SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12252, 27 April 1903, Page 6

SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORTS.

The following School Committee, reports will bo presented at the respective annual meetings convened to be held to-night: — DEVONPORT. The annual report of the Devonport School Committee refers to the death ol Mr. Oliver Mays, chairman ox the committee. The work of the boys' carpentry classes is dealt with, and the proposed appointment of a swimming teacher. On the question of attendance the report proceeds: The present roll number is 675, as against 640 at the period of our last annual report. This, attendance has been greatly interfered with during the year through the prevalence ol various epidemic diseases. The chief inspector's report showed plainly that the school accommodation is of a very insufficient character. It is now more than two years since the necessities of the case were first brought under the notice of the Board, and promises of complianoe have been made but not fulfilled. In December 'last pians were submitted by the Board but your committee did not consider they provided for sufficiently increased accommodation, and recommended that the present infant sehooi should remain as a technical school, and a new one be erected in rear of the present main building. The Board's architects hat. previously submitted plans which greatly enlarged the infant school accommodation by increasing the workshop buildings and the removal of the old teacher's house to effect the same, the technical school having workshops over the infant schools. This scheme was heartily endorsed by your committee, but never carried out. As a substitute the Board proposed to make the teacher's dwelling into a classroom for infants, and to extend the wing of Standard V. classroom as indicated. Your committee decided that il the Board could not carry out the additions on the lower ground as submitted to them, the Minister for Education should be approached on the subject, but no satisfactory answer has yet been received, and the fact remains that some of our infant classes have been compelled to receive their tuition in the cellar adjoining the carpentry' class, sacks being used by the headmaster to keep thou feet from the cold concrete. _ The report closes with a reference to the difference between the committee and the Board, _ with regard to recent appointment of an infant mistress to the school. The committee hat no complaint to make on the score of qualifications of the lady of the Board's choice, being quite satisfied with her long experience and suitability for the appointment, but they nevertheless condemned the arbitrary action of the Board in overlooking the unanimous request of the committee made after thorough inquiry and canvassing of the qualifications of the ladies whose names were sent in. The committee felt that theii functions ought not to be confined to .the mere payment of accounts for cleaning and. stationery, and that being on the spot they had a better means of knowing what the requirements of the school are on these occasions. Some of the committee felt so strongly the insult of the Board in disregarding their solicited selection, that they resigned their positions and trusted to the meeting of householders endorsing their action in the matter. NEWMARKET. The average attendance for the current quarter was 251, against 235 in the corresponding quarter of last year, while the roll ! number was 287. If kept up for the year, this will entitle the school to another teacher on the staff. The reports on the school proved the work to he very, efficient. Reference was made to frequent changes in the staff, the whole of the staff having been : changed during the past two years and a--1 half. The greater part of the school play- ': ground had been confiscated for the erection of the cooking school, but it was trusted that an endeavour would be made to get the Board of Education to secure another in its place. The want of a shelter-shed had been felt during the past winter, and it was urged on the incoming committee the advisability of getting one erected. REM ERA. The report of the chairman of the Remuera School Committee (Mr. ,T. Buddie) states that the attendance has increased considerably, the roll number being 115, as against 579 last year, and the average attendance in fine weather ranged from 550 to 370. Owing to epidemics at the end of 1902, the average attendance went down considerably, and the Minister for Education had ordered a reduction of the staff, although the average from the beginning of February has been over that which entitled the present staff. A complete disorganisation k of the school would I follow, it was feared, if the Minister insisted on carrying out his decision, and the committee had made urgent urgent representation to the Minister accordingly. The Revs. G. B. • Monro and W. Beatty, M.D., were continuing their ' Bible ; classes, and thanks were due to them." ""The cadet corps' strength was well maintained. .A' better approach to the "■ school from the main road was needed,. and if the , school continued to grow it would ' be necessrjy in th« near future to • provide better , accommodation. The' amount to; the credit of the school account as on March 31 ult. is £30 3a sd.