EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 8

EDUCATION BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board was held on the 24th; present—Mr J. Wallace (chairman), the Hon. D. T. Fleming, Mr J. Horn, M.P.. and Messrs Jas. Smith, G. E. Lawrence, Geo. Livingstone, J. H. Wilkinson, Geo. Wood, and L. Sanderson. Architect’s Recommendations. That teacher’s residence at Akatore be painted and papered at a cost of about £26. — Adopted. Repairs to combined school and dwelling and painting at a cost of about £s4.—To be done on usual conditions. The school commissioners at Leith Valley reported inability to raise funds for asphalting the grounds, and asked the board to supply the material and they would find the necessary labour. The architect reported against the proposal, as experienced men were required for the work. —Referred to the architect, with power. The architect reoomipended that a subsidy be given for asphalting in front of Warepa school (committee to contribute £ls) and that outbuildings be renewed.—Adopted on usual conditions. Repairs to bank at residence at Kakapuaka recommended. Painting and papering of interior of residence reported as necessary. Cost of both items £B. Adopted. Architect reports that extensive Repairs to school and residence at Glenomaru are desirable, but not immediately necessary. The buildings should, hpw»ver, be repaired and painted this season.— Left in the architect’s hand. A recommendation that the furniture in two rooms at the George Street School be rearranged on a&Aiunt of change of classes, at a cost of £6.- was adopted. Applications for Subsidies. Repairs, etc.— l Asphalting at Southbridge (local contribution available); tarring and sanding at Totara, at a cost of £6.—To be done on the usual conditions. An application for concrete floor in playshed at Kokonga was referred to the architect for report, it be mg understood that the board objected to concrete floors. Similar action was taken with respect to an application by the Matea School Committee for a refund of half the money (£3O) expended on concrete work. The architect was asked to report Upon a request for allowance for articles supplied by teacher to the school residence at Oamaru Middle; also upon the application of the Wedderburn Committee for a new playshed, which he regarded favourably. National Scholarships.—The Department forwarded the names of those who had qualified for scholarships: Junior, 35; senior, 18. The Chairman remarked that it was pleasing to note that the number had increased, last year’s total being only 41. It Was to be hoped that Otago would soon fully regain its old position of supremacy. Agricultural Teaching.—The Department asked the board to allow one of the agricultural instructors to visit the Otekaike Special School and assist the teacher. It was decided to ask the senior inspector to make the necessary arrangements. Teachers’ Appointments.—A letter was received from the Forbury School Committee drawing attention to the practice of teachers receiving their appointments on January 31, and expiessing the opinion that this was detrimental to the interests of the schools. Members generally considered that there was no more upsetting of a staff by resignations taking effect in January than at any other period of the year. The Chairman remarked that the whole trouble was caused by tbe teachers having only to give one month’s notice, whereas the bcryd had to give three months’ notice. Dental Treatment of Entrant Teachers. — The Department intimated that it had been shown that the department’s suggestion that applicants should receive dental treatment before presenting themselves for medical •xaminaUoq might involve the obtaining

of dental treatment by twice dr three times as many young people as might be accepted for positions, and, further, that it would not be ‘ possible for applicants to receive dental treatment in time. The Department’s recommendation that applicants should receive treatment before presenting tjjiemselves to the medical officer is, there fore, not pressed and the matter is left to the discretion of the boards. The Chairman remarked that this was doubtless the Department’s way of withdrawing from an untenable position. Temporary and Casual Workmen.—ln respect to the application of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, the Department intimated that temporary and casual workmen who are working strictly under awfrd conditions are to be paid award rates. In such cases the reductions ordered by the Arbitration Cburt are to operate. Where temporary workmen are in receipt of rates higher than the minimum under an award, the reductions under the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act are to apply, but not sS as to 1 bring the remuneration below tin* award rate. The Chairman re- ; marked that it was absurd io prevent the board from paying more than the award rate to a good workman. The architect pointed out that it only applied to the bonus, and Mr Williamson said it only referred to casual employees and not to workmen who had been proved good workers.— The letter was received. ■ The monthly meeting of tbe Otago Education Board was continued on Thursdav, when there were present; Messrs J. Wallace (chairman), G. Livingstone, A. E. Lawrence, J. Smith, J. H. Wilkinson, G. Wood, L. San- . derson, J. Horn, M.P., and the Hon. D. T. i Fleming. 1 t ; APPOINTMENTS. AND RESIGNATIONS. ; The following resignations were accepted: —Herbert M. Stevens, head master, Kakanui; Hazel D. Brand, sole teacher, Circle Hill: Mabel B. I. Gwyn, sole teacher, Glenkenich; Florence Reynolds, sole teacher, Kuriwao; Isabel R. Campbell, sole teacher, Macraes; Bertzow F. Simonsen, sole teacher, Matakanui; Muriel A. G. Dallas, sole teacher, Moa Flat; Sheena M. Macdonald, sole teacher, Tahora; Mary Haig, sole teacher, Tawhiti; Jean M. Shaw, sole teacher, Taieri Beach; Eva M. Turner, sole teacher, Wharetoa; Wm. Morrison, sole teacher, Lauder; Louisa A. Heckler, mistress, Palmerston D.H.; Margt. M‘G. Green, assistant, Albany Street; Mina R. M'Leod, . assistant, Benhar; Agnes Pinder, assistant, ■ Concord; Linda G. Lynn, assistant, Clyde; Sheila L. Maclean, assistant, Duntroon; Walter H. Rushbrook, assistant, Mornington ; .Tane L. W. Thompson, assistant, Musselburgh; Edna C. Bastings, assistant, Ngapara; Alice Greaves, assistant, Normal; Grace K. Marshall, assistant, North-East ; Valley; E. K. M'Neilly, assistant, Tokomairiro D.H.; Mabel E. Hewton, assistant, Ngapara. The following appointments were confirmed : —Bertzow F. Simonsen, head teacher, Bannockburn, vice C. W. Kibblewhite, resigned ; Herbert M. Stevens, head teacher, | Waiiati, vice A. S. Kennedy, resigned; Wil- • liam Eggelton. head teaclier Oamaru Middle, vice E. T. Earl, retired ; Jane L W. Thompson, sole teacher, Allanton, vice John A. Borrie, promoted; Muriel A. Dallas, sole teacher, Gimmerburn, vice W. J. Gibson, resigned!; Mary J. Melville, sole teacher, Kokoamo, vice Sara E. M’Leod, promoted; Clement Hill, sole teacher, Lower Harbour, vice Minnie Eason, resigned; Jessie L. Patei'&on, assistant, Kaitangata, vice Jane M'Caughern, resigned; Sophia F. Page, assistant, Kaitangata, vice Emilia M. Fleming, resigned; Olivia J. Blanc, sole teacher, Kyeburn, vice A. J. H. Benge, resigned; Edna Bastings, assistant, Malieno, vice Olive* Watson, resigned; Alex. Hanna, assistant, Maori Hill, vice J. B. Hawke, promoted; Ethel E. Botting, assistant, N.E. Harbour, vice Flora M'Donald, resigned; Phyllis M. Moir, assistant, Oamaru South, vice Beryl Steven, resigned; Roy A. Dickie, sole teacher,

Pukeiwitahi, vice A. J. Wilson, resigned; Mina R. M’Leod, assistant Ravensbourne, new appointment; Alice Greaves, mistress, George Street, vice M. Mackenzie, resigned; Thora Marwick, tutor and librarian Training College, vice M. Steven, resigned; Arthur H. Robinson, assistant, Maoandrew Road, vice, C. Smeaton, resigned; Fannie Bonnin, mistress, Caversham, vice Jessie Given, resigned ; Mary I. M. A. Robertson, assistant, Tokomairiro, vice M. H Yardley, promoted. THE BALCLUTHA SCHOOL. The department wrote agreeing to pay the purchase money of Sir Thomas Mackenzie’s sections at Balclutha for the site of a secondary school. The department did not contemplate the use of the vacant rooms in the primary school building except as a temporary expedient, pending the provision of accommodation on the manual training site. . Should the number of secondary pupils increase on the opening of the school, some of the vacant rooms in the public school could be used until a portable room could be erected. On its completion the whole of the secondary pupils could be taught on the one side. The department saw no good reason why the high school should not be opened this year. When the communication was read, Mr Fleming moved—“ That the board did not read into the department’s previous communication the construction now put upon it by the department, but, in any case, the board regards it as essential that the accommodation should be provided before the school is opened. As that cannot now bo done in time to admit of the opening of i the school this year, the board urge expedi- ; tion in the acquisition of the new site, and , the provision of the new buildings in order that the school be opened next year.’-’ ! Mr Wood, in seconding the motion, said he did not see what good could be done by j going on with the work this year. If the j scholars from the two schools were using | the same playground the condition of things 1 would be very unsatisfactory. The headmaster of the secondary school would have no oont-rol over the children of the primary school and vice versa. I The chairman declared that it was preposterous to suggest that a high school should be started without even an office for ; the rector or a room for the teachers. They would be only looking for trouble if they had the children from the two schools on the one playground. The department’s attitude was only another instance of its ineptitude for handling those questions without reference to the boards, j The motion was carried. | y GENERAL. I It was decided to agree to the request of the Oamaru South Committee, that previous subsidies (board and Government) of onetliird of £SO each, be now increased to onethird of £75. | On the recommendation of the architect, it was decided t-o offer to pay half of the £ls involved in the renewal of the paling fence at the back of the teacher’s residence at Bannockburn, to carry out the board’s 1 proposal to grant £lO for fencing at Ter- ! ras, the committee to do the work; to expend £ls on repairs to the teacher's resiI dence at Poo!burn. ; The architect reported that the cost of 1 fencing required to include the new area of ' school ground at Bannockburn would be £B9 17s, .and it was resolved to have the • site inspected by the committee. I In connection with a protest by the Wind- ! sor committee against .the proposal to shift j the site of the Elderslie School, the Chief I Inspector was instructed to prepare a rei port, the matter to be held over -in the ! meantime.