EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 1486, 8 May 1880, Page 8

EDUCATION BOARD

The ordinary meeting of the Ofcugo E Inoa tioa Boaid was ht'U on the 29th. Present — Messrs J, Fulton, M.H.R. (cbairmau), J. Grean, H. Clark, W. Elder, M, Fraer, and T Fergus. NEW CHAIRMAN. Mr Fulton proposed Mr Green ac ohairman of the Beard for the ensuing year, as he himself did not not see his way to resume the position, Hs exprepsed hi* satisfaction with the why business had been conducted during bia terra of officp. Mr Clark sacondjd the motion. Mr Green rpturned thanks for the honour oonferred. He did not agree with the opinion expiesred outride the Board, that the Parliamentary duties of Mr Fulton [precluded his occupation of the office of chairman of the Board. He trusted that he would be abla to discharge the dutie-J of chairman to the satisfaction of membfirs, and' asked for their cordial assistance. He introduce IMr Fergus as the only new member. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Finance Committee reported aa follows :—: — Your Committee having considered the various matters referred to it, begs to make the following recommendations :— That the following sums be granted to the several committees for the completion of tho school buildings :— Taieri Ferry, £6 ; Taieri Beach, £7 10s ; Wairuna, £6 ; Milton, £25. Manuka Creole. — That the application of this Committee, for the sum of £8 15s, amount of tender accepted for erection of shed, be declined. Waihola. — That the application for new piles for the teachor's residence be postponed, pending further information. Mo r -fl'iel and Flag Swamp. — That the alterations suggested by the architect to the school buildings in these districts bo given effect to, at a cost not to exceed £13 and £8 respectively. Hamilton. — That the Board's clerk of works bo instructed to carry out tho repairs applied for to school, at a cost not to exceed £8. Wetherstones.— That the application for £28 6s Gd, amount expended on repairs, &c, bo declined, and that the sum of £5 be granted. Caversham. — The School Committee in this district having incurred liabilities to the extent of £142 for repairs, &c, and the Board having already granted £47 10s, your Committee cannot recommend tho Board to make any further allowance on account of this unauthorised expenditure. Tapanui. — That the application of this Committee for the erection of a play-shed bo declined. Palmerston.— That the renewed application of this School Committco for £20, being half cost of erecting play-shed, be declined. Dunedin.— That the application of tho Dunedin School Committee for the supply of clocks to George street School bo declined ; that tho architect be instructed to have lead placed upon tho stairs of the Union and George street Schools. Mr Gourlcy having renewed his application for compensation for loss of horse, your Committeo would reconimcd that it be again declined. Oamaru.— That the application of this School Committee to have the water laid on to the schools be referred to the Board's architect. Your Committee cannot recommend that the application to have a survey of the District High School-grounds made be granted Blueskjn.— That the application of the Committee in the district re the purchase of a site for a new school be referred to Messrs Green and Elder. Crookston. — Your Committee would recommend that immediate proceedings, be taken against Mr Crawford re the removal of timber from the Crookston School buildings. Your Committee would recommend that Mr Chapman's application for an expenditure of £100 in filling in section in Stuart street be declined, but that he bo empowered lo remove earth from tho school site in that locality for this purpose ; the earth to bo removed under tho supervision and with the approval of the Board's architect. Inch-Olutha. — That the application from this district for re-flooring the school be referred to Mr Henry Clark, with power to act. Whare Plat.— Your Committee cannot recommend the erection of a teacher's residence, or the alterations to the school buildings in this district, at present. Green Island. — Your Committee cannot recommend the Board to agree to the terms proposed by Mrs Shand for the lease of a site for the Green Island School. School Buildings. — Your Committee would recommend that the following urgently-required works be proceeded with out of the current year's vote :— Beadigo, new school and residence ; Blacks, new residence ; Clyde, galleries, furniture, and outhouses ; Bannockburn, furniture and outhouses ; Roxburgh, f urniture, outhousos, and completion of buildings ; Pukeuri, new classroom and refurnishing old ; Palmerston, new classroom and outhouses. Estimated cost of all the above works, about £1700. The report was adopted. RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were accepted :— W. St. Arnold, first assistant, Albany street j Jonathan Golding, head master, Adam's Fat; W. H, Worsop, first assistant, North-East V,»lley ; Walter Hinlop, fourth assistant, Union street ; M. W. Stack, head master, O«mbrian j F. D. Fo.-jLer, fir*t assistant, Palmerston. APPOINTMENTS. Appointments were made as follow": — Mary Milt e.mistreße, Porlobello, vice M'George, promoted ; Walter Hialop, eecoad assistant, William street School, vice Webber, reigned; Juine^Fiizscrald, fourth Jisiistnnt, Caveisnum, nev ai pi Mtmeuf ; Ifcifhasd Burfc. firnt ws-ms-tant, PrtliJicrstf'iJ, w'ceTlVx-r, resigned ; Louis A'J \w, hoa<i in^ator, A'isiu'fs Fl».t, vice Goldirir, wnyu'jd: W, F..¥ws>i, head ms.si.or, Na<ieby, vice Fleming, resigned; T)j,vid Sinclair, h<-.\iJ /jf)«Hi.> r, Miievoii/JbeiiU-., vice Ci.-ky, resigned ; ijtugatct Adorns, punil teacher,

I William street, new appointment; Margaret Blftikie, pupil teacher, Ravensbourne, new appointment; Robert O. Earle, pupil teacher, Hyde, now appointment; Hamilton Scott, pupil teacher, Normal School, vice Fitzgerald, promoted ; John Tunnant, pupil teacher, Normal School, vice Haruer, resigned ; Elizabeth Boltou and Laura Kingston, pupil teachers, new appointments ; Jane Robertson, pupil teacher, Lawrence, vice Darton, resigned ; Francis Nicol, pupil teacher, now appointment ; Eva Cunningham, pupil teacher, Oamaru South, new; appointment. TESDEE3. The following tenders were accepted :—Erecting cottage, George street, E. T. Clark,Ll27; new Bi;h'V 1, Wakari, Henry Lyders, L 102 0; new school and reudonce, VVaihemo, Samuel Wi>oll«y, L 428; new residence, WaikouaitiR ib. rt Mill, L 30 4; removal of buildings from Uuiou street and re-er. j cting the same at Stuart street, Hvnry Lydars, LBO. ADDITIONAL TKAOHEES. Applications from the folio *iug places for idtiiniooal teachora were granted :— Clyde, pupil leacher ; Seacliffe, pupil teacher ; B«aumoufc, Hawing misiress ; Tean<-r/*ki, sewing mistress; Oimaru North, third assistant; Tapanui, assistant. MOUNT STUART. Mr Clark reported on the memorial from residents at Mount Stuart fur theestAblhhrnont of a school, recommending that the application should be granted. — Adopted. SPOTHS HUNDRED. Mr Pelrle recommended that the application for a school at Spottis Hundred be granted.— Adopted. CROOKSTON. Mr Taylor recomon-nded that the application of the Crookston Committee for a male teacher should be grauted.— Adopted. THE FALSIFICATION OF SCHOOL ROLLS CASE. The K-)V. J. !k£erizi'*s broughu under the notice < f the Board the fact that Mr D. M. Scott, who wa? ciismiHsed f<-v>m hid position as toaoher at tho Tu-^pvka Slouch School for falsifying the attendance loll', was in poor eircumst;auci s. He did not presume to dictate to the Board, but appealed to members as humane in^ividuala to reconsider their decision. The punishiuent inflicted for the offence was not set forth in the Ordinance, and it appsared to him that the case was dealt with in a manner to establish a precedent. Tbe dismissal vrao ju4ified on tho part of Board by tbe provision in the Ordinanco which allows dismissaiforgroßßmisconduct. The Board might be right in so interpreting Mr Scott's act, but the conventional oonsciouce did not so interpret it. Hence the apparent hardship of the case was tbe baste or almost absence of indicative deliberatenesa in proceeding to the severest penalty tho Board could inflict, without having the offeuco with tbe penalty, previously defined. He hoped the Board would reconsider its decision, and either hold oub hopes of employment to Mr Scott, or at least allow him his ciawo'catioti. The Secretary of the Board : This gentleman is evidently under a misapprehension. The Board hai nothing to do with his classification. It reßts with the Minister of Education. \ ' Mr Fbaer : I do not see that we hava any pDwer to take his cprtificate away. The Secretary : He got three months' notice, and he tendered his resignation, and received throe monthB 1 salary. The Chairman : I presume the Board will | receive tbis letter. Do you propose to dojanyi thing with it ? | Mr Fraer said that Scott had been dealt I with in rather a hard mauner. There waa no reason why he should have been made a sbapagOilt. Mr Fulton : In the interests of the whole community we acted wisely and well in the case before up. Ido nofe think I need refer to other circumstances apart from this why we should not ask Mr Soott to be reinstated. I would move that Mr Meuzies be informed that the Board cannot see its way to move iv the direction indicated by his letter. Mr Elder : I would second Mr Fulton's proposition. The Chairman expressed hia disapproval of a correspondence being opened up on the suVject. It was reeolved— " That the Board cannot see its way to alter it« decision previously arrived at after due and careful consideration." ACCOUNTS Accounts amounting to L 7322 7a lid were passed for payment. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Fulton— "That in the opinion of this Board it is desirable that provision should be made by which teachers should have the power, subject to tht. approval of their committeps, of refusing to allow the return to tho school of any children belonging to a family suffering from any infectious disease until a doctor's certificate shall be produced certifying that they may be safely admitted." FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Chairman, Me»i-rs Clark, Elder, Fergus, Fulwu, and Ramsay were appointed the Finance Committee. DATS OF MEETING. Mr Fhaer gave nntice that he would move at next meeting— "That the Board me9t ou the second and last Thursdays in each month." SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS, The undermai'tioned B<,houl districts having failed to elect ecbool committees on a second occasion, the Board appointed the following gentleman to bft commissiouera :— Lovell's Flat— Messrs Noiaon, M'Donald, and Bowie; Mount Cargill— Mes«rs Daniels, Winter, Kemp, Scurvin, and Canning. Ida Valley— Messrs Beattie, Field, and M'lntobh. Maerewhentia — Messrs Botting, Frater, M'Qaaid, Howe, R >berts, and Biilny. ADDITIONAL INSPECTING STAFF. Mr Elder moved—" That the Minister^ of Education be communicated with, informing him that owing to the inspecting staff being deficient in numbers, 54 school;) in the Ocsgo education district ware not examined duriug the past year, and that it is the opinion of this Board that to overtake the work in a proper manner it is absolutely necessary that another inspector be appointed for the district." He understood that the Government contributed a certain sum of monoy towards tne inspectors' salaries throughout the educational districts, 1 and that Ofcago was entitled to a much larger ! allowance in proportion to other educational districts than it at present received. As the present staff is deficient in numbera, the Government might be got to pay the salary of a third insoector. If education was fr«e, it was the essential duty to see fcha 4 ; tho schools were well inspected, t>o that the Government migkt see whether thny recoived value for fcha money expeadrfd. When a third of the schools in Otago were not inspected, it was itnpoßsible to say how things were going on. Mr Clark seconded the moti >v.

Mr Fiji/ton: I fed very simply on this matter, Mr Chairmin, aiul I may say I did whah I cnuldduring last senior, to gei soiuetbing of this sort done in a ldud of luu-lfiaul way. Especially fleeing that the Govov-i- c I; pa, fur these 'ichould by the <wur a«»o fitlond >,vi- -, ib seems to me very clcsirab'.o, if not ab;oluio'y necucary, tfurt tbo iuspaofcion should, nol ba

merely a formal one— an annual examination. The teacher and children know when the inspector i* coming, and of course, very naturally, they are well prepared. We should have enough inspectors, so that one of them could drop into a school at any time, and that would prevent anything taking place like that whioh occurred at Tuapeka Mouth. In answer to n. question put by one of the members of tbe Board, Mr Fulton stated that Soul bland got L3OO from the Government while Ol ago only pot LSOO The Secretary of the Board mentioned that when the matter was brought before the Government on a previous occasion it was argued that a large district should save a large amount of working expenses. The Chaibman: If the Government will uot grant this request we really ought^ to employ at least one .other inspector. It is abso lutely necdßßary that the schools should be inspected at lea3t once a year. The inspectors have not been abla to overtake the work, and the consequence 5s they are not inspected once a year. I cannot understand what leads the Government to their decision. The question is whether the txoverument shall provide for inspection, or whether the Board shall. If the Board is of opinion that two inspectors are nofe sufficient, provision should be made for an efficient inspection, and the Government should provide inspnetors or say they will not provide any at all. Of couicsa the Board cannot say in its reports that the inflection is sufficient, aud the Government supply a , very Bimll amount towards tho payment of these inspectors I hope this application will be more successful than tho other. Tbe motion was canicd.