SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12427, 16 February 1901, Page 9

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

The monthly meeting of the Belfast School Committee was held on Menday eveaiug; present —Messrs Ei-lis (cna-nnan). Thompson. Wctton, M’Cracten, Morgan and Gray. The master submitted his report for the two weeks ending Feb. 8. It .showed that the average attendance had been--Boys 105.1, girls 97.1, total 202.2 ; and that the number on the roll was 2 78- Messrs Thompson and Wotton were appointed a Visiting Committee for the ensuing montii. A meeting of the West Christchurch School -Committee was held on Wednesday evening; present—Messrs C- D. Morns (chairman), J. H. Jones. W. J- Watson, G-. Barrell, G. Watson and J. J- Isbister, Apologies were received from Dr Moorhouse and. Mr Ghisnall. Before ordinal} business was proceeded with,, it was Tt: solved, on the motion of the Chairman, to forward to Mrs,Park a resolution fexpres: sing the sympathy of the committee in her recent bereavement. The Headmaster re-_ ported that the recent renovating and paperm °* of the rooms hy direction of the Education Board, had greatly improved the conditions of school life. During the vacation the following scholarship's had been gained by pupils of the school :- Board of Education Junior Soholarship—Margaret Ewing; Girls’ High School Senior Scholarship—Doris Tavendor; Girls’ High School Junior Scholarship—Margaret Farrow Mid Helen Kirin.emo.uth; Boys’ High School Exhibition—Cecil Farrow. Two pnpUteaohers, whose term of apprenticeship had. expired, (had left for the Training College, and seven applications to fill the vacancies were received. The committee, on the recommendation of the Headmaster, _ decided to ask the Beard to appoint Mattie Halliburton and Daisy Lyons to. the positions. A meeting of the Sydenham bchool Committee was held on Tuesday-; present Messrs C. Simpson (chairman),. J. Forrester, J. Hadfield, F- G Hall, W.-||arte-W-Miller, L. Packer, W. J. . Rudd and E. EWright. ' The Headmaster reported that all the pupil-teaeh«rs except., one had passed the ’ annual exmmatiem. AUce Neal and Florence Pearson had finished their apprenticeship and entered the Normal Training School. Scholarships had been gamed hy the pupils as follows-W. (Durant and W. Early (Somes’); Maggie pwit-% (Wgh School Exhibition). It was resolved that the attention of the Borough Council should be drawn to the growth of dock and other ■weeds along the school fence in Hawden Street, and to the. fact of the south gate leading to the Park from Colombo Street being closed. Harriet Anthony was recommended for appointment a? piipil-teaicher-The Bromley School Committee met on Feb. 4. ■ It was reporte'd) that the school had' re-opened on the same day with an attendance of forty-three scholars. Mr Wilkinson wrote offering to deliver a lecture, illustrated;, by lantern pictures, on Queen Victoria, and it was decided to accept the offer. The Oliairman stated that after all expenses of the annual- treat had been paid, a small balance was left in hand. Mr and Mrs Foster have resigned the positions held by them for twenty-two years, of master and mistress, respectively, of the Halswelf School The School Committee has accepted the resignations with regret. Mr Foster hqs -decided' to commence sheepfarming. ■ A meeting of the East Christchurch School Committee was held last evening; present—Messrs J. R. Brunt (chairman), Berry, Clarke, Lnmsden, Fraser, and Marshall. Apologies for ahence were received from Messrs Henry Franklin and Strange. - A letter wa-s received from Mrs Sandstein thanking the committee for its letter of condolence in her recent bereavement. The Board of Education wrote that .after the consideration of the whole subject the Board saw no ground for departing from the decision already arrived at with regard to the proposal'to' re-open the South Belt School. Upon inquiry the Board found that the number of children living in the locality who did not attend any school was not -large.'; Some of the 'parents--mentioned 'in the lists sent in representing from twenty to twenty-five children, and who were continually changing their place of residence, had been before the Court a number of times for contravening the School Attendance Act.

It- was resolved that the lettei should be rereived, but a resolution was unanimously carried its 'profound dissatisfaction at the neglect, shown, by the Board to the educational requirements of the district surrounding the South Belt School, and does not regard the matter as finally disposed of.” The Headmaster’s report showed the roll number to be 1425, and average attendance for tne last quarter 1160. Miss Hollis had resigned her position as pupil teacher for family reasons. It was resolved to accept the resignation, and to express regret that the school was to lose the services of a young teacher of cons.aerable promise. The Headmaster wished to introduce brushwork into the lower classes, and the purchase of the necessary material was authorised. It was to recommend the appointment, of Miss Nora. Green to fill the vacancy. on. the pupil teaching staff. It was resolved to. write to the Board expressing satisfaction that tlm Board had at last assumed its responsibility with regard to t,he general condition of the school and premises, which were now in a better condition than they had been foiyyears. It was resolved to ask at the same time for some new furniture and other requisites. The Bath Committee was authorised to arrange for a concert on the evening of the school swimming carnival.