THE EXCESS OF PUPILS IN THE DUNEDIN DISTRICT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 18

THE EXCESS OF PUPILS IN THE DUNEDIN DISTRICT.

The last regular meeting of the present School Committee was held on tbe 24th ult,, at the office of Mr Sydney James, Princes street, and was attended by Messrs Ramsay (in the chair), Robin, Sherwin, and Nathan. A letter was received from Mr T. B. Park, South School, stating $hat he required room for more than 60 pupils, who had applied for admission during the past week, and forwarding for the inspection of the Committee plans for an addition to accommodate 150 more pupils at a copparativelv small expense. — Referred to the incoming Committee. Mr J. L. Ferguson, of the Albany street School, wrote stating that his school was abso- \ lutely crowded, and as it would be necessary to provide extra accommodation, and as the old Supreme Court house was not likely to be granted for school purposes, he expressed the opinion that the Committee should recommend the Education Board to carry out the original plan for the enlargement of the Albany street School.— Referred to incoming Committee. Replies were received from the masters of four schools to the question of what number they had on the roll who resided outside the city. The total came to 263 ; but the majority of this number resided either close to the schoolbouses they attended, or these schools were the nearest they could attend. — Received, The report and balance-sheet for the past year were adopted. The report is as follows :— "The year just closed has, like its predecessor, been one of considerable work and anxiety to the members of the Dunedin School Committee, and we may fairly congratulate the people of Dunedin on the amount of work which has bpen accomplished, on the efficiency of the teaching department in our district schools, and on the increased accommodation which has been and is being provided in the city. "Accommodation. — The Education Act of 1877, which inter alia provided for free education coming into force in January, 1878, brought the question of Bchool accommodation very forcibly before the Committee, and throughout the year earnest and increasing efforts have been made by them to get the wants of the community in this respect supplied, and with fair success. In the early part of the year the Mission.house in Russsll street, and All Saints' Schoolhouse in Cumberland street, which together gave accommodation to over 300 children, were temporarily secured and worked — the former in connection with the Middle District School and the latter with the North School. An addition has been made to the South School of 1015 square feet, winch affords room for 126 children ; and to the Middle District School of 1512 pquare feet, equal to room for 190 children ; and the erection of a handsome new school (the largest of the kind in the Colony) ib being proceeded with in Union street, to take the place of the wretched apology for school buildings known as the North Dunedin School. The new school is estimated to afford accommodation for 1200 children, and it, with the additions to the South and Middle Schools, will afford accommodation for 900 children more than could be accommodated when the Committee took oflj.ee j but ao the

side schools carried on in connection with the ' Middle and North Schools will be discontinued, the net extra accommodation will be for 600 children. This being, in the opinion of the Committee, quite inadequate for the requirements of the city, their efforts have been directed to the establishing ofafifth district school in Dunedin, and with this object in view they communicated with the Hon. James Macandrew, the Minister for Public Works, and asked him to hand over the whole or part of the old Supreme Court buildings for that purpose. Mr Macandraw agreed to the proposal, and gave instructions to the Kailway Department to hand a part of the building, or the whole of it, to the School Committee. For reasons best known to the Government and the Eailway Department, the building has not yet been handed over, and the Committee would respectfully urge upon their successors the desirability of U3ing every effort for securing the old Supreme Court-house as a fifth school. The building is admirably adapted for the purpose, and the Education Board have expressed their willingness to make the necessary alteration immediately it is handed over. The acquisition of the Court-bouse would provide accommodation for between 500 and 600 children, aad would enable our successors to put in force what is perhaps the best provision of the Education Act— the compulsory clause. " Stafford street and Bath street Schools. — These schools continue to be well conducted by Miss Dow and Mrs Chong respectively, and have realised the anticipations of the former Committee in providing education for that class of children on whose behalf they were originally established. "Attendance. — Thenumberof scholars on the roll is 2804, the average attendance being 2402. This shows an increase of 600 on the past year. Such increase is in a great measure due to the result of free education, and had the Committee been in a position to put the compulsory clause into operation the attendance would at least have been 1000 more. "Salaries. — The amount paid by the Education Board to the teaching staff during the year has been: -North School, L152915^ 8I ; Middle School, L 1504 17s ; South School, 1,1197 7* 8d ; Albany street School, L 1324 17a 3d ; Stafford street school, Ll6O ; Bath street School, L 145. Total, L5861 17s 7d— being at the rate of L 2 Is 9£d per scholar per annum. " Resignations and Appointments. — The following resignations have been received and ac 1 cepted during the year :— -North School : Mr William Murray, second master; Mr T. C. Farnie, Miss Elizabeth Donald, and Miss C. Miller, assistants. South School : Miss M. A. Smith, assistant. Albany street School : Mr Kyle, second master; Misses Pope and Adams, assistants. The Committee feel much regret in having to announce the death of Miss Jeannie Adam, matron at the Albany street School. The deceased young lady had proved herself a most excellent and painstaking teacher in the position she occupied. The appointments made have been as follows :— North School: Mr Arnold, second master; Messrs Hislop and Farnie, assistants ; Misses Gibson and Robertson and Messrs Dagger and M'lntyre, pupil teachers. Albany street school : Miss Nicholls, matron ; Mr Cook, second master ; Mr Rix, third master ; Misses Fowler and M'Naughton, assistants ; Misses Johnston and Ellery and Mr Stewart, pupil teachers. South School: Mr Webber,_ assistant; Miss Owen, pupil teacher. Middle School: Mr Smith and Miss M'Laren, assistants ; and Messrs Williamson and Barrett, pupil teachers. Leave of absence for 12 months was granted to Miss Hay, matron of the North School. Her position was most ably filled during the interim by Miss Jane Spratt. "Revenue and Expenditure.— The receipts have been: Balance from last year, L 327 8s lOd ; Education Board's allowance as_ per Act, L 78 8153 ; Education Board's special allowance for repairs, L 56 ss ; balance (overdraft at Bank of New Zealand), L 3 8s 3d ; total, L1220 17s li. Expenditure : Repairs and furnishing, L717 10a lOd ; school cleaning, L 202 7s 3d; Secretary, including use of office, &c, L 125 ; firing, L 69 11s 3d; contingencies, (including water rates, L3O), L 54 23 9d ; sta. tionery and advertising, L 52 ss; total, L 1220 17s Id. It will be observed from the above statement of account that the Committee's expenditure has far exceeded their income : starting with a balance in hand of L 372 83 3d, they finish their year with an overdraft of L 3 8s 3d. As every economy has been practised by the out-going Committee, and only the most necessary expenditure incurred, it will be evident that the Education Board's allowance is altogether insufficient, and that it will have to be increased, or the Board will require to undertake much of the work which has hitherto been done by the Committee. The attention of the new Committee is particularly directed to this matter. " Meetings.— The Committee have held 26 ordinary and special meetings during the year, besides attending numerous deputations to the Education Board, &c. "The Education Board.— For some little time after the constitution of the new Board the relations between the Board and the Committee were of an unsatisfactory character. A somewhat serious misunderstanding arose between the two bodies as to their relative powers and privileges in the matter of the appointment of teachers, and in other matters appertaining to the proper conduct of the Dunedin schools under the authority of the Committee. A considerable amount of correspondence took place between the Board and the Committee, with the usual results which attend a correspondence warfare between two parties, both of whom consider themselves in the right, and neither of whom will give way. A conference of three members from each body was suggested by the Board and readily agreed to by the Committee. Mutual explanations and concessions having been frankly made at the Conference, a proper understanding was arrived at, and the Board and the Committee have since worked most harmoniously together. The Dunedin School Committee gladly take this opportunity of placing on record their hearty appreciation of the liberal efforts of the Ofcago Education Board to provide increased school accommodation, and of the cordial support and assistance they have received from the Board in their efforts to advance the cause of education in Dunedin. "The Committee further desire to report that the secretary— Mr Sydney James—continues to discharge the duties of his important office in a thoroughly efficient manner. " Passed at a meeting of the Dunedin School Committee, this 24th day of January, 1879. " Keith Ramsay, Chairman." The Committee then adjourned.