EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 876, 12 September 1868, Page 15

EDUCATION BOARD.

A meeting of the Education Board was leld on Monday afternoon, in the Superintendent's Office, Provincial Government Buildings. T. Fraaer, Esq. (Deputy Superintendent), presided ; and there were present, Mr George Duncan (Secretary -for Land and Works), Mr Hughes,, and Mr Hislop, the Secretary to the Board.

The minutes of the last meeting were ■read and confirmed.

The Secretary reported that he had forwarded the Heads of a scheme for the Provincial Scholarships to the Provincial •Government, and that certain amendments had been made upon them. With the consent of His Honor the Superintendent, he had, as authorised at the last meeting, requested James Fulton, Esq., R.M., to act as a member of the Board of Examiners. The High School masters liad prepared draft rules and regulations Tespecting the Provincial Scholarships for the consideration of the Board. They were as follows : —

1. Four scholarships in connection with -the High School shall be open for competition next December to boys in attendance at the public schools of Otago during the year IS6B. Three of the said scholarships shall be bestowed, on boys from the District Schools, and one on a boy who has attended the High School. Competitors from the District Schools must be under 14 years of •age, and those from the High School under 13 years, on the Ist of January, 1869. 2. The holders for the time being of the ssaid scholarships shall be called •'Provincial Scholars," and shall be entitled to the privileges and advantages hereinafter specified. A scholarship shall be tenable as long as the holder of it remains a pupil of the High School, but not longer than five years.

3. The said scholarships respectively shall "be awarded to such candidates as shall Bhow thß greatest proficiency at a competitive examination, to be held on such day or days in -the month of December next, and at such as the Education Board shall appoint, and such competitive examination shall be by -written papers, and shall embrace the folJowing subjects : — I. Arithmetic— Questions involving a knowledge of the simple and compound rules, reduction, practice, simple and compound proportion, vulgar and decimal fractions, and extraction of the square root. 11. English Grammar, including the analysis of simple sentences of an easy nature. 111. Geography — The definitions, Europe and Australasia, the drawing from memory of an outline map of a country in Europe, or a colony in Australasia. IV. Bible History— From the Creation to the death of Moses ; Matthew's Gospel. "V. British History — The Stuart period, 1603-88. VI. Dictation. VII. A Simple Narrative, selected by the examiners, to be read aloud to the competitors, and reproduced by them. VIII. An Original Description or Account of some familiar object or operation, the subject to be selected by the examiners. IX. Penmanship, a3 shown by the competitors' papers on the subjects before mentioned. Preference will be given to a plain round hand. X. Heading— Notes will be taken by the examiners of the manner in which each competitor reads prose and poetry. XI. Latin and French— For High School competitors. 4. It shall not be necessary to award a .scholarship to the best or any candidate, if the examiners certify that none of the candidates are worthy of the distinction ; and the Board shall be at liberty to suspend or terminate any scholarship on account of wilful misconduct or neglect on the part of the holder.

5. Each holder of a Provincial Scholarship, in addition to a free education at the High School, shall receive free board and lodging at the High School Boarding E stablishment, -or a payment in lieu thereof. 6. Schoolmasters must forward to the Secretary of the Education Board, on or before the Ist of November next, the names and ages of intending competitors belonging to ■their several schools. 7. Certificates of merit will be awarded to those competitors who, though failing to gain the scholarships, distinguish themselves greatly.

The Rules and Regulations were, after discussion, adopted. The Board consented to the transfer of certain Reserves in the Oamaru district.

The Secretary reported that the School Committee of Akafcore approved of the proposed alteration of roadJine through the school glebe. The Board consequently sanctioned the deviation.

A communication from the School Committee, Lawrence, proposing certain modifications respecting the teachers' salaries, was read, and it was resolved that the proposals be approved of, on condition that the head master concurred.

The Queenstown Library regulations were approved of, and certain claims for repairs and insurances were passed. A memorial from 14 heads of families in Moa Flat district, representing 34 eligible children, and 24 under four years

of age, was received. It asked the establishment, of a school, and Btated that a school-house had been erected. It was resolved to sanction the establishment of a side school, with the usual allowance of L 75 per annum to the teacher.

A similar application from Te Houka, Clutha district, was received. The Secretary reported that there was a difference of opinion existing as to the proposed site, and it was resolved that the matter be deferred until after Mr Hislop had visited the district. A memorial from residents in Greytown (Scrogg's Creek), was also postponed ; and the Board adjourned.