EDUCATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 April 1927, Page 3

EDUCATION.

TARANAKI BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held yesterday in New Plymouth. There were present: Messrs S. G. Smith (chairman), P. J. H. White, A. Lees, H. J. Eaves, R. J. Dear©, H. Dempsey, F. 11. Sinis, Rev. J. L. A. Tvavll, and the senior inspector (Mr N. R. McKenzie). NEW SCHOOLS AND ACCOMMODATION. The establishment of a grade 0 household school at Dawson Falls, under Miss Murphy, was approved, and it was resolved that application be made to the department accordingly. The secretary stated 1 that_ the Whnreroa- school was being held in the public hall. In 1924 an application was made for three acres of land for a new school, but the request had' not been acceded to. Mr Lees said the school being held in the hall was satisfactory to nobody. The hall was used for dances in the evenings, and this year it would be used three nights a week for football practices. This would be very detrimental to the furniture. Mr Lees suggested that tenders be called, to be submitted- to the department, for tlie conveyance of the pupils at the Wharemai school to the Haweraischool. The. meeting resolved accordingly. _ The Education Department notified the board that the grant for the Turuturu school had been approved. Various minor alterations would be necessary to the plans of the building.—• The hoard’s architect 'reported that work on- the school would commence in about three weeks. The chairman of the OpunakeSchool Committee wrote, thanking the hoard for the additions to the school accommodation, but urging that steps be taken at- once to- secure a new building, additional grounds, Wild a- manual establishment at Opunake.—The chairman said the matter touched upon a question to which the board had -given considerable attention. _ The_ letter pointed, out overcrowding in the secondarv department. There was no doubt that a. new building. with manual establishment attached, and additional playground accommodation, was necessary. This would confer a great benefit on the Opunake children and on those of the neighbouring schools. The chairman: moved, and; Mr Lees seconded, that a sub-committee —consisting of the chairman, Messrs P. J. IT. White and H. Dempsey—be appointed to go into the matter of a new school, lease of an adjoining section. and the erection of a manual eis tu hi i sh ment. The Education Department wrote stating that the application for additions to the Pihama- school would lie considered in the early future. If the school was included on the urgent list the additions would receive attention <9l*l,7*] y 717 the! next financial year.

On the motion of Mr Sims, seconded by the chairman, it was resolved that a; district- high school ho established at Ohura. CORRESPONDENCE.

The Minister of Education * wrote asking the board to instruct- its -architect that, where practical, New Zealand timber and tiles should be- used in its building operations.—After the baord’s architect had said the fetter was not consistent with the policy of allowing kauri, the best timber in the world, to be shipped abroad, the chairman, was instructed to replv on lines indicating that the board's policy would be to use New Zealand- timber where possible. The department, wrote giving x>artieulars' of a, scheme for large schools adopting small country -schools for the purpose of raising the. standard of t-he small schools. —It was resolved to- reply that, owing to the efficiency of the small -schools in Taranaki through the visits of organising teachers, there was no need for the scheme in this pi'ovi nee. TEACHERS’ CLASSES. The department notified the hoard that- it was not- proposed to organise teachers’ classes of instruction -for C and D examinations this year on t-he lines followed previously, hut refresher courses, when recommended by the chief inspector, would ho approved, and would be held in Auckland and Wellington. . Supplementary to the letter from the department the following telegram, which the chairman said must surely be one of the -strangest ever received from; the department, was read by the secretary: “Department endeavouring to arrange classes for practical certificate purposes in O and D examinations at Wellington and Auckland. May term holidays. Teachers -desiring to attend must pay ® .fee of £2 2s for D and £3 3s for C, each subject. No transit or -boarding expenses payable. Probationers not invited, but not excluded. Please telegraph -as early as possible how many will attend under these conditions and subjects desired by each.” Mr Lees isaid it- had been the custom in the- past to have classes of instruction in this province. Good practical work was done. To cut them out was a 1 retrograde -step. He moved, and the chairman seconded: “That tire department- be advised that this hoard is of the opinion that the elimination of classes at which probationers may -secure training in practical agriculture is retrogressive, for, at this juncture, though training is received at the training colleges, -such training hnis not yet ni*oduced a sufficient num-lver of teachers to handle the work skilfully in the schools.” PROJECTED WORKS. The list q-f projected works, in order of urgency was drawn up as follows-: Pihama, additions, £55 2; Miaia, new site and building, £497; Waita-ra, reinstatement; Opunake, manual building, -secondary school, £1171; Hawoni, reinstatement, £5413; Eltham, new building, £4350; Nevail, increased accommodation, £370. Grants in hand were reported in the case of Matapn, sectional residence; Turn-turn, new school, £2310; Opunake, additional movable building, £SO. HORSE ALLOWANCE. The Director of Education wrote -slnting that I he question of paying allowances in. the- case, of ch.'u'di'cn travelling to school -on horseback by impassabl.’i roads, or partially impassable roads, had recently been (reconsidered by the department. The present position was anomalous, because a child who rode over a passable road -received no allowance, even, though the cost -of shoeing were greater t-ha-ui in the case of most horses used, on, unmetalk'd roads, ft was quite- impossible- to extend the allowance to all children using horses, as the- expense Would he far too great. The; Minister did not desire to withdraw th::i concession -in cases already approved, but he was of opinion that the horse allowance should not he granted in fresh eases. Tin’s might lead to difficulties in cases where children attending school were receiving the al’owancie an</

other newer children were mot receiving anything. The difficulties, would, however, gradually disappear. Boards were, therefore, requested to co-operate with the Minister and the Department in removing the anomaly that .at present exists by refraining from recommending new applications for riding allowance, and by gradually reducing the cases where allowances had -already been approved. Mr Smith .said a protest -should be made against penalising the backblock children. Mir Sims said that it would be better for the Department to pay for a house over good roads instead of paying for the conveyance of children, by motors. It was -resolved to protest to the Department against the penalty imposed on back-block children.

REPORTS. Chairman.

The chairman’s irepo-rt -stated that during the month the following relieving appointments had been -made-: Miss Ethel Surman, assistant (Hawera) ; Mr T. Jensen, -sole teacher (AltMessenger); Mr R. Wells, sole- teacher, (Makahu) ; Miss A. S. Dale, head teacher (Hillsborough) ; Air P. S. Taylor, assistant (Inglewood); Miss E. N. O’Sullivan, head teacher (M-otonui); Mr G. W. Graham, assistant (WestEnd) ; Miss E. G. MacMitllani, -sole toucher (Huinga) ; Air L. des Fturges, sole teacher (P uni ho).; Air L. des-Forges assistant (Vogeltown); Miss E. C. Vooght, assistant (Eltham); Miss Al. Hickey, sole teacher (Alakaka.) ; Mr A. O. Edwards, assistant (Eltham) ; Miss E. Kirk, assistant- (Hawe-ra) ; Aliss AL Olson, assistant (Hawera); Aliss 0. M. Paterson, assistant-, (Kriponga); Miss E. McHardie, sole teacher (Roto). —Received and adopted. Attendance Officer. The attendance officer -reported that during the past four weeks 2 1 irregular attendance notices had been sisait out. He visited the fallowing schools, the -attendance being good j Alaugatoki, Riverlea, Awatuna, To Kiri, Manga- - humci, Opunake, Opua, Rotokare. Except for absences- caused by sickness, the monthly returns showed very little irregularity. For -some time -a number of schools'"have failed to ise-nd in a monthly return: of absentees.. It might be that the board’s regulation on the matter was not known by many new teachers coining into the district. The number of offenders had become so many now that a circular to all schools reminding them of the duties and the penalty for nonoomplia-ncia was necessary. —Received. Senior Inspector.

The senior inspector recommended the following appointments:— Hawera:. —Grade 1 assistant, Aliss Annie Fleming (ISS marks), sewn marks above the next applicant). Hawera. —Additional assistant (temporary position to January 31, 1928): Miss Ruth F. AlcOartie (207 marks).— Received and adopted. Agricultural Instructor.

The agricultural instructor reported tlnat the work under the auspices of the boys’ and girls’ clubs wa-s proceeding satisfactorily. The instructors unde-i the Agricultural Department have of illrio.ss and ab--sen.ee, to visit plots during the month, and many of the plots hai-ve been visited by the senior instructor. In most cases good work was being done, and in some cases exceptionally good work. The initial steps for tlie introduction of the stock-raising competitions in the Oliura schools had been, taken. Generally the -school afforestation nurseries w-e-re showing .satisfactoiy seedlings as the result of the- season’s work. "Some very good work is shown bv the schools of the Ohura district, where ail branches of the work were being enthusiastically developed. The report continued : “On the 24th instant 1 visited Rawhiliroa to- inspect the work that has been completed in t-he school ground. This ground was certainly one of the most, unsuitable grounds in the southern Taranaki area, and the work done has made a wonderful improvement. The bank in front of the school, which, was distinctly dangerous, lias been graded to- permit an easy approach to the .school entrance, and lias been fenced with cyclone netting to prevent accidents through children falling on to the road. Concrete paths and assembly area at the front of the- -scno-ci nave been laid down, the amount of material u-sed being 24 blags of cement and S yards of vsliuig-10. The -area in front of the school has been filled with .soil removed from- the back of the- grounds, graded, and -sown clown with grass seed. At the -back of the school a good deal of cutting, to increase the size of the playing area, lias been carried out. Hedges are- -being cut back. Altogether the scheme ha-s vastly improved the grounds. Too much credit cannot be given to the school committee and teacher over this matter. Messrs Booton and May each worked 12 days, Mr. Silver worked nine days, and Mr. O’Connor and three other -settlers worked la day. -Such interest and such valuable assistance given freely by these members of the committee deserves the highest commendation.”— Received. Manual Supervisor. Extracts from tire manual .supervisor’s report stated: Woodwork classes. —At New Plymouth, at Waitara, and at Hawera considerable improvement is noted, and a commencement i-s being made at Alaliaia upon the some lines. Domestic Science classes. —The conduct -and attendance of the pupils is favourably reported upon by instructors. The work is proceeding satisfactorily in all centres, but progress-.with the- scheme bus been hindered somewhat at Eltham and Stratford by the number of mid-week holidays during the term. Conditions at Mianaia ha-ve been most unsatisfactory during the month, because of the importance of carrying out practical cookery with the -stove. An effort is now being made to alleviate the smoke nuisance, and the work should proceed normally.—Received. Architect. Til© following arc extracts from tlie architect’s report: Opunake District High: School (temporary ‘accommodation). —The movable classroom in use- at R-otokare- was removed to- Opunake, and re-erected to accommodate the increased attendance, pending a grant for a permanent building. Opunake- ancl Maniaia- (painting). — During the Easter week holiday sundry painting work to the dados at -both the Opunake and Manaia schools was attended to. Plumbing repairs to the Manaia manual building is also- receiving a I ten lion. —Received. Manaia- District- High School.

The senior inspector reported as follows : “Afv colleagues -and I have-care-fully considered tlie organisation of the Manaia District High School, and have come- to the conclusion that it -is the best possible in all -Ilie- circumstances. However, the desks may well be -removed front- lire, corridors into the infant room, -and -should be replaced by seats. The children can then do their silent- work in the room and their oral work in the corridor. The use of the corridor is,, of course, open to serious objections,/but we think that it is the loss of two evils.” Received and adopted.

■RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were received and accepted : Miss C. L. Earnett, head teacher (Te Roti); Miss I. Bithell, (assistant (Awatuna); Miss L. M. Oar roll, assistant (Hawera); Miss G. Harvie, probationer (Okaiawa); Miss I. M. Hirst, sole teacher (Korito); Miss J. M. Mackay, assistant (Ohuna); Miss H. F. McClune, head teacher (Westown); Miss K. M. Merrilees, assistant (Omata) ; Miss E. A. Surman, relieving teacher; Mrs. A. Woolston, sole teacher (Te Wakarae).