SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12648, 28 April 1903, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

HIGH .STREET. : From 40 io 50 householders showed suf- ' fieient interest in tho Higli Street School to attend tho annual mooting {or the elec- | tion of the new committee. Mr J. H. i Walker (chairman of the outgoing commit- j teo) presided, and, in moving Hie adoption of the report, referred to tho work of the , year in much the same terms ae were con- ( tamed in'the report. '. Mr ,T. Jolly asked if the committee liad ; a copy of the circular sent oub to house- , . holders, i Tho Chairman replied that the committee ] had thought, it desirable, in connection with ; ■Mr D. Wright's Bible- olass, to issno a cir- ' i cular to tho .parents asking them to send their children ae regularly as possible to ( these elasocs. The oommittco were unani- i moiis on this.' I I Mr Jolly: Was the cost.of these circulars . . defrayed out jf tho funds of tho com- i mittee? j The Chairman: Yes. I Mr Jolly: Was it.passed by tho auditor ! of the Education Board? 1 The Chairman: Yes. Mr Jolly: That is all I wish to know. The Chairman then explained that probably tho cost of these circulars would appear in the'balance sheet under the head . of printing, and tho board would not lie { in, a position io discriminate between tho j amounts spent on these circulars and other J printing. ' Mr_ .Tolly contended that if (ho cost of the circulars was defrayed from tho funde '' of the committee it was a distinot violation ' of the Education Act. He hoped the pub- ' bcity now given to the matter would bring j it under Hie notice ,of the Education Board, riio colony's education system was dirtinetly ' secular, and the Stale did not recognise in ] ', any shapo or form any religious instruction , J m any of the schools. ' , Tlio Chairman said the committee had no .' intention of violating the Education Act, I and if the payment for (he circulars was chal- ' ' »engcd in any way the committee- would be '. quite prepared to pay for it out of their •wn noekote.-(Hear, hear.) Mr Melville pointed out that tho balance ! Meot disclosed the expenditure of a great i deal more money than had ljeen received , irom tho State. Consequently it did not , follow that tho committee- had .spent, its ', allowance on the circulars. ■ ' . MrWatteon (secretary) then stated that , tho oirciilnre hod not been paid for out of moneys contributed by tho State, nor out of any money on rthjeh they had received j a subsidy.—(Applause.) Mr Jolly Gaicl with the exception lie had : referred to Hie report wos an admirable ', one, and showed bow excellently the committee had managed the school during the ■ pnflt year. Ho thought it would bo a, grace- '■ fill compliment on t.hc part of the house- , holder.? present if they re-elected the old '■ committee, and lie was quite sure they could , not ge-t a more capable committee in tlie ' district.—(Hear, hear.) Tho report was then adopted. The following committee was then nominated and declared elected for the ensuing year:—Mewra J. H. Walker, D. Wishart, T. West, H. M'Leod, W. Taylor, A. Taylor, W. Melvin, J. Lunn, and C. J. Watteon. The Chairman, on be-Mf of the mem hers of tho old committee who were re-eleoted, thanked the householder* present foi their, expression of 'onfidenoa. They had ilways endeavoured to look after the school, and would continueto do so iu the future.—(Hear, hear.) The meeting then closed, At the close of the annual meeting tho new committee met to elect officers, with tho following result:—Chairman, Mr J. H. Walker (re-elected); secretary, Mr C. J. Wottson (re-elected): treasurer, Mr A. Taylo, (re-elected); Works Committee-Messrs J. Lunn, W. Melvin, and D. Wishart: dele- , gates to the Schools Committees' Confer- i once—Messrs C. J. Wattson and W.Taylor;.! Penny Ba-nk Trustew— Meaws W. Melvin ' and T.' "West ; Visiting Coinmitteo for tho ensuing month—Messrs D. Wishart and J. Lunn. It was decided, subject to possible alteration, to mee-t on the second Thursday in , each month. ARTHUR STREET. There was a very small attendance of householders at tho initial election of a. committee last night, tho municipal meeting in the Busse-ll Street Hall no doubt accounting to some extent for the small number present. Mr W. Scott, chair- ! man of tho retiring committee, was voted to the chair. The Chairman read apologies for non-attendance from Messrs E. Cameron and .1. Edgar, both of whom intimated their willingness to be nominated. Copies of the annual report (alroady published) were handed round, and taken as read. In moving tho adoption of the report, Mr Scott said the past year had been uneventful, as there were no burning questions to be considered and no works of any importr.nco going on. But the work of tho school had gone on well, nnd hr> had beon very well pleased to hear the high opinion expressed by the inspectors concerning the work of the school—indeed, he was told that the Arthur Street School was one of tho best in Otago. With regard to the suggested alteration in tho time of tho annual vacation, he might mention that for several years the weather at Christmas time had been so bad that the children had derived very littlo benefit' from their six weeks' furlough. The committee therefore thought it might he better to put tho holidays back till towards the end of January, closing tho school for a week at Christmas and giving five- weeks later on. Tho matter had been referred to a number of teachers throughout the town, and all had agreed that the suggested change might be- advantageous. , Then there was another matter. They had no meeting place in connection' with the school where tho children could be- assembled. At tho annuel break-up last year a- number of parents were unable to gain admission to the classroom. Formerly it had been tho practice to assemble the children outside, but over since ho nad been on the committee it had been impossible to do so on account ot the weather. Some other schools had gymnasiums, but they had not.. The question of a gymnasium bad been considered, but it was found that in order to make n gymnasium a success thp, time of the syllabus would be interforod with; and, besides, a gymnasium would cost an enormous amount of money if it could only be of partial use. The committee felt strongly that a hall was required for the children to meet in. The board's architect had looked over the grounds for a site, and selected one on tho south side of the rchool. A suitable ball would cost £509. He- felt sure that if the- matter we-ro taken up thorn would bo no difficulty in raising tha amount required, as tho board would no doubt grant a- subsidy. Referring to ihc committee's finance, Mr Scott-paid that the allowance by the Education Board was altogether inadequate for the '.own schools. A Householder siigucsted that it would be a good plan for the teachers to notify the

parent!),'through tho children, on the day I of the annual moating to ensure a better attendance. Mr Sligo, in seconding tin? adoption of tho report, said that Hie proposal for a meeting hall deserved consideration. Some, largo room was required in which meetings might he held. He might, toll them tlmli tho Arthur Street School wan one of tho first to try to keep up gymnastics, for which lho pupils paid a small fee, but it, was not. a success. Ho felt himself that a, great deal of money was ipsnt in town schools on gymnasium? that be spent to bettor advantage. Gymnastics could be replaced to n arent extent by school ninnunl drill. A number of teachorj gave physical training in that way. Tho hall was 11 neces-