Timaru School Committee.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5024, 4 June 1889, Page 2

Timaru School Committee.

The Timaru School Committee held their regular meeting for the month last evening. Present—Messrs J. Hill (chairman), Harrop, • Grand!, Colter, Mcllrby, and Burford. The headmaster's report stated that tho 1 attendance during May had been : —Main ■' school —on roll, 961 ; average, 741; highest attendance, 776. Side school- on roll, 174 ; average, 131; highest, 147. The attendance was stjll very low, through the prevalence of colds and sickness, which strongly affected the lower standards. There was still, however, a very irregular attendance on the part of some pupils who had no such excuse. If the committee would announce that the compulsory clauses would be enforced (os had been successfully done at Kniapoi and other places) it would have a good effect. The chairman stated, with reference to the attendance, that Miss Rowley had called upon him with regard to a remark made by Mr Harrop at last meeting, to the effect that the attendance at the Side school was falling off, and she assured him that this was an error, the attendance was keeping up. Mr Harrop turned up the successive re* ports on tho attendance for several months past, and these hardly bore out his remark, the highest number on tho roll since November last being 177 i and tbe highest attendance 144. Moved by Mr Grandi, and seconded by Mr Harrop and carried—“ That the compulsory clauses of tho Education Act be put in fore? from tijie date,”

The chairman read a copy of a letter ho had written to Sergeant-Major Mason, requesting him to lute steps to enforce the attendance at school of children who were irregular in attendance. Sergeant-Major Mason replied by sending a copy of his instructions to an officer, and at a Inter date, 20th May, a report of the officer who went round to the parents. Ho reported that he had visited all but three of the parents named and those were not now living where stated. The commonest reason given was inability to get the children to go to school. They were sent to school, but they played truant. There were a few cases where sickness was given as the reason. In one case the father, a resident of Kensington, said “ I send my children as often as I can, and if the authorities think fit to summon me let them do so.” Notice had been given to each parent that if the children were not sent, summonses would be issued.

Sergeant-Major Mason added a memo., that he had given instructions to the police that if, when on duty, they saw in the streets or elsewhere children who ought, they considered, to be at school, they should inquire why they were not there, and try and induce them to attend school.

The chairman said the police had taken very creditable action, and the only thing now to be done was to give the police instructions to summon the parents, under the compulaory clauses. On a circular letter from the Waimate School Committee, asking the co-operation of the Timaru, Temuka, and Geraldine committees in requesting the Board of Education to appoint an instructor in military drill, it was resolved that this committee would heartily co operate, Mr Wood, headmaster, waited on the committee to explain the system of stationery fees, the collection and the disbursements. He explained that when ho came, nearly four years ago, he found that children were in the habit of coming without pens and pencils.and he instituted the system of collecting a small foe (it was done in nea-ly all large schools). The committee agreed, and he had asked parents to contribute for each child in standards 4,5, and 6, sixpence, and in 1,2, *ad 3, threepence per quarter, and this had been altered to a collection three limes a year, and from standard 1, only twice ; nothing had been collected frem the infants. With the proceeds he provided the school with pens, pencils, and paper for school examinations, but the amount was not sufficient to provide ink and chalk (ink and chalk cost nearly £6 last year). It was only by buying large quantities and in the cheapest market that he could provide tbo other things. The teachers did not like the collection of the stationery fee, but it was so great an advantage that they did collect it. Mr Wood here presented a statement of receipts and expenditures of this account. He wished the committee would take some interest in and responsibility in connection with the fund. After a diecussim, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Qfandi, seconded by Mr Harrop —“ That the parents of children be requested to pay, after this date, to a stationery and fuel fund, every four months :— Standards 1,2, and 3, sixpence j standards 4,5, 6, and 7, one shilling.” In reply to Mr Grand!, Mr Wood said the pupils in Standard YII did not use mare stationery than those in Standard VI.; even if they did, they should not be asked to pay more, as they gave a good deal of assistance in the school.

The request of the Timaru Football Club, for permission to practice their game on the Main School ground was granted, in terms of their secretary’s letter, one condition offered being the mating good any damage done. The visitors to the main school, Mes?rs Burford and Mcllroy, recommended that the compulsory clauses be put in operation, as the attendance was not satisfactory. They reported that after cjreful examination of the fences, they found there were required six new gates, two turnstiles, six now posts (bad ones only held up by wires from sound ones), and five rails, repairs to wire, and a little excavation. They had obtained an estimate of the cost of carrying out their recommendations, and those amounted to £22. Mr Cotter reported that at the side school various repairs were required to the fencing, and the building required painting, as also did the fence. One of the mantels was also loose. Estimated cost of fence repairs, £1 18s; of painting, £7 10s. It was resolved on the motion of Mr Grand! to ask the board to effect the repairs and additions thus reported to be necessary. Mr Cotter agreed to act as honorary secretary for the present. The chairman stated that the committee had a credit of £32 13s 10d, before passing accounts. These amounted to £l3 2s 2d.

Messrs Cotter and Grandi were appointed visitors to the Main, and Messrs Horrop and Burford to the Side School.