of 22s Gd had been made in respect of district high schools 'and 7s 6d to primary schools. On the motion of Mr Colquhoun, it was decided to apply for a universal grant to all schools, whether primary or' district high schools. CENTENARY YEAR “ I think that school children do not always realise what the pioneers did in the earlv days of this province to establish a sound education system,” said Mr Wallace, when lie referred to a letter from the Otago Early Settlers’ Association extending an invitation to schools to attend its museum.

Mr Cameron supported the chairremarks, and suggested that, in view of the approach of the centenary of Otago, classes of senior pupils should be diverted to the museum to study the settlement of Otago. _ It was decided to instruct the senior inspector to prepare a plan of study classes. TRAINING COLLEGE ENTRANTS.

The Education Department advised that the board’s quota of training college entrants had been fixed at 55, The department stressed the need to obtain entrants with sound physique, vigour, and good personality. It was particularly important that candidates selected for admission should be suitable in all respects. Poorer types should not be accepted merely to fill the quota of any district; as in other districts there might be a surplus of good candidates available. NEW SCHOOLS.

A letter was received from the George Street School Committee asking that the building of the new schciol should proceed as soon as possible, and it was resolved to forward the notification as soon as it was, received from the Education Department. A similar letter was received from the Roxburgh School Committee. It was reported that renovations needed at the school had been neglected, as it was understood that the provision of the new school in that district was high on the priority list.—lt was decided to suggest to the department that the site for the new school, which had been difficult to purchase, should be taken over under the Public Works REVISION OF ACT. It was decided to support the Canterbury Education Board’s resolution in connection with the revision of the Education Act. The resolution is as follows:—That the Canterbury Education Board was of opinion that the time had arrived when the Education Act, 1914', should be superseded by a comprehensive new Act, and urged the Government to take the necessary steps for introducing an Education Bill in the Parliamentary session of 1947, such Rill- to incorporate in one measure all the amendments to the Education Act, 1914. that it was intended to retain, to reorganise the education system so as to meet new conditions, and to provide effective means for expediting the educational reforms that had been already commenced, as well as further reforms that were deemed desirable. 1947 TERMS.

The opening dates for terms in 1947 were fixed as follows:—First term, Monday, February 3; second term, Tuesday, May 27; third term, Tuesday, September 9. It was decided that the school year would end on Wednesday, December 17. ARCHITECT’S RECOMMENDATIONS.

The architect’s suggestion that the old. residence at Sandymount should he renovated at a cost of £290, was approved. It was. also decided to approve the architect’s suggestion that a new school, constructed of sun-dried bricks, should be erected on a new site at Patearoa. He expressed the opinion

that it would not be satisfactory to move the building again. The original portion was (16 years old. ' GENERAL. It was agreed to comply w-ith the Education Department’s suggestion that all boards should grant a full holiday on election day. >. An intimation that special grants would be made to district high schools for libraries, musical equipment, and equipment for social studies, and general science was contained in a letter from- the Education Department. The Education Department wrote thinking the board for its assistance in the manufacture of Norwegian looms, which were proving satisfactory in the schools for the teaching of handiwork.

The Tokomairiro District High School committee’s application for the top dressing of asphalt at the school at an estimated cost of £270, and at the school residence, at a cost of £lB. was-granted.