OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3114, 19 November 1913, Page 4

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Education Board was commenced on the 12th hist.; present, Messrs Mitchell (chairman), Borrie, M'Kerrow, Israel, Smith, Fleming, MTvinlay, and the Hon. T. Fergus. The architect’s report was adopted in committee. APPLICATIONS. Applications for repairs and improvements to school buildings were dealt with as follows; Duntroon : Painting and papering interior of school residence.—Referred to architect. Livingstone: Teacher applied for the renovation of' interior of residence.—Referred to architect. Otokia: Committee urged that necessary repairs to residence be carried out. —Keferrod to architect. Portobcllo: Teacher asked that three back rooms of residence be renovated, and that drainage be improved.—Agreed to. Moray Place: Committee asked that the board put asphalt of playground in order at once, the committee undertaking to meet part of the cost later on; and that the board remove tho partition between two of the rooms on tho east side of school and replace it with a moveable partition so as to provide a large assembly room. —Agreed to.

Tho George Street Committee intimated that it was now prepared to finance tho establishment of a heating system at the school, and asked that tho work be carried out by the board, and be ready by next April. —It was decided that the board should carry out the work at once. Totara: Committee renewed its application for tho erection of an additional room at the school. —Application to department to be renewed. Portobcllo: Library Committee asked for 10 or 10 feet of old shelter shed to bo fixed on to tho end of the library building. Also that the board carry out this work.— Permission granted to committee to do the work itself. Taieri Beach : Committee asked for painting of interior of school. —Agreed to. Maori Hill: Committee asked for increased accommodation for infant classes. — Consideration deferred. The Outram Committee wrote intimating that it had no funds to meet the half cost of fencing, and asking the board to pay the whole cost—£4o. —Consideration deferred. GENERAL. The Education Department intimated that the Minister was unable to make a grant for the enlargement of the teacher’s residence at Waiwera, owing to its age. —It was decided to sell both school and residence.

| The department also intimated that as the i teacher at Waipiata had no difficulty at present in finding accommodation the Minister would be glad to postpone the question of providing a residence. —Noted. ) The Education Department wrote asking ‘ if the board had considered the cost of a school at Concord according to the plans forwarded by the department in May.—The Secretary stated that ho had replied stating that tlio board had considered the plans submitted, hut had preferred the plans of its own architect. —The secretary’s action was approved. i An application was received from residents at Otanomomo, for the establishment iof a school there. There were 32 children i in the district, 31 of them being of school age. Sixteen were at present on the rolls of other schools. —Referred to the inspector for a report. I After consideration of further corrcspondI cnee from the clerk of the committee and | Mr M‘Lean, as to the question of the school ! site at Nevis, the board decided to adhere 1 to its previous resolution to place the school ; on a site on the Crown lands. | Mr Borne moved and the ITon. T. Fergus ■ seconded:—“ That before a teacher from i another education district be appointed to n I permanent position und°r the hoard the i teacher must show that he is a contributor i to the Teachers’ Superannuation Fund.— ■ ’Hie motion was carried. SECOND DAY. The ordinary meeting of the Otago Edu- | cation Board was continued on Thursday I morning, Mr J. Mitchell presiding over a | full attendance. j Accounts amounting to £13,475 18s 5d wore | passed for payment. RESIGNATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS. The following resignation was accepted: — Christina Kirk, junior assistant, Clinton. The following appointments were made: — Miss V. Elder, fourth a6.sista.nt. Balclutha, vice E. C. Gown (promoted); Miss Christina Kirk, fifth assistant, Green Island, vice E. K. Botting (promoted); Elizabeth O. Henderson, assistant, Normal. vice_ E. H. Firth (transferred); Abigail Monfrics, sole teacher, Table Hill, vice Mrs Vlietstra (resigned). APPLICATIONS. The following applications were dealt with ; Kahuika.—Committee asked for half cost of repairs to school fences and papering of walls of residence (estimate of cost not available).—Full cost of papering granted and half cost of fences. Portobollo. —Application for cost. of trimming hedges at school ground (£s). Half cost granted.

Eairfax. —Committee intimated that it was unable to contribute half cost of topping trees at teacher’s residence, and asked for full cost (£4). —Agreed, to. Dunrobin.—Committee asked for grant of £lO for new fence round school ground.— Agreed to. Broad Baj-.—Committee asked that culvert in school ground which had_ fallen in and was very dangerous bo repaired, also that drain through grounds be piped (the adjoining owner will do his part and Road Board will continue the pipe line to the beach). — Work to be done.

Mornington.—School Committee asked that a retiring room for the teachers (12 in number) be provided.—Referred to architect for report. The Palmerston School Committee asked that an office for the head master be provided. —Referred to architect for report. Arthurton. —School Committee asked permission to have the floor of the school room levelled (at its own expense). Inspector recommended that request be acceded to. — Agreed to, subject to architect’s approval. COMPREHENSIVE REMITS. The Auckland Education Board wrote forwarding a number of remits from its October meeting and dealing with the questions of teachers’ salaries, staffing of schools, dominion scheme of promotion of teachers, teaching colleges. Labour laws, visits of teachers to other countries, observation schools, training of unoertificated teachers, and asked the Otago Board’s co-operation in having these resolutions given effect to. The board was also asked if it was in favour of a conference of representatives of Education Boards in Auckland in January.

With regard to the last question the following resolution was carried on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr Borrie; “ That this board is not conscious of any matter calling for the consideration of Education Boards in conference, and is not therefore favourable to incurring the trouble and cost of calling the representatives together.” The remits from the northern board were dealt with in a memorandum from Chief Inspector Richardson, which ran as follows:—‘‘The matters referred to in connection with salaries are now receiving the attention of the Minister, and legislation has been introduced to deal with them. Staffing of schools: The trouble which the Auckland Board refers to in connection with rising averages is not acutely felt in this district. While it might be desirable for boards to have some discretionary power in urgent cases, the granting of a general power would be in direct opposition to the uniform staffing now adopted bv the department. Dominion scheme of grading and promotion: The present system of classifying teachers is a dominion scheme of grading, for a teacher’s classification, is at present fixed by literary qualification, length of service, and marks allotted by inspectors. If the latter’s marks are properly awarded the present system of grading should enable boards to judge a teacher’s qualifications so far as teaching skill is concerned. Technical College students and Labour laws: The proposal under this heading affects students in technical schools, and is a. matter for the consideration of technical school managers rather than for the board. While it may bo desirable, to recognise some of the time spent in a technical college course as part of an apprenticeship. I am of opinion tht the proposal to cut down an apprenticeship by two years is not reasonable. Visits of teachers to other centres: The proposal outlined under this heading is one worthy of hearty support, but the interests of the service would bo best served by extending the privilege sought to officers in every branch of the service. The Auckland proposals confine it to teachers. Observation schools: The board has already declined to support a similar proposal forwarded by the Taranaki Board. Training of inexperienced and uncertificatcd teachers by extending operations of training colleges: The department is now doing a great deal to assist uncertificatcd teachers in obtaining certificates. The- present dearth of certificated teachers is only a temporary thing duo to causes which are not now so strongly operative os they were a few years back. Steps have recently been taken by the department to increase the output of the training colleges by about 25 per cent., and in the course of three or four years the present unsatisfactory state of affairs will be considerably improved. Under such circumstances I am very strongly of opinion that it would be a great mistake to hamper the work of the training colleges by admitting to them a considerable body of students with educational qualifications very much inferior to those possessed by present students.” GENERAL. In regard to Christmas holidays for schools, the secretary drew attention to the fact that schools reassembling on the latest date allowed by regulation No. 40 —namely, Monday. February 2—must close not earlier than Friday. December 19 (holidays for special purposes excepted).—This was noted. The Principal of (ho Training College recommended that the college bo closed for the year on Wednesday. December 10, and that some members of the board be present.—This was agreed to.