EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD

Messrs J. Wallace (chairman), J. Horn, M.P., J. Smith, L. Sanderson, R. IT. Todd, J. H. Wilkinson, A. E. Lawrence, G, Livingstone, G. W. Wood, and the Hon. D. T 1 Fleming attended the opening of the monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board on the 15th. CORRESPONDENCE. A deputation from the householders at Warrington Messrs Hobson and Faid — waited upon the board to ask for a school to bo more conveniently situated for the majority of children at Warrington than the school at Evansdale, to .which they went at present. The petition was signed by 64 householders. Forty-four children went to the Evansdale School, and of that number it was claimed that 31 came from Warrington, and had to travel distances of from a mile and a-half to nearly three miles to Evansdale.—The Chairman assured the deputation that the board would give the matter consideration. —It was decided to refer the matter to the senior inspector, and if his report was favourable to forward an application to the Department. Renovations costing about £SO wer recommended to be carried out at the residence of the Mosgiel School. —Approved. It was deeidod to accede to the request by the Palmerston Committee for a stove costing about £SO, if the committee contributed one-third of the cost. The Minister of Education wrote that he had considered the representations made to him regarding the desirability of starting a new school at Edievale, but found he must adhere to his previous decision to decline the application. The Education Department notified that a grant had been approved for the erection of a new infant department at Forbury School. Permission was given to the Tuapeka West and Kia Ora committees to erect war memorial gateways at the schools. The Education Department wrote stating that it proposed to enrol in correspondence classes all pupils receiving instruction in household schools with an attendance of less than four, and to discontinue the payment of capitation. The Outram Committee was granted a subsidy of £l6 for asphalting. 'THE PAINTING OF SCHOOLS. Speaking on the position that arose through a number of applications for the pointing of schools, the Chairman said that the board did not have sufficient funds to carry out all the painting that should be done. It was the duty of the State to paint the interior of school buildings irrespective of whether the committee contributed a subsidy or not. If the board acted on the principle of doing the work only when a subsidy were offered, he contended it would lead to distinction among schools. It meant that the school which gave a subsidy would got the work done; the school which could not give a subsidy would get no work done. Other members stated that the work should be carried out in order of urgency, and should not be "influenced by the offer of a subsidy under the present state of afFairs. It was decided that painting would not be carried out at any particular school, even if a subsidy were offered, while there were other schools in which the painting was more urgently required. In respect to several applications, it was decided to authorise the architect to carry out the work, (when the board’s painters were in the district) if he thought fit. The Otago Education Board concluded its monthly meeting on Thursday. RESIGNATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS. The following resignations were accepted: —Robt. Bringans, head master, Clyde; Wm. M'Laren (superannuated), head master, Oamaru South; Gabriel M. Luke, head master, Lowburn; Jas. W. Graham, head master, Tuapeka Mouth; Norris Y. Smith, head master, Tahakopa; Wm. Eggelton, head master, Waiwera South; Margt. A. Ruth Wix, sole teacher, Hiudon Railway; Robt. S. Harrison, sole teacher, Houipapa; Anthony Spears, sole teacher, Otolda; Margt. H. Henderson, sole teacher, Popotunoa; Stuart G. M'Douald, sole teacher, Waipiala; Rubina A. Newman, sole teacher, Whare Flat; Violet Elder, assistant, Baiclutha District, High; John H. A. M‘Phee (superannuated), assistant, George Street; Margt. E. Rose, assistant, Forbury; Doris V. Thompson, assistant, Forbury; Wm. J. Bennett, assistant, Mornington; Helen T. R. Gourlie, assistant, Tahakopa; Eileen M. Walden, assistant, Teaneraki; Lena M. M Cutcheon, assistant, Ratanui; Jean H. Marshall, assistant, Waiwera South; Eliz. Wilson, assistant, Arthur Street; .Margt. K. Ross, cookery instructress, North Dunedin Technical School. The following appointments were made:- — Francis Hilgendorf, head master,, Green Island; Gabriel M. Luke, head master, Cromwell; Geo. F. Duff, head master, Glenomani; Wm. J. Bennett, head master, High-

cliff; Aileen A. Jack, sole teacher, Spylaw Valley; dfinicS M. M. Fleming assistant, Baiclutha D.H. ; David R. Lockhart, assistant, Caversham; Philip J. Palmer, assistant, Kensington; Eileen M. Walden, assistant, Hampden; Norris Y. Smith, assistant, Oamaru South; Irena E. Searle, second assistant, Palmerston; Anthony Spears, assistant, Ravensbourne; Robt. S. Harrison, assistant, Tokomairiro D.H.; Eliz. Wilson, assistant, Normal; R. M‘K. Sullivan, sole teacher, Hyde. ATTENDANCE REPORT. The Attendance Officer (Mr J. E. Ryan) reported for the month ended on May 14: The general attendance, especially in South Otago, has been considerably disorganised during the last three weeks owing to heavy rains, floods, etc. During last week the attendance seemed to be getting back to normal conditions, but the heavy rains of last week-end will, no doubt, affect it again. During the flood weeks it was found necessary to make concessions to parents who required the assistance of their children to put their homes in order after the water receded. There were also many children who had to leave their homes and go to friends in other parts of the city. As a result these children were unable to attend school with their usual regularity.—Adopted. ILLEGALITY ALLEGED. B. Harris wrote protesting against the election of the Broad Bay School Committee on account of the exclusion from the ballot papers of the names of some duly nominated candidates.—After' considering letters from the chairman of the meeting and the scrutineer, it was decided that another election should be held. It was decided to take the same course in connection with the Owaka Committee, Mr T. Maginnes protesting that persons not previously nominated in writing had been elected, and that persons had been nominated at the meeting by word of mouth. OTAGO CENTRAL SCHOOLS. The Otago Central Committee (Messrs Fleming, Horn, and Smith) submitted a report on their inspection. The main parts of the report, with the board’s decisions, were as follows: Evan’3 Flat.—That the committee be informed that the board will allow the hall to remain, provided the committee do all the repairs. The committee has now agreed to do this. Your committee still thinks the hall should be shifted, but in consideration of the committee agreeing to keep the place in repair, the board’s committee recommends as above.—Adopted. Beaumont. —Recommend that a stove he provided for each of the two rooms in the school building, os the alteration of the room has rendered the present fireplace quite inadequate.—One 3tove to be supplied, the committee to pay one-third cost of the other. Dumbarton. —We met Messrs Vernon and Hadfield. The settlers desire a new school, but the committee told them that was impossible, and urged them to procure an amended and reduced offer for the conveyance of the children to Roxburgh. To this they agreed. We also met the Roxburgh School Committee, who are anxious that the Dumbarton children should be conveyed to their school. An emended tender for £143 has now come in, and your committee recommend its acceptance.—S. Robb’s tender accepted at £143. Roxburgh.—The range needs attention, and the architect ha 3 the matter in hand. We recommend that the installation of electric light be approved for the house and school on the terms of the departmental regulations. —Adopted. Coal Creek. —We recommend electric light on the same terms as Roxburgh. Painting the interior of the junior room is required, but recommend that this matter be attended to in the ordinary 7 course. Alexandra. —(1) Tho arrangement with the department is that the grant of £836 16s 3d for equipping and furnishing the cookery and science rooms be not applied for before December next. (The board is deferring starting woodwork for the present, and 's using the woodwork room as a secondary classroom in the meantime.) We recommend that the board take into consideration early the equipment of the woodwork room and the starting of the teaching in lhat subject. If a new room for the secondary instruction is not provided, that the overflow be taken in the cookery room. Existing arrangement to continue till the end of the present year. Committee ask that the new site be levelled, and the ground fenced. We recommend that if the committee finds one-third of the coat of the levelling the board is prepared to go on with the work, and later with the fencing of the ground.— Adopted. Cromwell. —A deputation waited upon us regarding the establishment of a district high school. We informed them of the conditions upon which the matter might be considered: (1) A guarantee of 25 or 26 children who would attend the school, insuring an average of 20. Also the provision of a suitable building free of cost to the board until it is seen if the necessary average can be maintained and the school snown to justify its establishment. Mount Pisa. —Your committee inspected the two new sites reserved by the Land Board. One a little higher up than the homestead and tho other at Queensberry, including the site of the present building.

Location of both seems to us to be very suitable. Matakanui. —We recommend that the application for repairs to the teacher’s residence be declined. The roof of the school is leaking and requires attention. Painting interior of school required as it is very smoky. Stove piping requires renewing, also the earthenware where piping that comes through the wall is broken, and is at present very dangerous. Two wall blackboards : Teacher to be asked to send measurements. The committee found that several of the doors wanted locks and keys, that there is neither lock nor key for the cupboard, and no key for the outside door. Several panes of glass broken; four windows would not open from the bottom (not hung). School Committee’s attention to be directed to the .repairs wanted, which fall within their functions. If they want the school continued there they should look into it.— Adopted. Spottis Creek. —Recommend a conference between the former Touring Committee and the present one. —Adopted. Wedderburn. —School Committee apply for 500 trees— 2so pondero-sa and 250 P. radiato. —Referred to Agricultural Department. Raufurly.—(l) We recommend that the new site be fenced so as to allow the planting of trees. The architect to peg off a site so as to show where the trees should he planted. (2) Recommend that one room be removed to the present site and two rooms added.- —Adopted. Stove pipes for each loom required. One is completely burnt out.—On© granted. Eweburn. —The board take into consideration the question of dispensing with sections 19-29, block 11, Maniototo, 32-3-27. —To be sold. GENERAL. An owner of property adjoining the Caversham School grounds complained that the drainage from part of the school property submerged his sections.—Referred to the architect for report,. The department having approved a grant for the removal of the residence portion of the Gleniedi building to Akatore for the purposes of a school, and the removal of the Gleniedi classroom to Tokomairiro as a classroom for a section of the secondarypupils, it was decided to use the room vacated by the junior division as a teacher’s room, the board to expend £l7l out of its rebuilding fund. It was reported that there were 62 relieving teachers during the month, eignt teachers on sick leave, and one on ordiniiy leave.