OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 5

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

Th>* monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board was begun on Thursday; present —Messrs J. Wallace (chairman), J. Horn. M.P., R. H. Todd. W. IT Brugh. J. H. Wilkinson, P. M'Kinlay, and the Hon. D. T. Fleming. APPLICATIONS FOR SUBSIDY. The application of the Lauder committee for a subsidy ot £l4 for gravelling was granted. That of the Maheno committee for.£B for gymnastic apparatus was declined. ARCHITECTS RECOMMENDATIONS. The recommendations of the architect regarding applications for repairs, improvements, etc., were dealt with as follow : Consideration ol the application by the head master at Allanton tor extension of pipe drain from house was deferred tiil the end of the year. The architect was instructed to report upon the application by the head master at Blacks for renovation of his residence. The architect’s recommendation that the fence round the residence property at Clyde be repaired at a slight cost was adopted. The matter of tile sale of the teacher’s residence at Pukeuri and the question of whether the stable was purchased with,the other buildings, will be inquired into next week and reported on. —The architect’s recommendation that the fence between the school and residence grounds be repaired was adopted. SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REQUIREMENTS. The application of the Kartigi committee for 50 yards "Of netting for school garden was granted, and the matter of a subsidy for trimming macroearpa hedge around the school gruouds was referred to the architect for report. The application of the Karitane committee for painting and renovation of school buildings was referred to the architect for report. Permission was accorded to the Kaikorai committee to erect a memorial arch on the Tyne street entrance to the school. The application of the Owaka committee for £5 16s 6d for new fence on school ground was referred to a sub committee for report. —It was decided to apply to iho Education Department for a subsidy of £9O required to complete the erection of a detached class room, the committee promising to raise £7O locally. The Teacher at Tuapeka Elat stated that the tenant of the glebe was complaining about the state of the fences; but, as it appeared that the obligation of keeping the fences in repair devolved upon the tenant, it was resolved to request him to make the necessary repairs. The application of the residents of Tautuku for the reopening of the school there was referred to the inspectors for report. ACCIDENT INSURANCE. The Education Department intimated that boards should not pay insurance companies large sums for the insurance of teachers and pupils against accident. The cost would come ultimately upon the Consolidated Fund, and would be much greater in the long run than the annual amounts of compensation.—The Secretary reported that, in reply to the department’s request, he had supplied information regarding the policies and premiums paid by the board. It was at present costing the board £44- a year. — The Chairman: That is to insure about 20.000 children.—Mr Horn : It is cheap.—ln reply to a question, the Chairman said the board had had one claim, but the amount had not yet been fixed. This was the third year they had had their children insured. DE PARTMENTAL J O URN AL. The department intimated that it had decided to issue monthly a small periodical for the purpose of conveying directly to teachers information regarding tne syllabus of instruction, public examinations, amendments to and interpretation of regulations, and the like. Articles on secondary and technical education, physical instruction, and the principles and methods of teaching would also be inserted as opportunity occurred. One of the most important functions of tiie paper would, however, be to notiiy the vacancies that occurred in the teaming stalls of the various districts, ’ihe department proposed: (1) That vacancies be advertised in at least one newspaper in the district, and also in the department's official periodical ; (2) that all boards meet as near as possible to the third Wednesday in each month; (3) that notifications of j vacancies be forwarded to the department immediately after the board’s meetings, and without waiting for the formal consultation with the school committees; (4) that the issue ot the periodical follow as closely as possible after the third Wednesday oi the mouth, and that one or more copies be immediately despatched to each school. The chairman remarked that from the department’s point of view it might be necessary to advertise these vacancies in the journal, but the advantage to the board was not so apparent. It seemed to be an endeavour to further curtail the power of committees, and he thought the board should op]lose it. It was part of the tendency towards centralisation.— Oil the motion of the Hon. D. T. Fleming it was decided to decline to supply the information regarding vacancies untii the vacancies occurred. —Mr Fleming said the proposal tended towards the creation of a special department with a "head” with a big salary. SPECIAL CLASSES FOR THE DEAF. Intimation was received that M iss 11. 1. Irwin was to take charge of the special class for deaf children at Burns Hall, Miss Reid (present teacher) having to return to Sumner. —The chairman said that from 30 to 40 children with defective speech were attending this school during the afternoons. Most satisfactory progress was being made. From September 1 it had been arranged to hold a class on Wednesday nights for adults. I■ N DESIR A BLE TEACHER 8. The New Zealand Educational Institute wrote stating tiiat it had had brought to its notice cases of admissiin to the teaching service of persons of undesirable character. The institute suggested to the board that, before a stranger was taken into ihe service, evidence as to his character and fitness should be required, even if employment had to lie refused for lack of it. — The Chairman said that, so far as this board was concerned, it always required a confidential report before employing a stranger, lie admitted that some teachers, whether specially employed or entrants through the ordinary channels, proved unsatisfactory, but the same thing occurred in all other callings. —lt was decided to reply to the institute that the board always exercised due care in its appointments.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS. In committee it was decided to appoint Air Buchan as secondary assistant at lapanui, and on being reported in open meeting, the decision was confirmed. SECOND DAY. The meeting of the Otago Education Board, continued on Friday, was attended by Messrs J. Wallace (chairman), J. Horn, M.P., J. Smith, W. B. Brugh. K. il. Todd, G. Livingstone, J. H. Y ilkmson, and the Hon. D. T. Fleming. _ Accounts amounting to £27,3-2 2s 5d were passed for payment. The truant officer, in his monthly report stated that a good deal of sickness had prevailed, and this had affected attendances considerably. It was reported that teachers were absent on sick leave. RESIGNATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS. The following resignations were accepted: David W. M. Burn, head teacher, Glenoroaru; Llewellyn \\ cods, head teacner, Moeraki; Fanny Ilubhard, solo teacher, Pukeiwitahi; Annie I). Fraser, sole teacher, Puketi; Irene Taylor, sole teacher, Ida Valley; Margaret G. Peddle, mistress, Bannockburn: Mary A. M'Coll, mistress, Waikoikoi; Louisa M. M'Callum, assistant, Normal; Mary F. Doak. assistant. Oamaru 'North; Jossie 11. M’Leah, assistant, Cromwell; Olive M. Watson, assistant, Otepopo; Bessie L. T. Latta, assistant, High Street; Elizabeth A. Macdonald, assistant, Green Island. The following appointments were made: Jessie G. M'Milan, sole teacher, Bluespur, vice M. IVallace, promoted; Grace I. Taylor, sole teacher, Ngapuna, vice R. Wix, promoted; Leo. O’Rluliivan, sole teacher, Puketiro. vice E. L. Rowe, resigned; Louisa M. M'Callum, mistress, Moray place, vice Margaret T. O. Ford, promoted ; Sarah J. C. Alexander, mistress, Milburn. vice J. M'Caughern, promoted; Jessie H. MT.ean, mistress, Otakou, vice L. Weaver, resigned; Alary Al'Coll, mistress, Owaka, vice A. AI. Fleming, resigned; Margaret G. Peddie, mistress, Tuapeka Mouth, vice A. V* 7 . Hodges, resigned; Margaret Herd, mistress, Waitakepa, new appointment; Linda G. Lynn, assistant, Clyde, vice Lilian Young, promoted; Shiela Maclean, assistant, Duntroou, vide new appointment; Alary \\'. Boland assistant, Ivurow. vide new appointment; Fanny Hubbard, assistant, Alacandrew Road, vice F. Allan, promoted; Olive AYatson, assistant, Alaheno, vice I. W. Mason, promoted; David W. AI. Burn, second assistant, Palmerston, vice Lily G. Hale, resigned. REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS. The architect’s recommendation for the supply of a concrete pipe tank at Berwick was approved. The architect’s recommendation for providing increased accommodation at Brighton School were approved, and it was decided to apply to the department for a grant. Ihe architect’s recommendations for improvement at Broad Bay were approved. The request from Otiake for fence repairs was referred to the architect to report. The request from Puketiro for gravel and repairs to school chimney was referred t.Q the chairman and the Hon. D. T. Fleming. The head master’s application for fencing at Allunton was declined. The Concord Committee’s application for subsidy for procuring football jerseys was declined. It was agreed to have painting and papering done in the old school buildings at Waiwera. CENTRALISING OF SCHOOLS. The Secretary of the Otago Provincial Council of the Farmers’ Union wrote stating that the executive had considered the matter of closing small schools and transferring scholars to larger ones, and had unanimously adopted the following resolution : “That the matter of closing small schools and transferring scholars to larger ones he objected to, as it is not in the best interests of the children.” This resolution had been referred to the Dominion Executive, and the council desired to meet the board by deputation on September 23. It was decided that the chairman and secretary should meet the deputation. In connection with the proposal to centralise several country schools in Lawrence, the board decided to inform the department that, while the board approved generally of the policy of conveying Ihe children to a central school, in this case, after exhaustive inquiry among the householders concerned, it found that they were strenuously opposed to the proposed scheme. Without their loyal co-operation the board considered it would be impossible to carry out the scheme. It was also decided to send the department a comparative return showing that the saving by closing the country schools at the minimum rate of salaries would be £127, at the maximum rate £7, and at the present rate £4-7, exclusive of the cost of maintenance. GENERAL. The design prepared by Mr J. H. Wilkinson for a war memorial at the Training College was approved. A petition from residents of Wmgatui, who desired the establishment of a school in their vicinity, was declined. They stated there were 14 children of school age and five under age for whom the school was desired. The following were nominated as the board’s representaives on Technical School Boards: —King Edward Technical College—i Messrs -T. Hern, M.P., J. 11. Wilkinson. > and J. Wallace; Oamaru Technical School l —Messrs G. Livingstone and -J. Mitchell ; i Milton School, Air J. Bowie.