MEETING OF THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5666, 28 May 1879, Page 3

MEETING OF THE WELLINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

A meeting, of the united school committees was held last night in the Mayor’s room of the Council Buildings. , There were present— Messrs. Woodward ' (chairman), Maginnity, Parsons, and Richardson, for Thorndon district ; Messrs. Kennedy, Lindsay, and Dr. Newman, for Terrace district; Mr. Wallace, for Te Aro'district; Mr. Mclntyre, for Mount Cook district. MINDIES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed., AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED TO BE MADE IN THE EDUCATION ACT. The Chairman explained that he had drafted a few amendments relative to the Education'Act, which he shggested should be laid before the Education Board for their consideration. The chairman then read over the, following suggestions ; '„. .

1. That the election of members of committee should be on the second, instead of the fourth, Monday in January.—Reason : Because then the nomination and voting for members of the Board - Would'both ha done’ by'th’e: newly-elected committee;, j-: 2. That not more than three members of comuiitteo should retire at each annual election—the retiring members to be eligible for ro-election.—Reason : That it is /highly inexpedient that all the members of' a' committee should be removed,, just as they are becoming cquinted'wjth their duties.' ‘ 2a. That provision should be made for the nomination of candidates for the committee at least seven daya before the day of election.— Reason : Because wton candidates and voters at election" meetinjp' becpme numerous it will be impossible to cpndact them under present arrangements; but with time and opportunity to get ballotting papers printed the inconvenience referred to would be avoided. 8. That in the election of committees the “ cumulative 'Vote” ■ should be abolished.— Reason';'Because it is a departure from estab-’ lished usages that-is unnecessary, and may prove very .ihoonverne,nt. 1 4. That the powrirs 'arid duties given to the Board and the committee respectively by Sections 75 and 77'ahould' all be given' to the Board, reserving to the committee, the right to move the’Borihl to'act; and, on the other hand, to object, to their taking action, such . power to object being guarded by proper restriction's.—BeesonT Because the powers and' duties, as given by the Act;'are inconsistent arid confusing; also, because it is evident that the Board has before it a''more comprehensive view of a district than a’ Committee can have, while at the .'same the local knowledge of the; : committee" should make such' committee-more competent than the Board to decide upon, the educational wants of their particular locality, It‘is also to be observed that the‘Board has the sole control of the funds’that are required to carry out the pur-, poses contemplated by these sections. 5. That, in the formation of new school districts, there' should bo power to elect a committee qit'any 'period J of, the 1 year.—Reason : Because, as thri’ 1 law stands at present, though new districts can be formed, nothing can bo : done in such districts until annual election in. January'of each y ear,", ’“ ' ‘ ', ‘ 6. That the Board: should have'power to remove* teachers 'from school?/although there he no'vacancy at the time In any other school; also,'that the word.'“ transfer” should be used to express the removal of a teacher from one, school' to',’ another)—Reason : Because cases occur in which it is’ expedient to remove a teacher from a, school without delay, althoUgh'there may be no'intention to dismiss him from the; service of the Board.' It is therefore proposed ■ that he should wait until there be opportunity to appoint him to another school. The word transfer ”is suggested to distinguish between an immediate and a prospective replacement of the teacher to a similar,'6r better, position than he held in his former schdol. V

7. That it should he necessary to consult the committee before' any changes are made in the teaching staff” of. the schools.—Reason : Because, while the general knowledge of all thC'Schoole possessed by.the Board, makes it desirable that the Board should havethe power to make any appointments of changes in teaching staff of the schools, yet it is due to the, committee, and : may be greatly for the! advantage'bt particular schools, that the.committeo .should have- some control over both appointments and changes. . Jhhat .the Board, should . have power to dismiss a teacher without giving three months’ notice,'provided that his salary be paid for tljree months, the date'o£ notice at vrt^at-

ever period he may be directed to leave the school.—Reason : Because a school may be thoroughly disorganised through a teacher being retained in it for three months while under notice to leave when the three mouths shall have expired. In many cases it might be cheaper to pay the one, two, or even the whole three months' salary than to retain a teacher in the school who would have no interest in its welfare.

9. That the words “ gross misbehavior ” be omitted from the proviso to section 47, and the word “insubordination” substituted—Reason ; The words proposed to be omitted express a degree of “misbehaviour” which makes it at best a vague aud disputable term ; because (2) “immoral conduct” includes that which seems intended by the words objected to : and because (3rd) “insubordination” is destructive to the discipline of a school, while by some it may not be regarded as “ gross misbehavior.” 10. That pupil teachers should be made to stand in tho same relation to the Board as other teachers do.—Reason ; Because no necessity appears for the exception made in section 4, and because, as a matter of fact, it is not known that any pupil teachers are regularly apprenticed. 11. That provision should be made for the establishment of infant schools.—Reason : Because, apart from the direct advantages of .such Schools, it is found that elder sisters can attend school, while the children from three years old and upwards are cared for iu an infant school, while otherwise the elder ones would bo kept at home to take care of the younger. 12. That provision should be made to enable Boards to make regulations for vacations, and that committees should have power to give occasional holidays.—Reason : Because, while vacations are necessary, both for teachers and children, the Act makes all holidays illegal, as it says in section 84, sub-section 2 : “ The school shall be kept open five days in each week,” while to place this beyond doubt the proviso to section 36 says : “ A school year shall be from the first day of January to the .thirty-first day of December, both days inclusive, iu each year.” It is therefore suggested that vacations should be placed in the power of the Board, with limitations as to the number of weeks in each year, and that occasional holidays, not exceeding one day at any one time, and not exceeding a prescribed number of days in the year, should be put in the power of the committee. 13. That in the event of a member of a school committee being elected to be a member of the Board, he shall thereupon cease to be a member of such committee.—Reason ; Because it appears undesirable that the same person should act iu the double capacity of member of the Board and of a committee. In reference to clause 4, the Chairman explained that that was one of the sections over which one of the school committees had lately come into collision with the Education Board. Mr. Maginnity thought that the change as suggested was very desirable. Dr. Newman thought by adopting the sug- ■ gestion that the committees were giving up as it were their power. The Chairman explained to the contrary that it gave them (the committees) more direct power. In reference to clause 8, concerning infant schools, the Chairman explained that as the law at present stood there was no provision made for infant schools. The clause was passed without further discussion. Regarding clause 12, the CHAIRMAN stated that as the Act was at present constituted, any holiday given to the children was absolutely illegal. Mr. Wallace ; Was the last holiday illegal? The Chairman : Yes. There must have been an oversight iu framing the Act. Mr. Mclntyre : In the new regulations there is a provision made for certain days in the. year to be declared holidays. The Chairman pointed out to Mr. Mclntyre that what ho quoted from was merely a regulation or rule, and not the Act. It was then resolved unanimously,—That the: suggestions as read be adopted. DISTRIBUTION OP SCHOOL PRIZES. The Chairman intimated that the prizes to be given away wore understood to be ready for distribution. He wished to know the meeting’s opinion as to whether the distribution should take the same form as last year or not. He then referred to the great success which attended the last year’s distribution at the Imperial Opera House, and thought that probably the celebration of the occasion would become a regular annual custom. Mr. Lindsay wished to know what the expenses in connection with the demonstration at the Imperial Opera House had been ; also, how the money had been raised. Mr. Maginnity explained that the various school committees had subscribed £3 each, and the balance had been raised by public subscription. The whole of the expenses amounted to between £3O and £4O. Mr. Miller strongly urged the desirability of the prizes being given away publicly. Mr. Maginnity explained that there was a sum of £55 in the .hands of the Town Clerk as the balance in connection with the late railway demonstration. :Mr. Mclntyre said he would like to know the number of prizes to which each district was entitled. The Chairman said he could not exactly tell, but he knew the largest share went to Featherston. After some little discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Kennedy, that the distribution of prizes take place at the Imperial Opera House; provided that suitable arrangements be made. . ’ i It was then resolved that the 1 Chairmen and .Secretaries of the different School Committees' be appointed to make the necessary arrangement in connection with the matter. ■ This was all the business, and the meeting adjourned.