OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3889, 25 September 1928, Page 14

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting ol me (Jtago Education Board, which was begun on Wednesday mornij.g, was attended by Messrs J. Wallace (chairman J, D. T. Fleming, W. K. Brugh, J. Mitcneil, K. H. Todd, u. Livingstone, J. H. Wilkinson, and P. M'Kimay.

ine Qoard agreed to the provision of a new tank at the Benhar School at a cost of £l5.

it was decided to accede to the request of the teacher at Stirling for repairs to the present tank and a new tank at a cost of £l4.

Un the recommendation of the architect it was decided to carry out repairs to the residences at the Akatore Coast and Houipapa Schools. Che request of the Strath Taieri Committee for a new fence on the school frontage was granted. The Education Department intimated that in the case of some boards there haa been a .tendency to neglect proper maintenance of manual training buildings, although they had been the subject of maintenance grants equally with other buildings.—The architect reported that this does not apply to the Otago district. The Roxburgh Committee wrote stating that it had applied to the Borough Council for the use of portion of Melrose street for the purpose of making an entrance to the new secondary buildings. The council had granted the request on condition that the board gave an undertaking that it would indemnify the council from any damage that might occur from the obstruction of the fence in Melrose street. — The board agreed to the conditoin.

It was decided to consult the School Committee on the question of altering the name of the Barewood School to Puke-

A letter was received from the Education Department stating that it had approved of the purchase of two and a-half acres of land from Mr Arthur Henderson for a new school site.'—lt was decided to write to the department asking when it was proposed to erect the new school. The Education Department intimated that, in addition to the Otago probationers, it was intended that probationers from the Southland district only be .admitted to the Dunedin Training College next year. No applications would be considered for admission under division B or division D, but admissions under division C will be considered. The roll number will be about the same as the current year. ’ The department now agreed to admit under division D six applicants recommended by the board, and also a seventh applicant if he gained full D.—“ That is very satisfactory,” said Mr Fleming.—The letter was received.

The Education Department intimated that it would consider applications for the usual subsidy contribution towards cost of hot air heating in the larger schools in Central Otago..—Received. The department stated that it regretted that it was unable to provide funds for the payment of tram fares.The special class children already cost much more per head than normal children, and it was thought that since the department provided for individual instruction the parents might well provide transit expenses.—lt was reported that the cost varied from £1 5s to £2 per annum per child. In some cases a parent had to accompany the child, and the parent’s fares came to about £6 per annum.—The secretary stated that the annual cost of tram fares was £34 10s.— It was decided to renew the board’s application for the payment of the children’s fares.

The department reported having carefully considered with the Health Department the question of subsidising money raised locally towards the cost of providing meals at the Sarah Cohen Memorial School, and it regretted that a subsidy could not be recommended on account of the precedent that would be created.—The secretary reported that £l9 10s had been subscribed. —It was decided to ask the department generously to reconsider the matter.

In acknowledging the resolution of the Schools’ Committees’ Association, the department stated that it was of opinion that where qualified applicants were available there was no need to go outside New Zealand. In regard, however, to the appointment of lecturers in school music, none of the local applicants had had the necessary experience, training, or qualifications -for the position, and there was no other option than to choose a candidate from abroad.—The chairman : I believe that the school committees -will take exception to this.—The letter was received

,In regard to insurance on school buildings used for entertainments the department stated that in order to ascertain the relative liability of committee, board or department, the opinion of the Crown law office had been obtained. The Crown solicitor held that if the committee in permitting the school to be used for a social function was acting in accordance with the by-laws of the board it was doing what was permitted by the Education Act, and that no liability could in such a case rest on the committee, owing to the accidental destruction of the school building by fire. In other words, if the by-laws of the board did not require the school committee to insure the school building when used for social purposes, it appeared that the replacement of the school in case of accidental destruction by fire was the liability of the Government.—lt was decided to explain to the department that the board had had no experience of fires starting during entertainments in school buildings.

The department intimated that school dental clinics were covered bv the Government Fire Insurance Fund, and the cost of rebuilding any such building destroyed by fire would be a charge against that fund.—Received.

The department wrote stating that in view of the courses to be held in Oamaru and Queenstown in January next, it considered it better to postpone the departmental teachers’ refresher course.— Received. In regard to the children’s “safety first ” .movement the Education Department in acknowledging receipt of the resolution of the Schools’ Committee’s Association, intimates that the following paragraph will appear in the new syllabus:—“ln all classes ‘safety first’ rules for crossing the streets, etc., should. be taught. In accordance with the age of pupils, emphasis should be laid upon the value of swimming and nfe=saving, and advice given how to deal with common emergencies—e.g., a room full of coal gas or benzine fumes; danger from contact with electric wires; what to do if a child chokes or if Ills clothes catch fire.”—The secretary repoited that the following donations had been received towards the poster compe-tition:—-City Corporation, £5; Waitaki Electric Power Board £2 2s; Teviot lower-Board, £1 1 S; Otago Motor Club, t?-, department had intimated that the Railways Department had prepared two posters suitable for exhibition in schools in order to bring the need for caution before school children. The letter was received. . The tender of R. H. Thomas, of Cromwell, for the addition of a secondary department to the Cromwell School, was accepted, the price being £1243.

The monthly meeting of the Otago me S tln K, "'as concluded on Thursday morning, the chairman (Mr -J. Wallace) presiding.

RESIGNATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS.

The following resignations were accepted: John M. Wilson, headmaster, Clinton; Jonathan Brown, headmaster, Maheno; Miss Margaret S. Doak, sole teacher, Elderslie; Miss Ethel R. Ross, sole teacher, Galloway; George A. Spears,. .sole teacher, Kahuika ; Miss Eliza F. M. 11. Paul, infant mistress, Oamaru South; Miss Eana 8.~ Jeans, first assistant, Sawyer’s Bay; Miss Dorothy L. Goudie, 10th assistant, George Street; Miss Mary A. Long, fourth assistant, North-East Valley Miss Frances W. H. Wilson, sub-assist-ant High Street.

The following appointments were confirmed : Miss Beatrix C. Loudon sole teacher, Akatore Coast; John M. Wilson, first assistant, George Street; Andrew R. Drearer, 13th assistant, Caversham; Miss Eva C. Ferrier, second assistant, Naseby; Miss Mary W. Boland, second assistant, Portobello; Miss Ethel R. Ross, fourth assistant, Ravensbourne; Miss Eana .B. Jeans, infant mistress, Wakari; Miss Mary A. Long, infan'- mistress, Green Island.

The transfer of George A. Spears from Kahuika to the position of sole teacher at Tawanui was approved. ATTENDANCE OFFICER’S REPORT.

The attendance officer reported for the month ended September 18 that all the Otago primary schools had reopened on September 4 after the spring term holi uays, and so far as the city schools were concerned, the attendance showed a decided improvement. Most of the illness prevailing previously seemed to have run its course. On visiting the North and South Otago district, however, he had found that there had been a good deal of illness among the pupils, especially in the outlying schools of Oamaru. The trouble was mostly influenza colds, with the exception of Kurow, where an outbreak of scarlet fever had occurred. * GENERAL. The request of the Highcliff Committee for assistance in carrying out slight alterations to" the hall, which is to be used as a shelter shed, was granted. It was decided to carry out repairs to the school and residence at Papakio at a cost of £45.

The application of the teacher at North-East Valley for repairs and renovations at the residence was granted, the estimated cost being £25. A similar request from the teacher Tarara was granted, the cost of the work being £5O. The Coal Creek Committee asked for assistance towards the cost of the erection of dressing sheds at a swimming pool adjacent to the school. It suggested that a subsidy might be given on money raised by the school committee.—lt was decided to carry out the work provided that the sheds were on school property. The Education s Department reported that it had a large number of records of the King’s Empire Day speech in stock, and that it was prepared to supply them free to schools with gramophones. The department intimated that the Minister of Education had now approved of the supply of one copy of the report of the Syllabus Revision Committee to each school committee. A letter was.received from the Land Board stating that it had disposed of the old school site, the amount obtained for the school buildings being £l6O. - The secretary reported that the following dates had been recomniended by the Council of Education for the term holidays for 1929:—-First term—Monday, February 4, to Friday, May 10, 14 weeks, two weeks’ holiday ;v second term—Monday, May 27, to Friday,- August 23, 14 weeks, two weeks and one day’s holidays; third term —Tuesday, September 10, to

Friday, December 20, 14 weeks and four days. The commencing date of the 1930 school year would be Monday, February 3-—lt was decided to write to the Education Department stating that the board preferred that the first two terms should begin on a Tuesday. A request was received from the Green Island School Committee for the remodelling of the sehooL—The architect reported that this school should be attended to when money was available, and that it might be put on next year’s list of urgent works. In the meantime, he recommended that two additional windows be put in the large infant room at a cost of £24.—The report was adopted. Accountns amounting to £25,968 8s 5d were passed for payment. POSTER DISPLAY.

The Education Department intimated that Miss Winfred Guy, a trained English teacher, was at present in the Dominion. She was travelling through the British Dominions with the object of showing the educational value of the very fine posters that were issued in connection with the railway and transport services in Great Britain. She desired to have an opportunity of displaying posters to the school children and giving specimen geography lessons. . Miss Guy was defraying the expenses of her tour by making a small charge, but there might be some other means of meeting the situation. —

It was decided to convey the information to the headmasters.