PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 21 January 1926, Page 4

PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

.MONTHLY MEETING The Taranaki Education Board held its moilthiv meeting at New Plymouth yesterday. 'There were present: Messrs. S (! Smith (chairman, P. •!. H. White, A. Lees, H. .1. Eaves, 11. Dempsey, F. H. Sim ami the Rev. J. L. A. lvayll. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. R. J. Deare. TEACH Elt S ’ MOVEMENTS. Teachers were granted leave of absence as follows:— Miss S. Campbell, Pareketu Valley, December I—4; Miss W Frood, Kapuni, December I—4; ii'iss M. Gilbert, Tawliiti, November g;», 27; Miss A. McKee, Inglewood, November22o;7 —-‘>0; Miss L. McLean, Hawera, November 24 to December 4; Mr. A. E. Simpson, Okau, November 25—27; Miss R. Taylor, Stanley, December 9 —IS; Airs. M. Whitaker, Kaimiro, February 2 to April 30. The resignations of the following teachers were accepted with regret:- - Miss M. Bourke, assistant, Hawera; Miss C. M. Corney, sole teacher, Kent., Miss I. G. Hodder, assistant, Oakura; Mr. O. Johnson, headmaster, Fitzroy; Miss A. Murray, assistant, Awakino; Miss I. J. Neilson, probationer, Opuuake- Mr. C. C. Thompson, sole teacher, Mangamingi; Miss E. Monroe, cookery instructress, Stratford. The following appointments were made:—Miss Nellie Ivopke, junior "s----sistant at Opunake; Mr. John C. Nicholls, sole teacher at Tokirima, in place of Miss M. Williamson, who declined appointment; Misses Warren and Papps, junior assistants at Westown. A GRICULTURE INSTRUCTION. The supervisor of agricultural instruction reported as follows: — Primary Schools. —Most of the visits to the primary schools during tlm month were for the purpose of judging calves presented by the competitors in the calf-rearing competition. Fiftyfive calves from 13 schools in the north and 157 calves from 20 schools in the southern and central districts were brought before the judges. There wis much greater keenness evident in the competition than in previous years and better animals than in any previous year wore reared. The judges expressed very favourable comments upon the work that is being carried out. The detailed reports have been published. Proficiency Examination. —The examination in agriculture was conducted in all the schools of the district this year instead of in schools of grades 3A and upwards. A statistical report will be produced later. Secondary ......ioois.—The work at both Manaia and Opunake District High Schools was concluded by the annual examination. Good results we.e obtained.

Afforestation.—The Forestry Department has supplied three boxes containing 12 samples of New Zealand timbers for presentation to the schools doing the best work in afforestation in each division of the district. These have been awarded to Otangiwai, Matau and Ohangai. Home cottage gardening in town schools. —The judging of these garden plots is proceeding and some good work lias been carried out. by the pupils. The agricultural instruction supervisor also reported as follows with regard to manual training:— Woodwork and Cookery.—Thcso subjects were continued at the various centres and examinations were conducted. Quite a number of pupils ob tained endorsed competency certificates as a result of tneir work at these classes.. Classes were discontinued after the 11th December to enable instructors to leave their equipment and rooms in good order and to complete and forward all returns. Maintenance and Repairs.—The Fawera domestic science room badly requires painting and the windows require cords. The "woodwork room also needs painting. It was decided to thank the Forestry Department for its donation of three boxes of samples of New Zealand timbers. The question of painting and repairs to the Hawera manual building was referred to the architect. HAWERA INFANTS SCHOOL. The finance and building committee advised that the following three wen the most urgent works at present befoie the hoard: —West End site, Hawera latrines and Westown additions. After some discussion it was decided to grant £IOO for the Hawera latrines from the rebuilding fund (subject to the department’s aproval , and that uu Hawera infants school be placed second on the list. It was agreed that the infants school was most important, and while the board had nothing official before it. regarding a junior high school, the new infants’ school should be pressed f>- . The department had advised that this question had been deferred, but in view of its new position on the list it was decided to refer it again. ' HAWERA DENTAL CLINIC.

The Education Board wrote stating that a nurse was reserved for the Hawera dental clinic and would be available in Mareli next. The chairman and Messrs. Lees and Eaves were appointed a sub-committee to make arrangements for accommodation for the clinic.

MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS. A letter from the Auckland Education Board was received concerning tne employment of the married woiaeu teachers. A number of reasons were advanced whereby it was thought that the boards should have the power to refuse to employ a married woman if it was thought that the appointment might be undesirable. Typical casts were quoted of husband and wife beingemployed by the Auckland Board and earning salaries which, when combine 1, realised almost £7OO. Several cases of joint salaries of £OOO being earned were given. There were also many cases of women engaged in teaching whose husbands were earning qu’te sufficient for the needs of both.

The members of the board supported the Auckland Board in its action of forwarding a petition to the Prime Minister. Mr. Lees declared that the board should have the power of discriminating whether married women should be employed except under special circumstances. After further discussion a resolution was passed. “That a clause be inserted in the regulations granting the boards discretionary power to refrain from appointing a married woman t a a position as teacher.” GENERAL It was decided that a tour of inspeetion of the country schools should lte made as early as possible. An invitation is to be extended to members of the Wanganui Board to accompany the board on the tour.

The question of holding the teachers’ Saturday classes in the Hawera Techni*

cal School was referred to the manual supervisor. The architect reported that the residence of the Toko Scnool was totally destroyed by fire m the early hours of Friday, January 15. Plans had been prepared for a new residence and will submitted for the board’s approval. A request having been received for increased staffing at the Hawera School, the matter was referred to the sen;or inspector to furnish a report. The question of the site for the proposed Turuturu School was referred to Messrs. Lees, Eaves and the chairman. Monday, April 2(5, was the date appointed for the householders’ meetings throughout the Hoard’s district.