GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5495, 27 June 1879, Page 6

GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GOVERNORS.

♦ A MBETINO of the Governors of the Grammar School and College was held yesterday at 2 o'clock, in the office of the Board. Present : Dr. Campbell (in the chair), Colonel Haultain, Messrs. Heale, T. Peacock (Mayor of Auckland), aDil J. M. Clark. The minntes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Stable, &c, Blown Down.— Mr. Alfred Smith wrote respecting a stable in his possion in Chapel-street, which had been blown down during the recent gale, and asked that it be put into a state of repair. He stated that he had been a tenant of the Board for the last eight years.—ln reply to the Chairman it was stated that the rent paid was 6s per week.—The secretary was instructed to visit the place and report to the Board upon the subject at a future meeting. Miiavikter Holidays.—lt was agreed that the holidays of the College and Grammar School pupils, together with the pupils attending the Girls' High School, be a fortnight. Prom the 9th to thu 23rd July was suggested as a suitablo time, as that would take a week off the present quarter and a week off the next quarter. Incrkase of Salaries.—A. letter was read from Mr. Macrae enclosing applications from Messrs. Andersou and Sloman for an increase of salary. Mr. Macrae supported thn application.—ln reply to a question the Secretary stated that the present salary was £350 each.—Mr. Heale asked whether the Board had the funds necessary to comply with the application.—Colonel Haultain thought some new arrangement should be come to with the teaehere, now that the evening, classes were to be Carried on. The evening-classes might be regarded now as a permanent thing, and some understanding should exist between the Board and the teachers in respect to them. It would be for the Board to consider whether some plan could not be adopted which would satisfy the teachers, while not increasing the salaries. He thought if they were relieved of duty one hour during the daytime, as a compensation for the two hours at night each week, it would be a benefit to the teachers. To carry on tho classes iu the daytime in the teachers' absence two "junior teachers might be engaged at, Bay, £150 a-year. This would unable the Board to meet the expected increase in the number of pupils which was sure to follow the completion of tbeir new building.—Mr. Peacock thought the hour in the daytime would cot be regarded as a boon by the teachers, it would be practically lost; but taking an hour from them in the evening breaks up the whole evening—Colonel Haultain said the evening-claeses should be regarded as part of the permanent work of the school, and the teachers should understand that this was part of their duty.—The Chairman said he feared tbey would have to keep the evening-classes open whether they liked it or not, and aome understanding would have to be come to with the teachers on the matter sooner or later. — Mr. Peacock thought, from Mr. Macrae's letter, the teachers were entitled to an increase of pay. They had done their work satisfactorily, and for a long time. The question to consider at present was, whether their funds would permit the additional expenditure.—Mr. Clark considered the question deserved full consideration, but it should be remembered that one hour away from home at night spoiled the whole evening to the teachers. —Mr. Heale said teaching was carried on only five days a week. The duties were not very hard, nor were the hours very long. It was possible to make too much of the matter. —Mr. Peacock understood that the hours the teachers attended at school did not represent tho lime they devoted to the service of the Board. The papers of the various classes were taken home with them at night, and eeveral hours were sometimes spent in correcting them. That was time devoted to the service of the school.—Colonel Haultain believed that some suoh plan us he had suggested—of relieving the teachers a portion of the time during the day, and employing additional junior teachers—could be come to, which would be satisfactory to all.—The state of the trust funds w»a then considered at «ome length, and it was considered that a sufficient margin would be left, after the new building was finished, to justify a small addition.—lt was ultimately proposed by Mr. Peaccck, " That the a»laries of the two applicants, Messrs. Anderson and Sloman, be eash increased by £50 per annum, commencing on the Ist July."—Mr. Clark seconded the motion, which was carried. Colonel Haultain said he would wait until a future occasion before taking action respecting the erening-classas. ' Secondary and Primary Education. i The Chairman then moved the following, of which he had given notice : In reply to Mr. ! H«ale's resolutions, "That there are no common schools, nor any likelihood of there ' being any (see exhaustive evidence in the re- ' port of Commission, 1573, Otago), at which ' pupils ' can be suitably prepared,' so that ! they could enter an endowment Grammar School to receive a 'higher education,' in- ' termediate between the common schools and j a University and College coarse; but the existing lower forma of the Grammar School | actually constitute the connecting link be- ; ' tween the common schools and upper forms of ' tho present Grammar School." In reply to reeolation No. 2, " That," inasmuch as the * lower forms are self-supporting, it follows * that the endowed funds of the 1 Grammar School are not now used for J other than the maintenance of the higher { branches of education, therefore there * ia no departure from the trust for \ which the endowments were made, these en- c . dowments virtually remaining intact, con- ' eequently no injury ia inflicted to tho cause of higher education." In reply to resolution ! No. 3, "That the point to which beet k common school pupils can be expected to ' attaiu, means in practice, a point at which { they could be received into the highest of ' tho lower forms of She Grammar School, and £ therefore present, it.wer forme proposed to be J discontinued, exactly met existing require- ' ments, as the primary school course does not I prepare for a secondary course either in this * colony, the neighbouring colonies, or even at * home." "' That in view of the reasons above c given, without raising the question whether 1 the interpretation or the trust is correct as J laid down by Mr, Heale, it is inexpedient to ; do away with the lower forms of the Auck- ' »nd Grammar School, and that the resolutions standing in the records of the Board, * aa carried by Mr. Heale, be revoked." , Mr. Heale opposed the resolution, and ques- * tioned the assertion that the lower forms " were self-supporting. He thought that when . the due deductions were made, it would be c found that they were more or less a charge upon the funds of the trust. The investigations he had been enabled to make led him to * that conclusion. Ho considered it was ne- 0 pessary to raise the whole tone of the teach- J ing in the Auckland schools, and to do that *■ the schools and classes must be made offi- *' cient. To introduce primary teaching in the \ Grammar School was not the way to accomplish this. The results obtained at Nelson, ° Canterbury, and Otatfo, were different from 5 those in Auckland, and to attain the eame si standard can only bo by raising the stan- '< dard of education, not by lowering it. He spoke strongly against what he con- oi siderod the unwisdom of rescinding hie former resolutions, if the Board had the p raising of the standard of education at heart. —Colonel Haultain considered that Mr. m Heale'a resolutions were passed unfairly, B , when all the members of the Board were tt not present.—Mr. Peacock was inclined to mpport what appeared to be tho deaigo M

of the trust, and stated; that the educa tion to be 1 given' was'similar to that givei in a primary school. Sir George Grey, whi drew up the trust deed, said in his speed upon the subject that it was intended ti givo an education similar in kind to tha given in primary schools. A good'sounc English education was the object the trus aimed to give.—Mr. Heale said the discus sion would end as similar discussions ha( ended, by endeavouring to ascertain wha was meant by the trust deed, and many defini tions. might be given of a high-class Kng lish education. The legislature was ths proper referee in euch a case, and he be lieved that would has'e to be resorted to ir connection with the labours of the Commie sion upon Higher Education.—A lenythj conversational discussion followed, during which Mr. Clark suggested that the first portion of the chairman's resolu : tion be left out, as it was purelj argumentative, and confine the motior to the last five lines.—Mr. Peacock made a similar suggestion, when the Chair man moved, "Thus it was inexpedient to dc away with the lower forms of the Auckland Grammar School, and that the resolution ol the Board as carried by Mr. Heale be revoiced."—Mr. Clark seconded the motion, which was carried, Mr. Heale recording his protest. The Senate of the New Zealand University.—At the request of Colonel Haultain, the secretary read the report adopted some time ago upon the subject of Auckland's claims having been recently neglected ia filling up vacancies in the Senate of the University. The following letter was also read : —" Education Department, Wellington, 9th October, IS7S.—Sir, —l have the the honour, by direction of .the Minister oi Education, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30ch ult, addreseed to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, and which has been referred to the Minister of Education. lam to inform you that the claims of Auclaud will be considered on the next occasion of a vacancy in the Senate of the University of New Zealand.—l have, &c. John Hjslop. The Chairman Auckland College and Grammar School, Auckland." Colonel Haultain said the promise, made in that latter had not been kept. Since it was received several vacaucies had been filled up, but the new members had been selected from the Sonth. He thought another letter should be written to the Minister of Education or the Colonial Secretary, drawing attention to this neglect. —Mr. Peacock thought they should wait until a vacancy occurred. Mr. Clark said then it might be too late.—Mr. Heale explained that he thought there were several vacancies at present. The regulations provided that when a member was absent from two consecutive meetings of the Senate, the place should become vacant. He thought there was more than one member of the Senate in that position.—Colonel Haultain moved, "That a letter be addressed to the Minister of Education, referring to the fact that vacaucies in the Senate of the New Zealand University had been filled up since the date of his last letter, the 9th October, IS7B, and that the clsim3 of Auckland had been overlooked."—•Mγ. Peacock seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Several accounts were then passed, alter which the meeting separated.