EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8758, 21 March 1890, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

1 S» The monthly meeting of the Education Board v, hold yesterday, and was ntteuded by Messrs Clark (chairman), J. M'Kenzie, M.H.It., J. Mi gregor. J. W. Jago, J. Green, M. Praer, and t Hon. T. Dick. FKEK ItDUCA'T.IOK AT THIt Hldll SCHOOLS. The llev. Dr Stuart, the llev. A. K. Fltchett, I Brown, and Mr C. Marondrew (secretary) waited i the board as a deputation from the High Schoi Board of Governors. Tlio Secretary read the folio' ing letk-r, explaining the object of tho doput tion: — " Til') Sticrutarv, O»ago Education Board. " Dear Sir,—l have the honour to inform you tin at a i.Drtlng «F tha Board of Qovernors held to-d» ( March -I) ii x.w ileeided to inform you that tl ' J!l"h 5'..!.0n1« Voml dr-slr?a t.n discontinuo its L<ral Oi■ireßßdtm.itir.il to lh.> holders or JOuußitiim Vuai tcliolnrship-ii!i the expiration of the present tenure and it will bo i>lml if your board, or n committee I it, will rewire >i d'-pnt'alion of its members for coi iereuco on the subject. I may =ny that it is not coi temptated at pn'seiit to alter tho concession of frf education to those obtaining 50 per cent, of marks a senior bulio! :rship examinations.—l am, &o , , " C. Maoaxdrew, Secretary." Dr S'-uart sad that it was with regret that th education from the holders of scholarships. Thcr that thtir !lb;rality in that direction was somowha oxceaslve. and at last the finances of the bnard com pelled all tliu membore to retr.ice their steps and to in tlmato tn tlio holders of scholarships that freeednca lion could not bo continued to them at tho higl Bchoola. Mv presumed that tbe present holder of sjhol.irshina who hart entered the echoo would be entitled to free education uuti tho scholarship expired. ; Tho board wa: utiaulmou3 in resolving to'continue free educa tion to candidates who made 50 per cent, of tin ftvailfiU'o nitirlo. He was quite suro the Eduoatioi Board would recognise how anxious the Higl: Sdhods Board was to ndvnnco tho cause of highoi educiition, nnd he did not think that tliat education woul.i suffar to any extent by tho change that was proposed. There was another matter he would like to refor to that had been brought under the notice of theb'inrd by the reclor of th« Girls' High School, and that was that tho girlß who held BCh,il.irship3 felt themselves at » (lisidvantngc siiouM thsiy apply for a pdsition a3 pupil teacher. cbuieaa of success auMiHt pupils educated in tho district schools were not very favourable. The only tiling that could be suggested as a remedy was that Mid Education Hoard should allow thosft pupils of tho Itijjh s-c-hi;,il who lulendert t"> inako school trachersof th.!Rnalves thn advantage of getting some instruction in teachirg in tho associated schools. At present he nn erstood the pupils from tlie Normal Sohiwl were allowed to have some practical lessons lrt teaching once in six weeks, and if some arrangements could be made whereby pupils In the High Snho il who had passed certain examiuitions were nllowcd the Bame advantage their chances of obtaining positions would be considerably increased. He understood that BchoohnHat;-rs p-eferrcd as pupil tenchcra those pupils who bad had some little experience in teaching, so that they could start to work at once. Huv. A.'jK. Fitchett said that the High Schools P.o;;rd had mado strenuous efforts to make their inc.inu; and expenditure ta'ly. They had raised tho school fees and reduced the salaries, and could not tin more in that direction. They found that they had tt-1 1.-ea scholars in tho two school*, 41 of whom were holders of scholarship.!. In connection with the senior scholarship, he would just point outthat with tho supplement of the High Schools Board it wns actually more valuable than ft junior scholarship at tlw university. Looking p.t their reserves an I their fi.-mnul-il p Bltlnn, tho board were comptlled to propose to diicoiitinui) frte education to the holdera of schi/l.irships. It was proposed, however, to continue free education to gainers of 50 per cent, of the total inivlo in the senior competition, and he thought the Hiiih Schools Board would bo willing to extend a similar privilegii to competitors for tho junior scholarship who earned a similar portion, if tlio board were in committee he would bo glad to Bay more about the financial position of the High .Schools Board—such as the decline In tho value of their rents and their endowments, and so ou. Thi Chairman asked if holders of tcholarshlps w.iii'd be charged the ordioary fee 3. It v A. K. Fitchett replied that that was tha intenlk,n. and went on to fiay that at present one out of every six scholars at the schools was a free su'io'ar, and the High Schools Board was losing £100 a ypr.rontliem. ilr Brown a;Biired tbe board that it was with rfgreS t bat tbe High School* Board had com-) to this decision, but it was simply a question of means. Tirfvhadreiucsd their expenditure till they could liiil. i educe it further, atid had raised their Ices, but th-. revenue from their endowments had beentinkint-. As raembsrs of the board would ba aware, applications had been mad'on all hands for reductions of rent and the purchase money of lands, and so on, and tho High Schools Board was now at its wit.' end to know what to do. They had always niail.i ends meet, but this year they saw plainly a deficit staring them in the'face, and their only rcsimroo was to further curtail expenditure. At presoMt the scholarships were worth £50, £:io. and £30, urnl by the change proposed they would be worth £Hl. £20, and £10. Me Frakr Baid tbat this question of scholarships was a matter that the board intended to consider this year, being of opinion that their reorganisation wai necessary, oml the matter laid beforo the board v by I hi deputation c.iroe at a very opportune time, as it could bs considered when the general question was taken up Hey. A. H. Fitchett. referring to the second matter ou which Dr Stuart had touched, said it appeared that girls who went up ai candidate) for the position of pupil teachers were handicapped whea put into competition with girls who had hnd coma training or a alight experience in practical teaching, nnd to remsriy that he thought with Dr Stuart that tho HUh School girls should bo allowed to-have their turn at the ass-.ciated schools. In answer to Mr M-Konzle. l)r Brown said th:it the revenue derivable from the High Schools Board's endowments was £!625! U lid. That was assuming that the total revenue .iiev. Mr Fitchett: Which it won't. Mr M'Kbszih was of opinion that the High Schools Board mismanaged their eudowments, and tip.?, was why thuy were in financial troubles. He wi-iVicd to spsak plainly, and he would Bay they should do far more with their land. They allowed themselves to be fleeced by their tenants, and he short of fu da. Dr Stuart rer.lied that he- had bJon on Die boird all along, and he knew of not a single casi' of mismanagement, and nothing was done by tbe board cxi JpMng aft-r tha miture3t deliberation. ThD Hon. T. Dick asked if the High Schools Board had made any tntimate of their income for this year; and if go, how did it compare with the expenditure? iJr Stuart replied that they expected their income would MI short of their expenditure by about tj W); and then there was a constant run ou them for reductions r.f rent. Their tenants told them that their neigbbjnra on Rovernment lind.i got reduction*, and that they cou'd get, the Government land eh aper than the. board's 1-iml. The Hon. Mr Dick said 119 hr.d studied the matter to a certain extent, and tie was bound to hay that in the WyndUam estate, which bslonged to the IHgli Schools Board, there had been an absolute necessity fora reductic 11, and if. would be unfair to do otherwise than to reduce. He wns snro that that eetato. at all events, had been administered to the best of tho High Schools Hoard's ability, and would lnva been still, but circumstances arose which necessitated arrangements being made with the tenants. Jirgarding tho matter of the opportunity of High School girls for gaining practical experience iv teaching, tbe Secretary banded to the membeis of the deputation copies of the regulations for tho appoiutu:nnt, education, and examination of pupil teachers, and pointed out a regulation bearing on the matter. Dr Htuartsaid ho was not aware that in tha Education Board's Instmctions to pupil teachers n matter which he had brought forward w.'.s referred to in lliesa terms:—"lf a pupil is unable to obtain tho preliminary training herein prescribed in tho school to which h-s belongs, he may apply to the board to nsc-rtaln if bucli training may be got elsewhere." Mr Jago remarked that a copy of the regulations • nhimld ba sent to tha rector'of the GliV High School. 'J'he deputation then thanked the board for their courteous reception, and withdro.v. It was agreed that tho question of scholarships should be full? considered at a later mee;ing. Mr GnKEX pointed ont that tho board could do nntliing regarding the resolution the High Schools J3 :ard had arrived at, and it was only an act of courtesy on tho part of the latter body to bring is before the board. APPOINTMENTS. The following appointment* wero made:—Caroline S. Yoraton, tea "her, Southbridgo, vice Cottlo, 1-lt theservice; Mary A. Strachan, mistress, Miller's Vlat, vies Lawrence, promoted; John X, Vernon, nrat asjistant, Palmeraton, vice Emeaton. transferred; Grace M'Saught, third assistant, Pclmersto'i, new appointment; Violet Rntherford, pupil teacher, C&verahnm, vice I'orsyth, apprenticeship expired; Jano Clark, pupil teacher, Cavirsham, vice Jackson, resigned; Jessie Mabel Given, pupil teacher, Albany street, vice Sinclair, a: prenticeship expired ; Eva Mary Ash, pupil teacher. High strett, vice Hay, resigned; Eliza J. Gardiner, pupil teacher, Kvansdale, vice Jones, apprenticeship expired ; Agnes M'Kay, pupil teacher, Oamaru North, vice Church, apprenticaahip expired; Annio Gill, pupil teacher, Oamaru .North, vie« Grant, seivices dispensed with; Bland Luke Richards, pupil te.wher, Oamaru Middle, new appointment; W.llinm Young Campbell, pupil teacher, Otepops, vies Koss, apprenticeship expired; Andrew J?«rla'io. pupil teacher, Tokoin'airiro, vice A'tclmon, apprenticeship expired; Mary K. MarMn, pupil t 'tidier, Tokomairiro, vice Sinclair, apprenticeship expired; Martha Hislop. pupil teach'rr, Kaitangata, vice Robertson, apprenticeship expired; Margaret Dnnlop, pupil teacher, Kaitanj.ata, vice Shore, apprenticeship expired; Mary Lon.'lnii, pupil teacher, Walton, new appointment; William A. Ctiesney, pupil trac!n-r, Hast Taieri, vico Chesnev, apprenticeship expired; Kate Andrews, pupil teacher, >lampden, vice Pollock, apprenticeship expired ; Charlei M. Turnbull, pupil teacher, Kakanui, n':wappo'n'ment. KEsioi'ATioss. The following resignations were acceotrd: -Grace M'Naught, head teacher, lihckabne; A^nes M-I-ean, mistress, Otakia; David Co;3grove, head U-acber, Maheno; John Forsyth, pupil teacher, Albany street; Mary Ann Stark, pupil teacher, MArningto-j; Heury Mitchell, head teacher, Taieri Beach. TIIK STAXPARD OF SCHOOLS. The secretary of the Southland Board of Education wrote asking the board if they recognised any minimum number of marks in chss, pass, or additional subjects Mow which a school might be regarded as inefficiently conducted.—Tli3 matter was rultrred to tbe Inspectors for a report. JIR FI/LT IJS'S HETIREJIKNT. Air J. Fulton, A1.H.11., wrote apologlsirg for unBvoidablo absence from the meeting, and continued : ■• Wit,h ref rence to inspection reports, copies of which aro furnished monthly to members of the board, it occura to me that the selection of teachers for appointments would be much easier wero the inspectors to adopt asystemof giving marks to teacherß haEed on the quality and value of their work, apart altogether from the number of passes that may be scoured. "Looking over tha last bitch of reports, it is manifest that there are teachers who are doing iir&tciasswork, others whose work is only rnnderntn, and n few whoso teaching Is reported as indifferent. The im.peetors are ili« only persons who cv< tay what is the value of tbe mtthorls p.iioptai r.nrl of the application nf these methods. Perhaps the hoard would a-ik the opinion of the inspecto-s on this question. "In vacating my seat, on the Irami, ittmethrnujih yo-i Kinder my thanks to its members, and also to its (..TiitrF, for t-he urivar;in« kindness and courtesy with which I have b»en treated during the many yearn I have had th? honour of being nssov.iat.ed with them. I would also thank the srlionl committees who have so long trusted me as lheirr(v..rwmitative. a'ldfi-p'ciß'ly those who af, the I.itccli'ctlou indicated that I still retained their eonfidefee. .■." I have hopes that tho system lately adopted will siillbe persevered, in, and l-hat school committees will yet see tbr.t its object, and iffVct is, not to curl.a« their propsr privileges or inflm-nco. but, in the Mthcat interests of education, to'prevent secret and undue pressure bdng brouglit to I-eaf to =ccur<3 the appointment of less quiilifi»'d but moro persia'entand more unscrupulous teachers " On tho motion nf Jlr Ja«o, reci.ndrd b" Mr Bukkx. it waa re sol veil—*' That Mr Pulton Vli-llor boreeclvcl. and (hat thn board placn 0:1 icr-urd tlmir E'snse of Ihe va'uo of tho services Mr Fulfiri has re.iddi-fd to the cmse of education -.vhilu hoUTng a jeiit at tho board,'

ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £7705 13s wore passed f payment. APPOl.tTllk.vr 01' TKACIIttKS. „ The following motion h.i.l ii.-,.n given notice of 1 >'■ Mr Oiium at the last minting :--U'liat Ibe presei ac- reguUli..ns regarding the selection of names for a ,he pointments bn amended loread aj follows :-(l) Pr paratorr to the appointment of a teacher, the boai shall mnko si s' lection of tlioso candidates It co: jlili'ri .liglbia for biHi appointment, and numbi Dr cons'i'iiMvi-ly the thru- mndliiatss it considers mo on suit I",-, in ;l.elr order of merit. (2) Tho board sha ~,, coiiiiLlt Imi-chonl coniniitteu by forwarding to the] forcoiiti.lcration the imiihu of all thu eligible c.md w- dates, toother with copies of all cortifirates an :H" testimonials submitted by tbo candidates, and I, inviting the committee to recommend onn of tl said oundiclalea for tho appointment. (:)) No con at munlcation with regard to tho nppointmmt of iy teacher shall be held between the ofliuera of the boar iie and any candidate, toucher, Bchool committee, c it roiunber of onmmititet*. or other party, excepting h rd ldUur, and all buuh loilcia a.mil b/deunnal tv li s. official Ittlers and registered accordingly. (1) N Df candidate for any appointment shall communicate n- directly or indirectly, with a member of the boar ■l- rprfardiognu appointment." '0 The Cu.Uiim.vn said lie doubted if It would be legs ,t for the board to take up consideration of the motion as a mistake hnd hpen made-possibly it was liiaowi fault-in not sending to each member a copy of th 10 motion. 0 Mr QmtE-V said he would bow to the ruling of th a chairman. He would liko to say Hint lie had beei it trying to bring on thia matter jince last June, bn ,{ ho hud constantly been hindered in some way. AI ~ that bo wanted waß that during his abort life hi i- should be given nn opportunity of laving tho ques ;. tlon bafore tho board. l! It was agreed that thn motion should bo givei s notice of by Mr Qreen at that meeting to be con 11 aldered at next meeting. 1 Mr M'Kknzik then gave notice of motion that lit 5 would move as aii amendment that no alteration bt . made In the present system of appointing teachers. 8 The Chairman, In reply to Mr Praer, said that at i next meeting any member would be In order ill i moving another amendment If he wished. r TUB KOIIMAL SCHOOL. i Tbe Normal School Committeoreported, inter alia, S that tho attendance was at present seriously affected I by alcknpss, over 120 scholars find quo or two loiclicrs j lining abjent. Tho committee every timo they , visited the school were Increasingly impressed with [ the unsatisfactory nature of the building, and again j urgi'd on thn consideration of the board th'desir- . ability of taking stuns hs early as possible for tha • orect'on nf new buildings ou the Stuart street tide.— i The report was adopted. The board then went into committee.