EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 4

EDUCATION BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board was held on the 16th; preseiit — Messrs G. C. Israel (chairman), J. Smith, J. Wallace, D. Borrie, P. M‘Kinlay, J. Mitchell, D. T Fleming, and A. M'Kerrow. Leave of absence was given to-- Mr \V. Scott for three months on account of illhealth. MOTHEHCHAFT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. A deputation from the Society for the Promotion o? the Health of Women and Children waited on the board to urge that permission be given for Plunkct nurses to give lectures in public schools. Dr Truby King introduced the deputation, which consisted of Mrs Carr and Mrs M‘George. Dr Truby King, who spoke for. half an hour, said that what they wanted was that a nurse should be allowed to speak to the girls in the schools on a few occasions on the care of infants —food, dressing, and so on. A baby could bo taken to the school to make the lecture interesting. The proposal was one that would not cost anything to the board. • The society would give every help in solving a problem that it felt was one of importance to the race, and especially important at this time, when women and children, and the fitness of the race, must be a matter of earnest solicitude on' the part of everyone Mrs Carr shortly addressed the board. The origin of the deputation was a letter from Nurse Chappell in Otago Central, who had been giving classes to die children in the Fifth and Sixth Standards of the schools there, which now, she understood, was not sanctioned by the board. Mrs Carr produced testimonials from teachers in the district expressing to Nurse Chappell their sense of the good work done. Mr Wallace said the board bad merely refused to allow the nurse to hold the classes during school hours. Would the society be prepared to give the lectures after school hours?

Dr Truby King said the society' would meet the board in any way. The Chairman said the board was in sympathy with the society’s aims and aspirations. and would talk the matter over and try to arrange something to meet the wishes of the deputation. The board had to cover a large syllabus already. Dr Truby King said he did not desire to add to it —quite the contrary—as the pupils would not be wearied by the lessons given to them. Mr Mitchell asked if it would bo possible to arrange an itinerary so that the lectures might be given at various centres. Dr Truby King said it would. After the deputation had retired, the board decided to consider the matter this morning. PRIVATE SCHOOLS. The Director of Education, Wellington, wrote stating that sections 132 and 133 ol the Act of 1914 provided for the inspection and registration of private schools, and it seemed desirable that the attention of the teachers and managers of such schools should be called to these sections, and also to sections 59 and 61, which required attendance at registered schools of all children between 7 and 14, unless certificates of exemption were obtained. Some boards had already advised the managers of all private schools in their districts to apply for registration to- the Director of Education, and the department suggested that the other boards should follow their example. In this conn, etion the department would be glad to receive a list of the private schools in the Otago district, and for the future to receive advice whenever registered schools were closed or new private schools opened. Tho inspectors were being asked to inspect and report on all private schools from which applications for registration were received, and as it was proposed to publish in tho Gazette later in the year a list of all private schools reported as efficient and registered under the provisions of section 133 of tho Act, it was desirable the inspection should be arranged for as soon as possible. It was resolved to comply with the request. GENERAL. It was resolved to grant applications for repairs and improvements at Mount Stuart, Macraes, Moeraki, Glenkcnich, TaJiora, Hooper’s Inlet, Waitahuna Gully, Weatherstones, and Lawrence. Tho Tokarahi Committee asked to be allowed to remove at its own expense the partition and chimney in the residence portion of tho school building, to provide a large class room, and guaranteed to have tho work done to the architect’s satisfaction. The committee also asked for the erection of a residence for tho head teacher.—Referred to tho architect for a report. It was resolved to enlarge tho openings in tho walls of tho tower in tho George Street School to allow tho sound of the boll to bo hoard over tho playground, at a cost of £ls,

It was decided to connect the janitor’s residence at Forbury with the sewer, and to carry out other works at a cost of £42. The Kakanui Committee applied for halfcost of disinfectant apparatus.—Declined. Miss M‘Lood wrote asking that the erection of a now residence at Otokia be proceeded with. —Left in the hands of the architect. SECOND DAY. The regular meeting of the Otago Education Board was concluded on Thursday morning ; present—Messrs G. O'. Israel (chairman), D. Borrie. A. MTverrow, J. Wallace, J. Smith, P. MTvinlay, J. Mitchell, and D. T. Fleming. The following resignations were accepted;—Elizabeth 0. Oowie, junior assistant, Forbury; Eliza Marshall (Mrs), sole teacher, Waianakarua; A. J. Ferguson, secondary assistant, Tbkomairiro; Elsie S. Littlejohn, junior assistant, Tbkomairiro; Marie J. Lyders, fourth assistant, St. Clair; T'hos. F. O'Connell, sole teacher, Chaslands and Tautuku; Oscar C. Smith, sole teacher, Ida Valley; Cyril M. T. Hastings, probationer, Kensington; Kathleen H. Mooney, sole teacher, Pounawea. The following appointments were made: — Elsie S. Littlejohn, third assistant, Tokomairiro, vice J. Manson, transferred; J. M. Campbell (Mrs), solo teacher,, Waipiata, vice M. Kay, transferred; Elizabeth C. Cowic, seventh assistant, Albany street, vice C. Livingston, promoted; Grace I. Taylor, second. assistant, Stirling, vice J. A. Duncan, promoted; Rachel I. Bennett, first assistant, Benhar, vice M. F. Doak, transferred; Donald Munro, sole teacher, Luggate, vice F. L. Tizard, resigned; Nellie M‘Kenzie, first assistant, Dunback, vice I. Crawford, resigned; G. E. de Lambert, third assistant, Oamaru Middle, vice M. J. Wilding, promoted; Bertha Luke, seventh assistant, Arthur Street, vice G. E. do Lambert, promoted. Accounts amounting to £13,263 19s 2d were passed for payment. , Messrs Jas. H. Bargisonvj( Palm era ton District High School), and Robert W. S. Dotting (Lawrence District High School) wrote notifying that they had been accepted for military service. Leave of absence was granted. It was mentioned that to date 33 Otago teachers had been accepted for active service.

It was agreed to appoint Messrs Iverson and George Fraser to complete the school committee at Earn sole ugh. The board passed a motion expressing sympathy with the Hon. Jas. Allen (Minister of Education) in the death of his son at the Dardanelles; also with New Zealand parents and relatives who had lost members of their families at the front; and more particularly with those parents and relatives resident in Otago. At the previous day’s meeting a deputation from the Society for the Protection of the Health of Women and Children had waited upon the board asking permission for selected nurses to give periodical demonstrations in the State schools. —It was now resolved to refer the matter to the inspectors to report as to the feasibility of such a movement.

A deputation consisting of the Rev. F. T. Read and Mr G. C. Macdonald, representing the Macandrcw Road School Committee, waited upon the boar-d, urging that increased school accommodation be made. At the present time there were 678 pupils, and only five standard rooms for the six standards. The result was that the upper standards were woefully crowded, and had insufficient ventilation. —Consideration deferred until the Chief Inspector bad made his visit to the school.

Messrs A. G. Bailey and W. H. Falloon having resigned their positions as members of the Ngapara School Committee, it was decided to hold a fresh election.