OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 12

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board, held on Wednesday, was attended by Mr W. Snow (chairman), the Rev. P. B. Fiaser, Messrs D. Borrie, \Y. N.colson, J. Sim, .1 Mitchell, R. Peattie, ar.d A. Marshall.

ELECTIOX OF CH\IRM\X.

On members taking their scats at the table, tho Secretary took tho chair, and cal'ed for nominations for chairman.

The Rev. P. B. Fra~er: I beg to propose Mr Mitchell I think he has done a good deal of work on the board, and I have much pleasure in proposing him.

Mr Mitchell : lam much obliged to Mr Fi aser for the complinvent he f-ug,ge^t=, but, as members kuow, lam a preity lju c y man, and it 13 not quite e'ear whether I would be able to discharge the duties of the office, particularly in reference to tho Selection Committee. I would therefore very respectfully decline the honour. Mr Fraser himself ought to have another term of office, more particularly for the reason that during the year he has taken on his own motion the initiatory step towards carrying out a very considerable work in Dunedin, and I should like to see him have the honour of carrying it to completion. I refer to the erection of a building to combine the Training College, Technical School, and School of Art. I move — " That Mr Fraser be reappcinted chairman."

Mr W. Nicolson : I was under the impression Mr Snow would stand.

Mr D. Borrie: I was. going to propose Mr Snow.

Mr Snow: I cam© into town to-day with the impression that it would be well to re-elect Mr Fraser, and I quite agree with Mr Mitchell's remerts The work done last year by Mr Fraser met with my approval, but if it is the wish of the majority of the board that there should be a change, I will not shirk the responsibility. I sincerely hope Mr Fra&er will assist me in carrying out the duties, as I look on him as a valuable auxiliary to the board. The Rev Mr Fra&er said he would have very much pleasure in withdrawing in favour of Mr Snow if he would consent to stand. Mr Boirie: I have very much pleasure in proposing Mr Snow as. chairman.

Mr Mitchell remarked that by r>s?ht of se-nioritv the position \va« Mr Snow's, and h-» would be \c-ry ha-ppy to see Mr Snow in the chair.

Mr J Sim. I second Mr Snow's iioniina tion.

The Secretary: Thp mo*ion before the n»e»Ungf is " That Mr Snow be appointed chairman." All in favour gay "Aye."

The vote vra* unanimous and Mr Snow was drrlar«Hl elected.

Mr Snow, in reply. =aid : A* I "aid before, I shall call on Mr Fraser very often to a«i«t me. I am not an expert in thes? thmg«. With the assistance of members I hope to get the busin/'f-s through aa quietly and effectively as po<=ib'.e.

HItS H^jr^TT THE KIXO

The Chairman moved — " That thi- board takes this, its fii»t opportumtr, to record ii f s thankfulness for the restoration to health of hi* Majesty King Edward VII. and it 3 satisfaction at tho successful completion of the ceremony of Coronation, and to express anew its loyalty to his pcii-on."

Mr Peattie seeouded the motion, which was put and earned by members standing:

IMPROVEMENTS AND BF.PAIBK

The board granted half the cost of sundry improvements and repan-3 as folloivs • — Diinrohin. euttins tree*. £1 10-. : Gree-n I-land, appbaltingr, £5 4s; Island Cliff, alterations to closets, ftp , £4 ; Kartici. nn^e. £2 Ls<! ; Tuapoka Flat, repairs to building, £1 If 6d.

PROPOSED SCHOOL FOP. M\ORI HILL

Mr .T Shrianpton and aboLrt 60 other resi I dents of Maori Hill petitioned for a school in the borough on the ground that th^r children had to go long distances to thp town schools or to Kaikorai. the latter being overcrowded. The petitioners asked tliat pro'-iwon phould be made with thp least pebble delay for tlie wi'hdrawal of their children from the Kaikorai School, not that tiiere was any objection to the teaching, but ' srmnlv on hvpenic and sanitary g;roiird*. I Chief Inspector Goypn in iepoitin(£ on this petition, stated that with resDfct to the j distance Maori Hill children had to travel, i all the petitioners lived between the (George Street and the Kaikorai School. The two pr-i oo's T.-crp under a nr.ile and a h?lf afarr. and thoy had excellent footpaths pa pry where between them. A now school was certainly not wanted on this ground As to | the second reason, it must be admitted that ' there v;a.« overcrowding in Standards 111 a'ld IV. Kaikcai School, p-r.d this raised the rmo-t'on nhciher the e«ta'nhr=^mPnt of a school at Maori Hill would relieve the Qver<a-owdji£ Of the- children reoieaea'-ed

in the petit.on, 94 attended the Kaikorai School and 28 the George Street School. The rest, so far a-, he could i-sccitain, were not attending any school. Of the 34- attending Kaikorai, 1+ were in Standard IV, a class of 107 pupils, asid 17 were in Standard 111, a class of 92 pupils. It was, ho thought, certain that a large proportion of these would continue to attend the Kaikorai School, for tJiey lived about midway between the school and the place unoa which it »as propo-cd to build a now school : therefore a school at Maori Hill would not provide adequata relief for the congested classes in the Kaikorai Srliool. E\e« if all the children represented in the pe-tition were to attend it, the Fourth Standard at the Kaikorai School would still be a c'nss of 93 pnnile, a number greatly too large fop one teach* r and one roam As he had Tittle doubt that from 20 to 40 of the 91 children referred to \rou 1 d continue to attend the Kaikorai Sihool, he was of opinion that the main pnmo'o for which a new school should bo built, if built at all. would not be achieved by a school at Maori Hill. It was his judgment that a school should not be btnlt bptween the George Street and the Kaikorai School.

The Rev Mr Fra-ser said that the Kaikorai School was certainly overcrowded to an extent which should not be allowed

The Secretary pointed out that the number of children attending the school was considerably smaller now than it wa3 some timfe aeo

Mr Mitchell remarked that the report was not in pcccrdar.ee with the view taken, by members when they vi&ited tlie district. It was dpeided^to refer the chief inspector's report to the petitioners.

GEXEHAL

The Ravensbourne Committee wrote asking for an additional window in the infant room ; estimated co?t £I?.— Ccmsideratian deferred.

The North East Harbour Committee wrote asking for tho <=choo' to bo enlarged, and it was decidiKl to agree to the request. The Architect reported on the Fairfax Committee's petition for a new pchoo!, and stated that if certain repairs were cnried out the ?( hool would last for seven or eight years mo.'c --Adopted. The Cromwell Committee wrote askmg t',e board to =tate its reasons for declining to comri!"ito to tho cost of repairing a wall. — Roc<Mved.

Mr Mil, of Ahuriri. wrote effennz £5 for damage done to bu<h on the srliool giebo. — It was decided to accept. t)>- offer. CoiwidTation of a letter f-oin Professor Scott, recommending Mi-.s Bel! for an appointment in the School of Art, was deferrpd

The Kortli Otago Committee wrote ask uig far tla=SPs for tpchnical instiuc f ion to bo est.iblishcxl at Oamani. — Referred to inspectors to report in connocticn with a scheme for tlie distribution of the grant for technical instruction.

The Teacher at Springvale wrote asking for a reiu allowance — Declinc-d, there being no piovibion m the act for alloying the same

The Owaka Committee wiote a=Ling for a new teacher's reaidraico — Rocelvwl.

MILITARY DRILL IN *,rnOOL^

The Sf-crctarv to tlie Education Dftpartnipnt wrote asking to he supplied with a list of teachers in tho 'fhooU competent to drill the boy,- in their rp«ncctivc schools —It was ciec-ided to reply that ncarh all the board's teachers could do the work, and that there wa<* scarcely a school in which drill wa=? not taught.

Mr Hog ben alto wrotp asking the board to hive one or two suitable centiva w^ere '"dull c'.n^o- " for the instruction of leachcn could Ite held.

Mr Mitche l ! moved— " T'i;at ihe department be- informed that c!a-se~ oaai be held at Dunedin. Oamara, and Balrlutha. a.nd the board respectfully suege^ts that as military drill n frequently changed, an up-to-dite instructor should he pro< u'.cd by the de partmpnt."

Mr Borrie seconded the. n>oLon. which was put and earned

The board then went ir.fo oc.mrr.iUPe to deal with the Selection CornntieeV report

The Education Board rcsurr^d on Thursday jporaing at 11, Mr W Stow presiding, and the folio .ting mcmVrs bein^ present . The Rev. P B. Fraser. Meiers D Bct-We. J Sim, W. NicoUon, E. Peattie, J. Mitchell, and A j Marshall. i

APrOIKTIirjCTS AXD BESIG3.-\TIOXs

ADpointments were confirmed o= follows J D Burnard, haad teacher. Bald Hill, vice Ku'iter! transferred; Janet Paterson, head teacher, Scuthbridge. \ico D. Steel, transferred; Janp C. Scctt. head teacher, Tarara, '.ice Jesoie Patei'soD, promoted; Emma. C.

Tempero, mistress, Roxburgh, rice Mrs Little, promoted ; Catherine P. Wain, mistress, Tapanui, vice E. M'Laren, left the service; W. Renton, first assistant, Tapanui, new appointment ; Jane Robertson, fourth: af-Sk'tant, Kaitaj.gata, vice Ksam, proaioied; L. F. Jones, thivd assistant, Green Island, vice M'Leod, rcs:gncd ; Tanzie H. Brownie©, fourth assistant, 'lamaru North, vice Allen, promoted.

eesk;xatioxs,

The board accepted the resignations of tho following teacher^ : — J. D. Burnard, head teacher, Tain-i B^acJi ; Jane Robertson, head teacher, Rae's Junction ; Jane C. Scctt. head teacher, Luggate ; Tanzie H". Browulce, head fachcr, I=land Cliff; Jane Clark, luad teacher, Tokarahi ; A. Greaves, mistress, Waipori Lake; C. D Main, mistress, Milburn ; Evelyn MAdam, mistress, Strath-Taieri ; James Mc-thven, B A., first assistant, Kensington.

SETTTXG CF COITIIITrEES

The following committees were set iro for the y£ar: — Selection Committee — the Chairman, tbe Rp\\ P. B. Fraser, Mr Boirie, and Mr Sim ; Reports Committee — the Chairman and Messrs Nicolson, Marshall, Peattie, Mitchell, and Fraser; Accounts Committee — Messrs Peattio and Marshall (re-elect<-d) ; Normal School Committee — the whole* board, two members to be appointed a Visiting Committee each month.

THE TEACHING OF BETViyo

Mr Peattie moved — "That seeing it has been said in Parliament, in answer to a question, that there had been no clefini+o representation to the Government from the boards on the mntter of providing for the teaching of sewing in school under the charge of sole male teachers, this board do now make specific application for allowance for the paid purpose, pointing out that this board has several such schools under it." Mr X'Volson s^cond°d the motion, which was agreed to, and the board then rose.