EDUCATION BOARD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10301, 8 March 1905, Page 4

EDUCATION BOARD.

The nutter of corporal punishment m public schools was briefly discussed at the Hawke's Bay Education Board meeting yesterday m consequence of a report by a- schoolmaster on a complaint from i a. Hasting*! parent objecting to this mode ; of reprimanding scholars. 'The Rev. Mr ■, Comrie pointed out that the Board's regu- j lations providedi for the infliction of cor- i poral punishment m extreme cases, and lie did not. think that when a scholar had 1 three mistakes m spelling or three sums wrong out of five that it could be considered l an extreme case. Yet he knew of some schools where for such, offences corporal punishment wan being meted, out to the children every day m the week. The regulations provided that where -such, punishment was inflicted an entry ' of the occurrence should be entered m the school log, but he thought the clause should he altered by the inclusion of the word's "m every case." This, he thought, would; have the effect of curtailing corporal punishment, which way degrading to the pupils and had a brutalizing effect on. the teacheis. The Board appointed Mr Comrie and the inspector a committee to revise the regulations, including the one relating to the matter of reproving scholars. The Education Department recommended that fresh tenders be invited for the erection of a school at Whatatutu. — On the motion of Mr McLernon, seconded) pro forma by Mr Patterson, a select committee, consisting of Messrs' Patterson, Hall, Grant and the mover, were appointed, to instruct (lie architect with regard to the modifying of the plans. Mr Johnson askedi Avhat provision was made for the instruction o£ pupil teachers, as ho luidl beeni informed that some such teachers received) no instruction whatever. — Inspector Hill said, that the proposed regulations dealing with the matter were at present before the Department, but had- not been approved, although they had been submitted some seven months ago. Pupil teachers should receive instruction for five hours each week at the certificated schools m which they were employed, . and log-books- were kept showing the work done. These were initialled! by the teachers receiving instruction, and he madle it part of his duty on visiting the various schools to ascertain whether the required instruction was beilng given.