EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 19

EDUCATION BOARD.

A meeting of the Education Board was held on Thursday and attended by Messrs M. Fraer (chairman), J. Macgregor, D. Borrie, H. Clark, J. Green, A. M'Kerrow, J. J. Ramsay, Dr Stenhouse, and Dr Hislop.

PDKKIVITI. The following letter was read :—: — Shag Point, August lfi. To the Chairman and Members Otago Education

Gentlemen, — We, the undersigned, members of the Shag Point School Committee, respectfully request you will appoint a commission of your board to inquire into the recent proceedings of our committee, when they met to appoint a teacher to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of the ltev. Wynter Blathwayt, for the following reasons :— (1) We can prove that before Mr Blathwayt's resignation had been accepted Mr Randle canvassed members of the committee soliciting them topledge themselves to him, no matter who applied. (2) That, supported by powerful influence outside the committee, by persons who have no direct interest in the school, haying no childrenat it, he and others boasted that it was a foregone conclusion ; therefore, that the board's calling for applications was a farce, and that it was all settled before the present teacher's resignation was accepted. As we had applications from teachers holding far superior positions on the board's register to Mr Handle — whom your petitioners do not think has as yet proved himself a great success—we voted for Mr Methven, who holds a B2 certificate, and he is, we believe, a most successful teacher. We therefore pray that, in the interests of the educational requirements of the district, and, indeed, of the teaching profession, you will cause an inquiry to be held before any appointment is made.— We are, <fee, Donald M'Lf.oii, Angus Fhasi:r (Chairman).

The Cuaihman Baid he thought that they should just minute the letter as received, because it did not open up any new ground outside what they heard on the previous day. They decided to appoint Mr Randle, because the majority of the committee voted for him. The chairman was in a minority, and would not put the motion. The board could not see its way to grant tho request.

TRUAXT OFFICER'S REPORT.

The Truant Officer (Mr R. T. Aitken) reported that 58 cases were investigated as under : — 25 children questioned in the streets and at home during school hours ; 17 neglectful parents were visited through information received from head teachers, &c. ; 11 children were said by their parents to be unable to attend school through illness ; five children said by their parents to be unable to attend school for the want of clothing and boots. The total number of cases investigated up to date was 265. He had visited 30 children a second time and five a third time. Lately, a number of the city, suburban, and country school committees had appointed him truant clerk, which would relieve them of a great deal of unpleasant work, such as the summoning of truants' parents, and also appearing in court ; and this step would enable him to deal forthwith with the parents of truants that any time might come under his notice. He had issued five summonses calling upon parents and guardians to send their children to school, in accordance with section 9 of the compulsory clauses of tile Education Act. The report was received. THE CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOLS AND APPOINTMENTS.

Mr W. Davidson, head teacher of the Waitati school, wrote as follows :—: — The Secretary Board of Education.

Sir, — As my name has been very prominently before the public for some weeks past in connection with a scheme for the classification of schools and appointments, I think it is due to me, and perhaps to your board, too that I should explain my position with regard to the said scheme. As retiring president of the Dunedin Branch of the Otago Education Institute, it was my duty to represent that branch at the institute's annual meeting by reading a paper on some subject. I chose as my subject the Classification of Schools and Appointments." After the reading of the paper, a committee was appointed to consider the scheme formulated therein. A copy of this committee's report was forwaided to your board.

Owing to some misapprehension as to the tenor of the institute's report, a meeting of teachers for the purpose of fully discussing the scheme was npld in the Normal .School on Saturday, (sth inbt., and adjourned to Saturday, 13th inst. The discussion lasted about six hourd, and the whole matter was pretty well threshed out ; but the newspaper reports being necessarily brief, are somewhat misleading. I beg to inform you that the only points to which any objection was taken were : — (I) The fixed salary for each respective class ; (2) the placing of the second male assistants in first-class schools in the Fifth Class ; and (3) the number of junipr female teachers in first-class schools. As to 1, I am satisfied that a fixed salary for head te tchera in each respective class is tmsuited to the condition of teaching in Otago ; but I am also sure that you, as the board's treasurer, understanding every detail of the board's finance, could easily work out a graded scale of salary for each class that would give general satisfaction.

In reference to 2, no arguments were advanced against ray placing of these teachers. With regard to 3, if the board saw fit they could easily move one of the3o junior females up to class 5.

My paper seems to have been taken in top serious a way altogether. There was nothing fixed or unalterable in the scheme I suggested, and nobody was committed to anything. If there is anything in it that will assist you and your board in considering this very difficult subject, I shall be pleased ; it there is not, I trust there is no harm done. Referred to the Finance Committee. THE WAIWEItA SCHOOL.

Mr Green moved — "That the board decline to appoint a committee of its members to visit the district, as it has no present intention to remove the Wuiwera school, but will forward to the committee copies of all correspondence, including the memorials, with their signatures."

Mr Ramsay seconded the motion, which was carried.

AKHOR DAY.

The Secretary of the Whare Flat school wrote as follows :—: —

Instructed by the school committee, I have hereby to inform you that Arbor Day was, as required, duly observed by the few children' in attendance at the school, under the direction of Miss Kinder, to the entire satisfaction of the committee.

I regret also to have to inform you re the same that on the following morning all the trees that had been planted on the 4th were uprooted some time during the night of the 4th, and suspended from the knob of the schoolroom door by borne mischievouslj -disposed party unknown to the committee.

The letter was received

Dr Hislop said he would like to move in connection with Arbor Day — " That the board express gratification that the proposal in regard to Arbor Day, which originated with Mr Akxander Bathgate and was supported by the board, has been so generally, so heartily, and successfully responded to by school committees, teachers, scholars, their parents, and other public bodies within the education districts ; and the board express the hope that a similar enthusiasm may be evinced in the preservation of our native trees and shrubs wherever practicable."

Mr Green seconded the motion, which was carried.

APPOINTMENTS.

The following appointments were made:— Howard Bandlo, head teacher, Pukeiviti, vice

B. Blathwayt, resigned ; Sarah Mackellar, head teacher, Bendigo, vice Stephenson, resigned ; Mary Woods, head teacher, Table Hill, vice Kinder, transferred ; Margaret Harland, mistress, Kclso, vice Livingston, resigned ; W. G. Don, fourth assistant, Caversham, vice Mill, resigned ; W. Tabel, pupil teacher, Anderson's Bay, transferred from Arthur street ; Marion B. Early, pupil teacher, Wakari, new appointment.

RESIGNATIONS.

The following resignations were accepted : — Margaret Harland, head teacher, Taiaroa Heads ; Isabella G. Dark, mistress, Sandymount ; Jane D. Mill, fourth assistant, Caversham.

WAR EPA.

A memorial for the establishment of a school at Warepa Bush was referred to the inspector and the Warepa School Committee.

SCHOLARSHIP REGULATIONS.

Mr C. Macandrew, secretary of the High Schools Board of Governors, wrote forwarding the following resolution passed by the board on the sth inst. : — " That free education be granted to those candidates for junior scholarships who, failing to gain such scholarships, make 50 per cent, or over of the attainable marks, the same as is done in the case of senior scholarships." Ho also stated that the regulation would come into force at the beginning of next year.

Dr Hislop moved pro forma — " That Nos. 3 and 5 of the Scholarship Regulations of August 21, 1890, be repealed, and that the following regulations be substituted for them : — (3) The scholarships shall bo open to all children, whether attending public schools or not, but competitors for tho junior scholarships must bo under 13 years of ago, and competitors for the senior scholarships luust be under 15 years of ago on tho last day of the month in which the examinations shall commence. (5) The junior scholarships shall be tenable for two years, on the condition that the holders attend during that time either of the Dunedin High Schools, tho Waitaki High Schools, or any school under the control of the board at which the higher branches of education are taught. The senior scholarships shall be tenable for three years, the holders of which may attend during the first year of their tenure one of the board's district high schools, or the Waitaki or the Otago Boys' or Girls' High Schools, and during the remaining periods of their tenure the Otago or the Waitaki Boys' or Girls' High Schools." The only two changes he understood | were that they did away with the year's handicapping, and that they confined the attendance during the second and third year of the senior scholarship tenure to either tho Dunedin or Waitaki Girls' or Boys' High Schools.

The Chairman said he would second the motion pro form a in order to allow the matter to be discussed, although he was opposed to the alterations. The last clause was an attempt to kill our country district high schools. He maintained that as good education was given in the Milton and Lawrence district high schools as was given in Otago, as was proved by the boys and girls that were turned oat by those schools.

Mr MACfiREOOR read the letter written by Mr Wilson, rector of the Girls' High School, which has already been published in extenso.

Dr Stenhouse was opposed to the board's practice of continually tinkering with these regulations. They were only in their second year of trial, and no one could yet say whether they had been beneficial or the reverse.

Mr Green moved as an amendment — '"That after giving the letter of Mr Alexander Wilson, of date February 23, very full consideration, this board resolves that, while we thank him most sincerely for the same, which we consider not only very explicit but also a valuable production, still cannot see our way to make alterations in the scholarship regulations at present." He said the letter of Mr Wilson described to a very great extent the results which the board desired to achieve, and which he (the speaker) thought up to the present time thfty had been able to achieve. He thought that theoretically there could be no question that when a man secured an M.A. to his name it gave him some standing ; and although educationists told them that a m in was a better ploughman and a better workman in every respect the more ho was educated, from his experience of the world, extending over half a century, the statement required a very considerable addition to it before it acquired any practical force. A great many highly educated men could scarcely make their living except in a sphere where education was required, but those men who combined a high-class education with practical training made the best men. Whether the scholars that had been referred to, in the letter were any tho better for their educational advantages or not he did not know. The board knew, however, that they were highly educated, and they knew that one of them had been highly successful in tho board's sorvice. That showed, at any rate, that their scholarship system up to the present time had not been a failure, and he bad very little fault to find with it. He, however, had a sincere desire to learn whether they could alter it so as to improve it, but up to the present he had failed to see how they could do so. It was not a university education alone that was going to make good men and good women. — (Hear, hear.) Those who could afford the time and the money should certainly avail themselves of the advantages of such an education — it would not make them any worse, and it might make them better — but tho board did not want to establish it as a fact that all scholarshipholders should acquire those high qualifications that Mr Wilson referred to. If he understood the feeling of the board with regard to the matter it was this : That while they would be very glad indeed that as large a proportion of the scholarship-holdera as Could acquire those qualifications should do so, yet they did not feel so strongly as Mr Wilson appeared to feel that unless Ihe holders of scholarships did do that the system was a failure. If youths attending the public schools succeeded in getting a scholarship, and if they also got all the education they could at our district high schools, he took leave to think that they had got sufficient education to make their way in the world, and to enable them to attain to the very highest positions in life. — (Hear, hear.)

Mr Bqrrie expressed the opinion that it would bo a good thing if some of those who acquired scholarships wore given an opportunity to attend tho Lincoln Agricultural College. The Chairman thought that Mr Green's amendment would meet tha matter at the present time.

Mr MacgPwEGOK said as the board had left the matter over so long it would probably be as well to let it stand over till the next scholarship examination came on. He had no doubt that intending competitors who were now preparing for the examinations would regard any alterations in the regulations at present as an injustice to them ; and if any alterations were to be made they should be made early next year, so that no one could say that they had suffered an injustice. He was not going to enter into the merits of the question, but bis

present view was this : That there might be good and sufficient grounds for the contention expressed in Dr Hislop's motion so far as senior scholarships were concerned— that was to say, that it might be advisable for tho board to consider very carefully whether senior scholarship holders should be in attendance at the Dunedin High Schools during the second and third year. That was a matter with regard to which he had not made up his mind, and ho should like to give it very careful consideration. With regard to giving children from the country an advantage of one year ho would not express an opinion. The step was in the nature of an experiment, and time had not been given to show its results. The fact lhafc children passed the standards in the country schools at a lower age than in the town schools had taken him by surprise, and ho thought there must be some other way of accounting for it. Dr Hislop admitted that there was force in what Mr Macgregor said about tho children who were now preparing for the examination. He was willing to withdraw his motion in the meantime, on tho understanding that the discussion might be opened up again. The motion proposed by Mr Green was then pvt and carried, the Chaiumax intimating thab he would again bring up tho matter early uexfc year.

ST. LEONAUDS SCHOOL

The Chairman said that Mr Hastings, tary of the St. Leonards School, had waited on him, and explained to him that tho committee had been under tho impression that Mr Southwick, of Dimtroon, one of tho board's most deserving teachers, was likely to bo an applicant for the school, but that hy some means or other he had not sent in his application. ■ He was at once communicated with by telegram, and tho reply, which he had just received, was to the effect that he was a candidato for the vacancy. It was now for tho board to say whether at this late hour they would allow Mr Southwick's papers to go to tho committee, or whether a fresh advertisement should not be inserted.

It was proposed — " That Mr Southwick's namo be added to the list of applicants' whose names have been forwarded for St. Leonards."

Mr Clakk said that was irregular, and unfair to other candidates.

After a discussion, the motion was lost, it being understood that if the committee still desired to appoint Mr Southwick they should apply to have a fresh advertisement inserted in the papers re tho vacancy.

GENERAL.

Accouuts amounting to L 5728 0s 6d were passed for payment.

Resolved — " That the board decline' to appoint a committee of its members to visit Waiwera district, as it has no present intention to remove the Waiwera school, but will forward to the committee copies of all correspondence, including the memorials with their signatures."

Mr R\msay gave notice of the following motion :—": — " That a committee, consisting of tho chairman, Messrs Clark, Green, Maogrogor, and the mover, be appointed to propare and submit a set of rules and orders to guide members in the proper conduct of the business of tho board."

The Secretary stated that the Lovell's Flat School Committee were successful in their suit against Mr Bennett, late secretary of that committee, for the recovery of books and documents, the property of tho committee, which he had refused to deliver to his successor.

Wednesday's Business.

At the board's meeting on Wednesday a number of matters were dealt with, of which the following are the most important : — The architect reported that the drainage complained of by the Green Island Committee proceeded from the tanks, and recommended their removal and re-erection at tho end of the playshed. — The rccomrnendation was approved of

Robert Bruce, a trainee of the Training College, applied for leave of absence till the end of the year on account of ill-healtb.— Granted.

Tho Highcliff School Committee recommended the erection of the proposed new school on the sight of tho present building. — . Agreed to.

The Papakaio School Committee' aMced the hoard to recousider their decision of last month relative jto the shifting of tho school to a more central bite. — Declined-.

The Anderson Bay School Committee's applioation for assistance in erecting sheds was decliued.

A deputation from the Pukeiviti School Committee asked that the wishes of the majority of the committee respecting the appointment of a teacher should be given effect to, — The board decided to appoint Mr Randle head teacher of tho school.

The Caversham School Committee asked for a female assistant in the place of Mr Don (promoted), but it was decided that no addition could be made to the staff until the attendance at the school warranted it. , • •