TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 March 1918, Page 3

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tlie ordinary monthly meeting of the Ta-ranaki Education Juoard was liexi yesterday, when there were present: Messrs 11. Masters (chairman), H Trimble, S. G. Smith, P. J. H. White E. Dixon and C. A. Wilkinson. REPORTS. The chairman reported on interim appointments made by him, which included: Hawera, Mrs Hosking, secondary assistant; iwmanby, Mrs Aliiciieil. assistant. Mr Biobt. Browne, director of agricultural instruction, reported, inter alia: Owing to the greatly increased call for instruction, ' also to shortage of staff, and the indisposition of one of the instructors, temporary arrangements only were possible as regards the running -of classes. Primary school classes: The following schools amongst others have bean visited since the beginning of the year: Mangamingi, Mata, Rotokare, Mokoia, Te lioti, Eltham, Normanby, Nga-ere, Cardiff, Mahoe. I have regularly instructed classes at Hawera fi-om time to time. Orchard and farmers' classes have been, held at Tataraimaka and Inglewood.' Work began, on the 16th inst at New Plymouth teachers' class, only six being present, but there is prospect of an increase at next lesson. Mi- JBurley has regularly instructed classes at Hawera D.H.S. one day per week. Mr Howell regularly instructs the Hawera Technical College class of seven pupils. ;At country schools the main work of all instructors has been "that in connection with the collection of seeds, also identification of pasture plants, weeds, etc. A short course of instruction for teachers desiring a practical work certificate for "C" examination especially, has been asked. for by several teachers, and, if possible, arrangements will be made.to supply the want. It might be possible to arrange to take this work during the winter holidays in June. The repjoi-t was adopted. Mr C. H. Moore (overseer) reported, inter-alia:-—Hawera-: We have made a start with the alterations, etc., to the gymnasium building, and the work is well on. We have also completed a depot as authorised. The report wa6 adopted. The following were among matters referred to the overseer: Ohangai, repairs _to shelter sheds; Te Roti, repair* to chimney, door, etc.; Eahotu, range, tank, etc. The truant officer reported: Since the technical night classes commenced I have put in some time in Eltham and New Plymouth, visiting parents of boys who should attend these classes, calling attention, to the fact that the Board intends enforcing , the compulsory attendance regulations this year. There are still some eleven boys (whose parents I spoke to) who have failed to enrol. The report was adopted. Messrs R. Masters and H. Trimble, the committee set up to consider th« question of framing the rules regarding leave of absence of teachers on account of sickness, recommended that the following clause be added: "Bylaw 59 (a). Payment of salary during the absence of. a teacher on leave on account of sickness shall be as follows: One month on full pay, followed by one month on half pay where the teacher has been employed in the Education service for five years or over, and in the case of a teacher with less than five years' service, two weeks on full pay, followed by two weeks on. half pay, provided that no payment of .salary shall be made t.o any teacher during absence on &ick leave who has not completed mx j months' continuous service under the Board; provided further jjhat no payment of salary shall be made 'to a teacher who has during a. period of one | year immediately preceding received the maximum sick leave allowance. No I payment on account of sick leave will be made unless the application is accompanied by a medical certificate. The ohairman, in moving th# adop- ! tion of the report, stated that the DeI partment were now paying 9d sick leave capitation instead of 6d. Previously the Board paid a fortnight's salary on full pay. The Department recommended that in the case of teachers with, over five years of service one month on full pay and one month, on half pay be allowed, but no provision was made for • teachers who had not been teaching for that period, and the committee had made provision for these. ': ■ ■ ■■'■ '■■■■ .' \ Mr, Wilkinson pointed out that the Boai-d would require to carefully .watch the fund, which was already in debit. Mr Dixon said he would like to see the clause re doctor'©'certificate carried put. In fact he would prefer to see the Board have/its' own doctor issne these certificates,' but t"hat' was: impossible. Teachers ' obtained exemp T tions too easily. There were not nearly so many employed in the mercantile world who obtained exemptions as did those engaged in the teaching profession. Personally he thought it should be made as difficult as possible for teachers to obtain exemption certificates. The chairman thought they should be as liberal to teachers as possible. The resolution was carried. TEACHERS' MOVEMENTS. Leave of absence was granted the following teachers: Miss F. Freer, assistant, Tariki, one month; Miss F. O'Brien, assistant, West End, ten days; Mrs Mclntyre, head teacher, Lincoln, one month; Mr O. J. Howarth, West End, territorial camp leave. Resignations were accepted as follows: Miss M. Barkle, sole teacher, Oeo; Miss M. Harrison, assistant, Waitara.; Mr L. McHardie, sole teacher, Makahu;. Mr F. G. Howell, assistant agricultural instructor; Mrs McHardie, sewing teacher, Makahu. GENERAL. The matter of keeping open the positions of teachers who have joined the Expeditionary Force was referred to the Teachers' Selection Committee to report on at next meeting. The action of the Eltham School Committee in closing the school on account of the outbreak of diphtheria was confirmed, as was also the action of the Mata school to enable the master to attend territorial camp. It was resolved that the board cannot see its way to accede to the request of the Opunake Committee for the erection of a fuel shed. The board went into committee to consider the complaint of a school committee against the master of the school, regarding irregularity of attendance, and it was resolved to give the master three months' notice terminating his engagement. In consequence of Mr G. G. Pott not accepting the position of assistant agricultural instructor, the position is to be re-advertised. The circular from the New Zealand Educational Institute re educational reform is to be sent to members, and will be brought forward at next meeting. In connection with the additional land required at Mahoe, where there was only an acre or two acres, the chairman reported that in conjunction with Mr Jacob Marx (chairman of the Mangatoki Dairy Company), who have the lease of a gravel reserve of two and a half acres from the Stratford County Council, he had met the chairman and a member of the Stratford county Council, and an agreement was

arrived at whereby tlie council would agree conditionally upon the Mangatoki Daii-y Company being willing to the surrender of the lease and to issue a new lease to the Taranaki Education ii:>ard for twenty-one years, at a rental of £3 per annum and rates amounting Itoss 6d per annum. The County • Council had confirmed this by resolution. He had then arranged 'with Mr Marx, subject, to the board's approval, j that the board take a lease for tv.-entv- , one years at a rental of £3, and also to enter into an agreement-■•with the company to allow them the right of entry and the sole use of the water for twenty-one years at a rental of 20s per annum. The area of land required by tiie company would not be more than a quarter of an acre, and the tencmg of this woukT'tfe borne equally by the dairy company and the school committee. He recommended that the board lease the land as suggested, as it was essential that more accommodation should be secured for a horse paddock.—Adopted. ■■'■■ "■■■■■ ■•■■■• ■ HATvEEA TECHNICAL COLLEGE. Mr Dixon moved: That, seeing that the roll number of the Hawera Techi nical College is now 110, and the num- , £ proficiency students required by tne Council of Education before a technical high school could be established has been exceeded, the board urges U?°?L *he DePartment the importance •ot the change taking place- immediately. Speaking to the motion, he said that such a school could be established when there was an assured attendance of 40 pupils who had taken their prohciency certificates, but the Council of Education thought it wise to raise the number to 60. Hawera, however had well over the number required. ' He stated that he knew the pulse of the Hawera people, and knew that they desired the change, and this was borne out by the remarkable progress made by the technical school. No injustice could be done the scholars of the district high school by the proposed change, as they, with their teacher, could be removed to, and continue their studies at, the technical high school. There would be no expenditure on buildings,' as they were prepared to put up with the present buildings, until after the war. Mr Wilkinson seconded, with the distinct understanding that no money was asked for the erection of a' new building before the end of the war. The chairman opposed disestablishment during the course of the year, as pupils had enrolled with the idea of attending the secondary school throughout the year, and had they known of the disestablishment 'they might have enrolled at th© Stratford High School. Moreover, there would be the break in their studies. He did not think the Department would agree. : Mr Dixon. stated that he had had a ! conversation with the Assistant Direc- ? tor, who favored the proposal. He I understood there were children attend- I ing the district high school who would -: be glad to transfer now if they could, ! but, having enrolled at the district ' high school "at the commencement of