BOARD OF EDUCATION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6204, 1 May 1890, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

This board met to-day. Present—Mr 8. W. Goldsmith (chairman), Bov. G. Barclay, Messrs Jackson, Pearpoint, Gray, Barker, and Howell. COMMITTEE ELECTIONS. The secretary reported that in some districts the householders had failed to elect committees, he did not know how many yet, as all reports were notin.—He was authorised to fix a new date for elections in such oases. COEBES PONDBNOE. The Minister of Education agreed to the sale of the Mount Gay school site on the conditions provided by law. architect's report, Mr West reported that the contractor for tho Geraldine new buildings was making good progress. The builder was just about to begin at Hakateramea. Two archimedean ventilators on the infant school at 'Timaru were out of order and quite useless. He recommended that they be removed and replaced by Boys’ exhausts, in which there is nothing to get out of order. Cost £7 10s to £B. Plans for the Seadown school were submitted, He had expended the £lO voted for tho Pareora school residence, in painting it and rebuilding the chimney, which had absorbed the amount voted. The roofing iron ought to be taken off, and proper battens put on to receive it. This would cost about £5. INSPECTOR'S REPORTS. The Inspector’s reports were read on inspection visits to Fairview, Waihao, Glenavy, Washdyke, Otaio, Adair, Milford, and St. Andrews. These will be forwarded to the committees. SCHOLARSHIPS. Mr Barclay reported for the Scholarship Committee, on suggestions made by the Educational Institute. The committee considered these carefully, and agreed to adopt some, but not all of them. One difference between them was that the Institute wished the English History to be commenced with the Conquest, in the 11th century. This the committee thought a bad place to begin, and though the ordinary class books did not go further back, the scholarship candidates should certainly not think it oppressive to be expected to read a few chapters of history for themselves, out of school if need be. —The report revising the scholarship regulations was adopted. BUILDING COMMITTEE. Mr Barclay reported for this committee, who recommended that funds be allocated to the following worksßuilding new school at Seadown; assisting in removal of Mount Gay school; further improvements to Pareora residence 5 alteration of a roof and reconstruction of chimney at Pleasant Point; small repairs at Claremont; ditto to fence and pump to Waihao : boiler at Fairlio Creek ; alterations to closets at Hilton ; conconcrete fender and curtain at Wai iti; repairs at Hilton and at Waitohi Flat. There would probably be funds to spare for painting half-a-dozen of the shabbiest schools, among which Waitohi Flat and Milford seemed to be the worst; the latter was in an extremely bad condition, though it was one of the latest in the hands of the painter. Then there were two applications for schools from the Arundel and Waitaki village settlements. The board could not possibly supply proper schools, bub it was desirable to do something for them if possible, and Mr Barclay suggested (after consultation with the architect), that a perfectly plain room, a lean to 16 x 12, with stove instead of a chimney, be provided at each of these places. The'coat of such rooms was estimated at about £SO each. The total of the allocations proposed was £516, and tho balance cf the building fund in hand, after repaying advances from the maintenance fund, was £450. There was however a balance of about £IOO from the Geraldine building allocation, which with the proceeds of the lands yet unsold, would be insufficient to erect a teacher’s residence, and this balance might be borrowed in the meantime. It this were done it would make the fund available £550, or £34, in excess of the allocations proposed. A discussion ’took place on the proposals with respect to Arundel and Waitaki, some members being adverse, and it was agreed to withdraw these items, and ask the residents of each place to contribute towards the cost of a cheap building. Mr Pearpoint agreed to visit Arundel and see tho people there; both places to give information as to sites. The report was adopted, except with respect to the proposed expenditure at Arundel and Waitaki, postponed for a month.

APPOINTMENTS. Appointments were made : —Miss B. Bruce to Waimato; Mr Henry Mitchell to Makikihi, and Mr Poison to Waimate. DISTHICX HIGH SOHOOIS. On a letter from the Geraldine committee i Mr Pearpoint moved that the Minister for Education be again approached, and requested to raise the Geraldine school to a district school: Mr Pearpoint spoke in favour of the motion, and Mr Barclay seconded it. Mr Jackson spoke against it, as an objector to high schools; if ho had his way he would sweep them all away. Mr Talbot thought the motion so important that notice of it should be given, and others concurring, Mr Pearpoint withdrew his motion and gave notice of it for next meeting. MISCELLANEOUS. Waitohi Flat asked for certain repairs and offered to contribute half cost. —Agreed to, certain additional items mentioned by Mr Talbot to be also attended to, Bangitata Station offered half cost of a £4 or £5 gymnasium.—No funds for such purposes. Belfleld asked for repairs to porch and improvement of well.—Committee to attend to it and submit vouchors. Accounts for extras incurred at Geraldine in dividing the Volunteer Hall into class rooms, shifting forms etc., presented by Mr Pearpoint, were passed, and a tender accepted, at £6 10s, for chipping and burning tussocks and levelling new ground. Mr Jackson drew attention to the great drain on the funds for these extras, and Mr Pearpoint defended them as quite unavoidable, and quite moderate. The board then rose.