SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IX, Issue 2960, 9 June 1885, Page 4

SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

Jl meeting -of the Schools Coram.t'eo wm held last evening, when there were present Messr* Stjmpter.. (ChatrmartV, Locke, Mollison, Sinclair, Procter, Crawshaw, and Orr. The minute* of the hat meeting having been confirmed, A letter from tfcs? Evocation Board fras read, intimating thst the B.id 3 to remove the closets tho D-vnct School, u recommended hytho architect. It was pointed out that *a3 Slid about tho fencing of the ground as asked for by the Comittee. The Chairman pointed ont tint the Board proposed to pot tho closets to within a few feet of the Volunteer Hal), which was not at all desirable. The C mmittco would be quite justified in pointing out to tho Board that the Trustees of the Volunteer Hall would raise an objection to tho eloaots being placad where it wr.s proposed, forit would ba a great nuitauc-*. Mr Peattie said that if the Board would give some assistance towards the fencing he would get up an entertainment to proTide the balance. Mr Procter said he wonld obj :c' to any entertainment being given to aid the Board in what was their proper work. It any money were raised in such a way it (hoald be devoted to special purposes. The Chairman said that if the ground were fenced in it would enable them to do j something in the way of tree planting and beautifying tho ground.. He did not see aoy objection to assistance teing given to the Board in the work. After some discussion it was reaolved, "That the Committee desire respectfully to draw the attention of the Board to tho fact that the removal of the miles' closet to the site suggested would cans- 1 it to bo erected within six feet of the Volunteer drill hall, which building is constantly in me—a great nnmber of people visiting it. | Tho erection of it here wonld create ■» very great nuisance, and would probably render the Board liable to prosecution, as the trustees have already notified their intenticn of preventing, if possible, the placing of the closet* so close to their property. The Committee strongly recommend the Board to place tho closet where suggested in plan herewith, and also that a fence be erected round the school grounds by shifting tho present fence to the teuthern boundary, and erecting a new one on the other boundaries." A letter was read from the Education Board, snggesting that the mid-winjer holidays should commence on the 27th inst., as the annual conference of teachers would be hold in Dunedin on tho JOch. It was agreed that the holiday should be f»r one week,, commencing on the date named. The following letters were read : la-reply to yours of the 12ih May. asking xae to report 0" a letter written by Dr Macjftagor, and pabli hed in the North Ot-igo Times of April 24th, re sec mdary education in public schools, I be.: to state 'hit, as far as my schcol is concerned, Dr Ma-g-cgor is correct when he assumes thai secondary education is not attempted. Jqftn H. RICE. In answer to your later of the 12th May, in which yon draw my attention to a letter written by Dr Macgregor, and published in the North Otago Times, having reference to hither education being given in our common schools, I beg to state that the instruction given in tho North School is exactly in accordance with thft regulation standard work laid down by the authorities for my guidance as a public schcol teacher, and auch instruction u termed primiry education. Jame* Lisdsav. Mr Mollison said that they must accept the letters aa satisfactory, in so far as they showed that the higher branches were not beicg taught in the common •choola. But at the same time they marie no reference to the allegation that children over 15 years of age were admitted to the schools, and he thought they should instruct the teachers to carry ont the Act in this matter atjictly. He thought the letters should be ffanded to the Press. Mr Crawshaw did not think that ihe Committee should take any action in the matter. He foond that in 1883 there were 463 children above the age of 15 yearsin the schools of Otago. and that there were 437 in receipt of higher education, the whote of whom should be paying L2 » year for that education, but tho total amount received was only Lll3, nearly the half of the amount being from Oamaru. In the District High Schools, only 72 were presented for examination in higher sub]<cts, and it was clear that the higher branches were being taoght freely in the common schools of Otaso. Seeing that the Education Board accepted these retarn*, and did not rai«o any objection, he did not think the Committee should prohibit the doing here of what was freely done elsewhere, and so deprive tho teachers and children of a privilege which waa enjoyed elsewhere. Why should they expel from their scho- h children who wera ovjsr 15 years of age, while others elsewhere were allowed to remain at school ? Mr Mollison pointed out that few places enjoyed a District High School such as Oamaru had. Here special provision was made for the teaching of the hicher subjects, bat in country districts the teaching of those subjects was merely a matter of goodwill on the part of the teachers. The Chairman said the question for the Committee to consider was whether or not the teaching of higher sr.bjec's wonld interfere with the position of the District High School. Their of ject, the reten'ion of the District High School havins: attained, it became a question whothi-r the matter had .inch a phase its

to demind the interference of the Committee. They bad it in writing from the headmasters of tho schools that tho liiw had Dot been broken, and they might accept the*e statements as correct. Mr L>.cice s:n"d thnt there wero only some foor or five children in thn two schools over 15 of age, and that the matter was not worth makingabotheraboot. After a little discoasion, tho-letters vera received, and ordered to be handed to the Press for publication. A letter was read from the E inc.itinn Board intimating that it waa intended to pot in operation the lax prohibiting the emptnymeot of any uncertificated teacher, and that notice had been giren tosnch teachers, amocgit whom was dlr Forbes, of the Oamarn North School. Mr Procter said it was sinrolar th.ii this coarse had not been adopter! before. The Board had apparently waited until all tti>* Uwchers except Mr F> rbvs ha«l secured certificates. Mr Forlws, who was proaoot by invitation, said that he had passed in all subjects except tnnsic, in which he had not presented himself. Tho fact was that he was nnablo to sing, and ho had lately a certificate from a mnaic teacher that he never woold be able to do so. Be had, howcTer, acquired the necessary knowledge of the theory of music, so as to be •b?« to teach it. lie had every reason to believe that, bis name woold appear en tho list of certificated teachers to bo gazetted on the Ist of July, and ho had a letUr from tho Secretary to tho Educi-

tion Board, saying that in that case the matter woaid b» reconsidered. The Committee expressed general satisfaction at this annonncsment, Mr Lindsay, headmaster of the jN'orth School, wrote fonraniinj a certificate from Ills medio] adriser stating that rest and change of air were necessary, and applying for a few months' leare of absence. Mr Lindsay added that he had been in the Board's service for 14 years, and would be glad if the Committee contd make a recommendation that ho should receive some small proportion of his regular salary daring his Lave. The Committee decided to grunt the necessary teare, and to forward the letter

to the Board, with a recommendation that its request should be granted. Mr Peattie said that it had been understood that, by the Board of Education reinstating the District High School, not the usual emoluments be allowed, but the staff would bo raised to tho „p.»cpcr standard. He had consequently written to the Education Board, | applying,for '.he additional assistant, and I tad-received a reply that nothing cmld be done without the coi:3out of the Board, and that the Committee should mako the necessary application for an assistant. The Committee decided to make the application. S':-mo of'ter matters having been dealt with, tho meeting terminated.