REDUCTION OF STAFF.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1039, 11 June 1924, Page 5

REDUCTION OF STAFF.

OBJECTION BY TERRACE END SCHOOL. An intimation from the Wanganui Education Board to the effect that, as the attendance at the school this year was under 600, the institution was only entitled to eleven assistants and three pupil teachers came in for some adverse criticism at last night's meeting of the Terrace End School Committee. The writers further stated that, consequent upon this decision, an assistant could not be appointed to the vacancy caused by the resignation of Miss D. Ber'ndtson. The chairman, Mr G. 11. Stiles, stated that he was of the opinion that the board was not acting fairly towards the committee in immediately taking steps to cut down the staff by one assistant, especially in view of the fact that there was one school in Palmerston North with 100 less children on tho roll and staffed with eleven assistants and seven trainees, «s against eleven assistants and six trainees at Terrace End school. The first quartor had just closed after a readjustment of boundaries, and it was quite an unusual procedure, and quite unfair to the school, to take one quarter only as a basis for a readjustment, especially in view of the fact that tho average attendance had been instead of 6CO. Since these figures weru obtained ten new scholars had been enrolled, and last week the average roll was 608, or eight in excess of the requirement to retain the assistant teacher. These facts might not be known to the board and he felt sure that it would alter its decision if it was acquainted of the true positionAccordingly, ho moved the following resolution, which was • seconded by Mr Cameron and carried unanimously : —"That this committee enters a protest against the withdrawing of an assistant from the staff of the school on the grounds that the average attendance for tho first quarter does not justify the present staff. We would point out * that to take the first quarter after a readjustment of boundaries is unfair ip view of the fact that an increase of 10 scholars has been made to the school roll in the second quarter, and the average attendance last week was 608, which is more than sufficient to retain tho assistant under review."