EDUCATION BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 July 1924, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education .. Board was held at New Plymouth yesterday. Present: Messrs. A. Lees (chairman), R. Masters, M.P., S. G. Smith, ALP., R. J. Deare, H. Dempsey, P. J. H. White, and F. H. Siins; Correspondence was received with regard to the Albert Road, School. The chairman stated that it was'time the department decided either on a consolidation scheme or the remodelling of the present school. The matter was left in the hands of Air. Smith. An application was received for a school at Tuhua: on the Stratford-Alain Trunk line. It- was stated by the secretary (Mr. Insull) that the Egmont Box Company had a. mill in the district, and there were about twenty children who- at present had to walk three miles to the Alatiere School. The Egmont Box Company was prepared to find the building and all furniture, and all the department was asked to provide was the teacher.

The senior inspector stated that sixteen children from the district were attending Alatiere School which would mean an average of twelve. The present roll number at Alatiere was 82, and as the average would be affected by the new school, this school would lose an assistant. The new school would not mean any additional cost to the department. , 'lt was finally decided to refer the matter to Air. Sims and the senior inspector. The secretary stated that he had forwarded the new plans for the Eltham School.

The chairman said that plans showing a, dental clinic and plans showing a building without a clinic had been asked for, and these had been forwarded without any loss of time. Three plans had to be prepared, and this naturany took a little time. There had been no -delay on the part of the board. All requests from the department had been dealt with' as expeditiously as possible.

Mr. Masters: The Eltham people think the board is to blame, and have so expressed themselves. An application was received for a new school at, Pembroke. Air, Alasters said they all agreed that a new school was necessary, but where did Pembroke come on the list of necessary works? They must have regard to the order of urgency. ' It was shown that the school was high up on the list, ancl on the motion of Mr. Alasters the architect was instructed to prepare plans for a new school so that an application coiild be forwarded to the department, and it was left in the hands of Mr. White and the chairman to go into the question of site. The chairman stated that tenders had again been called for the carriage of children from Glenn Road, and had been forwarded to the department. The department notified that it had agreed to an additional grant of £53 for movable class-room at the Central School. The previous grant was £6BB.

Advice- of a grant of £1035 for a new residence at Norfolk Road was received.

The department wrote stating that the application for a. district high school at Manaia would come before the next meeting of the Education Council, and it was proposed- to give '•he Hawera High School Board of Managers an opportunity to make any representations they saw fit. Air. Masters said that the matter had been discussed by the Hawera ' Technical managers.

The department refused to entertain an application for a, movable residence at- Pohokura,—Mr. Alasters: “And quite right, too.'’ ..The department wrote stating that in \ie-w of the small average attendance, the department could not consent to the expenditure of £SOO on a site for a school a;t Whareroa.

Advice of a grant, of £3BO for additions to the Ok at O' School was received.

The department, writing with’ reference to the Opunake School, stated that it approved of the appointment of a grade 2 assistant : with a class C certificate in place of the additional giade 1 assistant- previously approved to- enable Jlie. headmaster to conduct standard ( c-lass. • The department was also prepared to consider favourably the renting of a hall co accommodate either standards 4 and 5 or standards 1,2 and 3. |p a ’few months, it should be possible for the board to give some forecast as to wbether the .sixteen pupils now in standard i might be increased to, sav 25 next February so as to. justify’ the establishment of a district high school Hie number of pupils now available in standard 6 should serve as a guide. All White said that at Opunake they had throe assistants who were uncet tiHeated, and this was not fair to the headmaster. He moved that the Opunake committee be asked to report on any suitable hall, and that the. question of assistants be dealt with by the appointment committee.—This was carried.

The secretary stated that the department had corrected its first communication in regard to Ngariki for rku \ vas , understood that a grant or £231 had been made for a new school, and now stated that the errant was only made on condition transit for the children at £250 per annum could not be obtained. 'Hie lirst tender for transit was £3OO, but Po”n aU °5f r Was »' eceiv ed to do it for _oo. [he settlers, however, pre--1 erred a school of their own. It was pointed out that there could be no guarantee on the part of the eontiactoi that the conveyance of tlm children would b e continued. Afr. Masters asked who would be responsible in the event of an accident O the (Inver or any of the' children. He was of the opinion that it would be Inc board.

llic chairman &id that the position \ould have to be clearly defined as between the board and the department be lore any risk was taken. Air Alasters; Ask the contractor to sign a contract, pay a deposit and find a guarantor. He won't do it, and "'®“ n then -apply again for a school, this suggestion was adopted. The Department, the secretary stated, had raised no objection to the establishment of a household school at Roto. The teacher who was to-■ take chaige toed in the district, and equipment had been sent out.

Tlie Department wrote defining the limits to which the .Hoard 'might .go with unauthorised expenditure, tiie main point emphasised being that such expenditure must not he contrary to the geenral law.

Notice was received that it was the intention of the Denariment to call a conference of the Education Boards later in the year, and meantime the Board was asked to forward any matters for discussion which it considered should receive attention.—Received. A number of recommendations from the North Tairanaki School Committees’ Association were placed before the Board, one of which was that the Board should have its own cleaning staff, and that schools should be thoroughly cdeaned once every three months.

Another was that no head teacher should be removed from a .school till a successor had been appointed. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Masters, to thank the Association for the interest it had shown in the admin isbrati/tn of education, and assure them that their recommendations would receive the best consideration of the Board.

The South Tarnnaici School Committees’ Association wrote urging the necessity for establishing an agricultural schol in South Taranaki, and request - ing that this matter be placed before the Department.

Mr Masters: Same old thing. If there was one in the.north there must be one in the south. The Stratford leehnical School was working its own course. They could not set up a special school for agriculture for primary schools. Mr Valentine: No.

Mi Masters said there was enough theory now, and what was wanted was practical instruction, lie thought; the flaw era- people were on wrong lines. The association could be lel'erred to the Hawera Techn teal managers, who could deal direct with the Department. —Jt was decided to do this. A suggestion was made in a letter to the Board that October 31 be a clay tor special • instruction in animal welfare, and the-Army Mission applied tor ijermission to eoftect money from the children for the purpose of providing free meals for the necessitous Both requests were granted. The New Zealand Sports Protection League wrote asking for support to the summer time proposal.—The chair’ man said the matter was one that could he left to Parliament. The Boai d was asked to assist in making an education exhibit at the Dunedin Etxhibition. Thti court was to cover all branches of education.—Air Dempsey thought the. Board should exP' Gss ’ l -' s sympathy with the project.— Mr \\ hue thought that if the idea developed Taranaki should be represented, and he favoured setting up a small committee. He vmud move that the chairman and Mr Dempsey be a committee/ to deal with the matter. — lhis was carried, and it was further resolved that the committee consult with the head teachers. Mr Musters was appointed to represent the Board on the Board of Managers feir the Stratford Technical Hmh School.—.—Mr Masters, after vainly enedavourmg to induce the'Board to appoint someone else, ironically offered his thanks.

The secretary asked what object was gained by school hoimciaries? Mr Masters: They were, necessary under the Act, and without them they could not deckle who should sit on v school committee.

The senior inspector said that districts must be defined and an edver--1S rp 1 i nser ted in the local press, llie secretary; It is very costly, in accordance with notice given. Mr Masters moved that the secretary be paid £1 per day travelling expenses when obliged to be away from home overnight when carrying out his duties.—Carried.

Mr White said he would like it to go out to teachers that they were expected to use the manual classes in the \vay intended by the Department. It should be pointed out that education in this connection was just as necessary a s in any other direction. The senior inspector said that the Act places no compulsion on teachers. It stated that they were expected to take advantage of manual instruction, but there was no definite instruction and no punitive clause. n Ml ‘ pointed out that teachers «ho failed to send the children to manual classes may find that their grading has been affected. It was in the power of the senior inspector to enfcirce compliance with the Board’s wishes, and he thought they had the right man to do this. ■On. the motion of Mr Masters, it was decided to recommend to the Department that where, .satisfactory arrangements can be made for the attendance of the children manual classes he made compulsory.