OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 21

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD.

Tho regular meeting of the Otago Education Board commenced on tho 20th, was attended by Messrs D. T. Fleming (chairman), J. Horn, J. Smith, J. Wallace, D. Borne, R. H. Todd, G. Livingstone, J. A. Wilkinson, P. M'Kinlay, and W. 11. Brugh. architect's hecomiendations. The recommendation of the architect to erect new latrines at Mosgiel for infants at a cost of about £250, and to take a portion of residence ground for the purpose was approved. Repairs to buildings at Owaka Valley at an estimated cost of £ls were authorised. In accordance with tho architect's recommendation a grant of £3 was made towards the cost of repairs to fences at Kakapuaka. Tho application from Ratanui for a septic tank was declined in the meantime. _ The Owaka Committee applied for a subsidy on the cost of improvements about the school grounds amounting to over £2O. —It was agreed to grant half-cost of the improvements. Repairs and renovation at the Balclutha teacher's residence at an estimated cost of £75 were approved. The architect's recommendations for improvements to ventilation and repairs to fence at Green Island at an estimated cost of £37 10s wero approved. The board agreed to subsidise the Kakanui Committee up to £7 for asphalting. DEPUTATIONS. A deputation representing residents of the Tahakopa district waited on the board with reference to the proposal to move the school building to the vicinity of the railway station. Mr C. G. Martin wrote on behalf of the farmers and sawmillers of the district protesting against tho proposed removal. He claimed that tho agitation to have it shifted was not bona fide, and that the children at present attending were satisfied. r Xhj9 deputation consisted of Mr Martin and Mr M'Lennan. The matter, MiMartin said, was simply one of shortening the distance for some children and increasing it for others. The settlers wished tho members of the board to go down and inquire into the matter themselves. There was a proposal in hand to open half-a-mile of new road that would bring the Louriston settlement within a mile of the present school. The settlers themselves were prepared to open this road if necessary. Mr M'Lennan said the removal of the school would put it four miles away from him instead of three. The new road mentioned would bring the petitioners for the removal of the school within a mile of it. —The Chairman said that the whole matter would be taken into consideration, and probably several members of the board would visit the district. The Hampden School Committee wrote protesting against the proposal to remove an unused room from the Hampden School to Kartigi. There was also before the board a letter from the Hampden Borough Council protesting against the projected removal,, and appointing the Mayor (MiNicholson) to wait on the board. The council pointed out that residents had subscribed and) worked for years for improvements to the school buildings and grounds. Mr Nicholson wrote explaining that owing to an accident he would be unable to attend. He protested strongly against the removal, saying that it would spoil the appearance of the school, which was one of the beauty spots of Hampden, It was further objected that the proposed removal would reduce the roof space and so interfere with the water supply for the septic tank system.— The board's architect (Mr Roger) said there would be no great difficulty about tho septio tank. No committee had done more for its buildings than the Hampden Committee, but he regretted to see* such a building going to waste when other places urgently needed it. The room had not been used! for any purpose for 10 years. —Mr Livingstone expressed the opinion that it would be a great mistake to shift the school. If they did there would - be a. "great howl out" about it. Land in the vicinity was likely to be broken up for closer settlement. —Mr Murcott (chairman of the Hampden School Committee) and Mr M'William (clerk of the committee) waited on the board to acquaint it with the views of the local committee. Mr Murcott contended that the attendance at tho school was on the increase. If they had a few more children another teacher, and therefore another room, would be required. He referred also to the prospect of the breakingup of estates and closer settlement in the district. Ho contended that the building was far too big for the requirements of Kartigi. In the next few years it would be difficult to get five or 10 children in the Kartigi School. —Mr M'William said he- had been a member of tho Hampden Committee for 25 years, and they never came to the board unless thoy were prepared actively to assist themselves. He suggested that the children at Kartigi should be brought to the Hampdten School, and also that the vacant room at Hampden should be used for cookery classes, so that the children would not require to go to Oamaru.—The Chairman pointed out that to move the room ■ as proposed would save the board a matter of £2OO. Even after it was removed there would! still be accommodation for about 160 children in the Hampden School.— Consideration of the matter was deferred. GENERAL. Mr P. N. Low (Wedderburn). living seven miles away from the nearest school, was granted permission to have his residence regarded as a household school. The Mosgiel Committee wrote expressing disappointment at the board's- action in altering the boundaries of the district. — Received. The committee in charge of the Y.M.C.A. Red Triangle Appeal wrote asking the board's permission to distribute collection lists through the various schools in order to give the children an opportunity of contributing. The headmasters were in hearty sympathy with the scheme.—Permission was granted. On ; the matter of grants for relieving teachers, the Education Department wrote intimating that the capitation would be increased from 6d to 9d_ on the usual average attendance on condition that the board's rules provided for at least one month's full pay followed by one month's half-pay in the case of sickness of all teachers who have been in the eduoation service for five years or more. —Tho secretary' and chairman wero instructed to report on the matter. Tho headmasters of the Arthur Street, North-East Valley ,_ and St. Clair Schools wrote asking permission to use the Pacific geographies. The senior inspector recommended the book.—lt vjas decided to refer tho matter to the Books Committee.

SECOND DAY. The monthly meeting ot die Otago Education Board was continued on Thursday. Xiio following resignations were accepted : John M. Nicolson, board's permanent j relieving teacher; John B. Grant, head master, Tokoiti; Gertrude M. Flannery, ': sole teacher, Chatto Creek; Norman P. j Lory, sole teacher, Hinahina; Edith Butcher, sole teacher, Pukema; *EUa B. HutI ton, solo teacher, St. Bathans; Catherine | M. Teller, first assistant, Blacks; Gladys : -VI. Guy, first assistant, Otekaiko; Harriet : Emily Ash, second assistant, Clyde; Eva M. E. Woolliams, junior assistant. Mos-' I giel District High; Stewart Kinross, pupil . teacher, Green Isiand; Leily M. Lynn, pupil j teacher, Concord ;*May D. Bishop, probai tioner, Stirling. j Appointments were made as follows: — I Ivy B. Laing, sole teacher, Blue Spur, vice jF. W. Footo, promoted; John Buchanan. | Grant,' first assistant, North-East Valley, vice C. W. Ravvlinson, promoted; Harriet i Emily .Ash,, first assistant, Aloeraki, vice | Annie F. Smith, transferred; Elizabeth j Gibb, junior assistant, George street, new I appointment; Eva M. E. Woolliams,. junior assistant, Maori Hill, new appointment; Maria M. M'Cailum, junior assistant, Poi - t j Chalmers, vice Elizabeth Maclean, resigned; Catherine M. Telfer, junior assistant, St. Clair, new appointment; Lily D. Robertson, J first assistant, Kia-ora, vice Margaret A. j Wilson, entered Training College; Sydney i H. George, temporary woodwork instructor,' j vice W. C. Wakelin, on active service. ! The truant officer reported that the numbers on the rolls were well up to the numbers at the close of 1917. Over 1000 city and suburban pupils had moved fqom , their respective schools to other schools since the Christmas vacation. I The secretary reported that there wero ! 103 relieving teachers on duty, and 11 teachers were on sick leave: —Elizabeth J. it it'. Arthur Street; Hariett E. Ash, Clyde; Florence A. Widdowson, Hampden; Georgina Charlton, Hillend; Emma L. Kilpatrick, Kaitangata; Mrs Williamson, Kartigi; Mary Brown, Lawrence; Victoria R. Davie, Macandrew Road; Geo. _P. Graham, Mosgiel; Mrs M'Gregor, Pukciwitahi; Margaret L. M'Millan, Waitahuna. j The architect was instructed to provido forms round the Kensington playground, and the board decided to pay third-cost of top-dressing the ground. 1 The Advisory Committee of the Normal School reported that the roll-number was 470 in the main school, 40 in Model I and 40 in Model 11. Before the school opened 30 applications had been received for admission as first year pupils, and as 40 of last year's pupils had returned the limit of 55 had been considerably passed. A j few would bo leaving as soon as employI ment offered. The pupils of the school had 1 gained five Junior National Scholarships, four Senior National Scholarships, 17 pupils passed the public service entrance examination (nine in the credit list, six among the first nine in Dunedin), five passed the > matriculation examination. • and two gained a partial pass, and one gained a credit pass , in the University scholarship examination. — The report was received, and Mr M'Elrea and the staff were congratulated on the success achieved in the public examinations. ! The senior inspector (Mr Fleming) pre* sented a return of thfc successes of the | pupils at the District High Schools of Otago at the following examinations, held in 1017: : Candidates. Successful. ] Matriculation ... 40 29 Public Service ... 57 43 Senior Scholarship 18 11 ! The report continued: " From this it will ; be seen that 72 per cent, of the candidates were successful in gaining complete or partial pass in matriculation, only 28 per cent, failing as against over 50 per cent, of failures throughout the dominion. In the public service examination 75 per cent, were successful. At the senior scholarship examination over 61 per cent gained scholarships. But few of the candidates for matriculation had been in the Secondary Department more than three years, having thus accomplished the four years' course : in that time. One of the public service ! candidates was second/ in the dominion, I and five gained places within the first 30, I while one candidate was placed 20th in tha credit, list of the University scholarship examination." The Chairman said the report showed a very satisfactory position. - As far as edu- | cation was concerned Otago was still holding I its own. Ho moved that the report be I received and that the board express satisI faction with the results disclosed.—The motion was carried. ! The board gave further consideration to the wrotost of the Hampden School Committee against the removal of the unused ' room to Kartigi.—Mr Borric moved, "That I' the motion passed at the last meeting, for ! the removal of the room at Hampden, . be rescinded in order that the board_ may further discuss the matter."—Mr Livingstone seconded the motion. —Mr M'Kinlay said the Hampden people had not established any claim for the retention of the room.—lt was resolved that the board visit , the district and inspect the position. A return was laid on the table showing that during the past five years there had been 27 nupil teachers and probationers in. the service as teachers who had not gone through the Training College. In regard to the proposal to remove the ( Tahakopa School, it was decided to take no further action in the meantime. It was decided to re-advertise the position of first assistant at Anderson Bay at the j scale rate, and to inform the committee ! of the reasons for having invited applications at a lower rate. The Education Department wrote intimating that the capitation grant to relieving teachers, in the event of the sickness of a ! teacher,' would be increased from 6d to j 9d on the usual average attendance on ' condition that the board's-rules provided for at least one month's full pay followed by onemonth's half-pay, in the case of all teachers who have been in the education service for. five years or more.—lt was resolved to alter rule 58 in accordance with the request of ! the department. j A letter was received from the Director of Education, approving of the board's list | of salaries of temporary teachers, except | in two case 3, in which it was suggested i that salaries of £ISO-£lßo without deduc- . j tion would be appropriate.—Mr Br ugh I moved: "That this board, in acknowledgj ing the receipt of the list of approved salaries, notices with regret that the Minister had seen fit to reduce the salaries ! proposed to be paid by this board for j various temporary positions. It wishes to ! enter an emphatic protest against this : policy, as it oonsiders that the scale should not be departed from, for the reason that

such a course is not only unfair but has proved itself to bo unworkable.''—Mr Wallace seconded the. motion, and said the Minister should be forcibly reminded on every possible occasion that the board was very much opposed to the system. —Several other speakers protested against the action of thedepartment in cutting down the salaries. — The motion was carried. The tender of T. G. Podlow, for £264, for the erection of a school building at Tuapeka Flat, was accepted.