EDUCATION MATTERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16628, 23 April 1928, Page 8

EDUCATION MATTERS

HAWKE'S BAY BOARD MEETS The HaAvke's Bay Education Board met in .Napier on Friday, when there were present Messrs. J. Clark Thomson (chairman), J. R. Kirk, (i. McKay, C. Lassen, 0. Muddison, R. C. Wright, W. Outhbertsonj 1 A. King, and W. Gates. Leave of absence was granted Messrs. J. Si Wauchop and T. A. Coleman. The statement of funds showing a credit balance of £5478 19s 6d was adopted. The statement of the maintenance account showing a balance of assets over liabilities of £1892 6s 5d was adopted. Accounts totalling £16,275 lis were passed for payment. Tlie secretary (Mr. W. L. Dunn) reported as follows on subsidies on voluntary contributions: The following applications have been submitted to the department since last meeting : Makauri, gramophone records and pictures, £4; Puha, piano, £27 10s; Tahunga, gramophone and! records, £6; Tolaga Bay, library, £ll 3s Bd. It was decided to make application to the department for the erection of a combined shelter and saddle shed for the Tiniroto school. Repairs to the cost of £ls were approved in connection' with the Wairoa school. The department wrote asking what the board proposed to do with the old building formerly used for the secondary department at Wairoa.—The matter was referred to the North Ward members. The department advised that the physical instructor had now been supplied with a motor-cycle, and would work the whole of the Hawke's Bay district, including the Cisborno area.—Received. In reference to the boundary dispute, the Te Hapara School Committee wrote pointing out that the boundaries of the the Awapuni district''were made out with the assistance of the Te Hapara headmaster, and all the children, some 64, within the Awapuni district were sent to the Awapuni school. Consequently, it was only fair that the children in the Te Hapara district attending other schools should be sent back to Te Hapara school. The board's late chairman had 1 asked the Te Hapara committee's co-operation on the understanding that it would not affect Te Hapara.—The matter was referred to the Oisborno and North Ward members, to confer with the committees concerned. The Whatatntu School Committee wrote expressing its feeling of gratification that the dental requirements of the children were occupying the board's attention, and drawing attention to the fact that the Whatatutu committee had repeatedly urged' the necessiy of officers of the dental clinic visiting country schools.—lt was decided to advise the committee of what the board was doing in the matter.

The Rakauroa School Committee applied for a grant towards the cost of repairs to fcjie boundary fence, the estimated cost being £2O.—A grant of £lO was approved. The Tokomaru Bay' School Committee applied for a heating .stove for the converted shelter shod which had been used as a school-room, the estimated cost being £lO 10s, and for the payment of an overdue account, for £3 17s 6d for the 'renovation of chairs and) tables in the infant room.—. Approved. Tlio Wa'nganui Education Board wrote stating that there appeared to bo no certainty that the reduction in the grant for the maintenance' of buildings would not continue for the remainder of the year, and in fact become the permanent basis of payment. The hoard had entered a vigorous protest against any reduction being made, and had asked the department to favorably consider the restoration of the grant to the original basis as from January i last. It was suggested that each , ; oducation board should protest against the department's action. —The board decided to lodge its protest. ORGANISATION OF CLASSES.

The senior inspector submitted the following statement of the organisation of classes in Hawke's Bay schools of four teachers and upwards : Under 31 children: July, 1925, 12.; July, 1926, 16; July, 1927, 16; February. 1928. 16, 31 to 40 children : 46, 55, 59, 59. 41 to 50 children: 66, 83, 107, 97 51 to 60 children : 51, 69, 60, 72. 61 to 70 children: 25, 8,1, 0. Total classes: 1925 200, 1926 231, 1927 243, 1928 234. In view of so much unemployment among teachers it was decided that the department be asked to provide additional stuff where there were- so many classes numbering between 51 and 60 children. Mr. Maddison mentioned Hint classes of that size had increased by 23 per cent, in the past year.