EDUCATION BOARD.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 11, 12 July 1905, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Friday,' Ju'y 7tb ; present, Messrs J. Cowie (chairman), D. Gilchrist, G. McLeol, W. B. Scandretfc, and I W. Raymond. Mr W. Miealister attended the afternoon sitting, Mir "Gilchrist then being absent. . ( SCnOOIj ATTENDANCE. '- H. Clark, secretary of the Southland Branch of the Educational Institute, wrote suggesting to ihe Board the propriety of awarding to pupih whoiiave attended school with exceptional regularity (viz., those wh# have gained five or more first-class attendance certificates) some special cartificate or medal, suitably recording the fact. During recent years there has been a very marked improve ment m the attendance of pupils, and m some few cases, m almost every school, there | were pupils whose attendance had been exceptional. — Mr MoLSod moved that this be referred to the inspectors to report to tbe Executive. Tbe Institute bad not given the Board any pr ictical suggestion as to what should entitle a pupil to the special prize. — Mr Gilchrist seconded ; the Institution might suggest what percentage of attendances should be deemed .exceptional. —Motion carried. teachers'; salaries . Tbe Board decided ho approve of * suggestion made by tha Wanganui Board, that teachers' salaries should not depend on the rise and fall of thai attendances at their respective school *. tbchxic m son )o„. Mr W Macalister a<ke i what wis bsing done m tbe way of p-eparing plans and spsci fixations for technical school building, —The Chairman said that a grant bad been promised, b it the Boar 1 was endeavouring to get a larger sum to provide a more elaborate building— S-veraV members expressed the opinion that the work should be poshed on. and it was decided to have plans and specifications before next meeting of the Executive SCHOOL AT OLENCOK. A deputation of Glencoe settlers waited on the Board to ask- that a school district bs formed and a school established at Glencoe. The' spokesman '(Mr Jas. McKay) explained that there had been a proposal to shift the Upper Hedgehope School to Glenc »c, but thi; was condemned as' impract cable, *s 'he building was too old. 'There were two halftime schools— Upper and Lower Hedgehope - but they were so distant from Glencoo that tbe settlers there had to go to gre.it expense to pet their children there. There were 14 children on the list for the Glencoe school. If tbe Board could not see its way to erect a school, the settlers were filling to erect a suitable building atid lease it to the Board, at a rental not exce.ding £10, provided the Board w uld supply a teacher and the furniture. The settlers were so anxious to get a school that they had hcrnselyes raised £40, and would borrow tbe other £4') necessary to. erect the building, Tho site was m the centre of tbe proposed school district. — IJ|r Mclpod moved that the inspector report on the necessities of the district, and the relation of the Upper and Lower Hedgehops schools to Glencoe.— Mr Raymond thought that the Boord should intimate to the inspectors that they were inclined to support the proposal emanating from Glencoe. It was important that they should know how the Upper Hedgehope Sohool would be r affocted m the event of the wishes ot the deputation being given effeot to. The school could not be shifted, and would have to be dosed if one were established at Glencoe. Mr McLeod agreed that there was not room for two school*, and a motion on tbe lines of Mr Riy ..ond's suggestion was agreed to. OTA CREEK SCHOOL. The Education Department notified that a grant would be made to remove the Waikana school to Ota Creek. It had been represented that the work could be done for £30The teacher at Waikana wrote that the average attendance wis three, and if the school were to be shifted to Ota' Creek he applied to be transferred with it — After some discussion it was decided that a school district be constituted and a school committee be elected at Qta Creek.— Carried. Anpqi.ffMKVDs. The following appointments were confirmed: —Mary MoOallum, sole teacher, Hokonui; Louisa Campbell, head teacher, Man.ipouri. TENDERS, The lender of J. McFadzien for the erection of a new school at Waioola t jX £220, was accepted. * •;: EXECUTIVIf'SBErORT. . I The Executive reported that, the head I teacher at Thornbury bad been granted leave j of absence till 28ihJuoe r and also that ai complaint against thc. teaeber of a country] sch ol had been referoeolfco tbe Inspector for report. The Inspector's* >port on the Merrivale Sohool bad been preferred to'- tbe committee, and final consideration held over for three months. The Waicola school committee's offer to provide two acres for a school site, free of charge, was accepted, tenders for building to be invited as soon as the transfer is completed. Miss Mclntyre was rocommended to the Department as sewing mistress at Grove Bush. Tbe Executivo recommended that -the following applications be. granted :—Papitotara, half cost of levelling and gravelling - school grounds ; Mossbum, similar course ; •Caroling half-cost fencing off teacher's residence ; Athol, half-cost" 40 pairs Indian clubs and horizontal bar*' - SCHOOL WANTS. /■ Tbe architect was inS'mcted to report on the request of Athol school for blinds, apparatus, and cupboards, and to supply $wo extra desk,s and bat pegs ; to arrange for -repair* to

furniture and buildings at Limehills; to supply two gates for Otautau school, if necessary ; Grove Bush, supply blinds and chair, committee to repair the windows ; Round Hill, arrange for ■ep - i rs to firep'ace. RESOLUTIONS. The following resolutions were adopted : — That the inspector's reports on ihe Depart msnt's suggestions for a more stringent interpretation of the regulations governing the issuiof proficiency certificates bs received and approved, and tli9 Dspu'tment informed accordingly ; that tbe request of the Post-master-General for permission to erect the proposed new post-office on a part of the school reserve at Half-Moon Bay be acceded to ; that the amended scholarships regula- , tions bo approved, printed and distributed ; that the Lumsden committee's application for certain requisite 1 ? bo declined, and that the committee he infoimed the Board bad no funds to apply to the purchase of an organ. The transfer of lease from Jameß Markey to William Watt, Gummies Bush, was agreed to. rivaii mon schools. Mr Macalister desired an amendment to a clause m the report, which proposed to givo holders of scholar- hips the option of attend ing District High Schools instead of the Southland High Schools. If this were adopted a great mistake would be made. — The cbuirman said Mr Macalister would have to give notice of motion.— Mr Macalister accordingly gave notice of motion that the clause m the report be referred back, and that the regulation be rescinded. -Mr McLeod gecon led the motion, and it was carried. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £3329 were passed for payment*