SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 891, 22 February 1879, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

i A special meeting of the Oamaru i Schools Committee was held at Mr. - Hardy's office last evening at 8 o'clock, - for the purpose of taking action on a i notice of motion tabled by Mr. Dunlop : at the last meeting, to the effect that the ; action taken by the Committee with rei fereuce to the Music Master and Drill i Instructor be rescinded. There were • present—Messrs. K". Fleming (chairman), L D. Hay, Montagu, V. J. Smith, F. Dunlop, and J. T. Evans. Mr. Peattie ; (Rector of the High School), and Mr. D. , Fleming (Master of the North School), l were also present. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved, and the Secretary was instructed to add. to them that the winter meetings of the Committee should be held at 7 o'clock. , Mr. Dunlop then moved, and Mr. J. \ T. Evans seconded—That the resolution [ passed at the last meeting re the dismissal of the Music Master and Drill Instructor be rescinded. [ Mr. W. J. Smith said that the feeling '. of the meeting which passed the motion was that there was not sufficient funds to warrant the continuance of the services , of those gentlemen, \ The Secretary stated that the motion , effected a saving of L4O. , Mr. Dunlop said that his reason for proposing the motion was, not that the Committee should pay the Music Master and Drill Instructor, but that the Education Board should do so. The Chairman said that the Board would not recognise them at all, notwith- '. standing the system was part of their own instituting. The instructors had been paid L 52 and L.25 respectively for drill instruction and music. Mr. Evans strongly supported the resolution. He did not see how the Board could get out of it any more than they could out of any of the other of the arrangements. Domestic economy had always been taught, and as it was paid for by the Board, he thought that this should be included in it. He failed to see how they could object to it. They paid for the one, and they ought to pay for the other. Mr. Peattie said th,a.t the Matron of the High School was allowed L3O as an extra : not for teaching domestic economy specially ; all Matrons of High Schools received the same allowance. Mr. Peattie, in answer to Mr. Dunlop, said that teachers would require to qualify themselves to teach music and drill. If they did not do so, the Inspector would have to report their incompetency, Mr. Evans said he was glad that Mr. Peattie had corrected him. Ha was under the impression that the ease lay as he had put it. At the same time, he thought it highly inadvisable to expect the Head Master of the High School to give his valuable time in the instruction of singing, no matter how competent he might be. The Secretary read a letter which he had sent to the Board on this subject on a previous occasion, urging on them the necessity of continuing the services of these instructors, and showing that the financial state of the Committee would not admit of their paying the instructors. The motion was then carried. The following letter- from the Rev. A. B. Todd was read : " To the Schools Committee,— " Gentlemen, —As no provision is made for imparting Biblical knowledge in our national schools, it has occurred to me that I might render some assistance in this direction in Oamaru. I, therefore, respectfully apply to the Schools Comimittee for the use of a room in the Grammar School for an hour a week, say on Thursday or Friday afternoon, as the B,ector and I might arrange.. I need scarcely say that the knowledge I would endeavor to to impart would be undenomi- i national." ] Mr. Montagu said that Mr. Todd's letter £ could not be dealt with at that present meeting, as it was called for a special t purpose. He thought that it would open s

up a considerable field for discussion would require time. H

The letter was held over till the regular meeting. nei t It was moved by Mr. Dunlop, second by Mr. Montagu, and carried—That deputation consisting of the Chairm a and Messrs. Montagu and Evans ft upon Mr. Hislop, Secretary of the Cental Board of Education, when in Oaiiia and strongly represent to Mm the positf 1 ' of this Committee in reference to th" teaching of music, and also instruction drill. ln The usual vote of thanks to the Chai man terminated the meeting. r "