EDUCATION BOARD SECRETARYSHIP

Southland Times, Issue 17305, 29 March 1913, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD SECRETARYSHIP

THE-SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT. MR A. BELL, M.A. A special meeting of the Education Board was held last evening, the Chalrpaan (Mr John Fisher) presiding. The business was confined to the selection of a secretary of the Board. Fifty-three applications had been received for the position, and at a previous meeting these were reduced to tho following three:— Mr A. Bell, M.A., Secretary and Inspector to the South Canterbury Education Board. Mr George J. Park, B. Com., senior commercial master of the Christchurch Technical College. Mr H. Chapman, 8.A., Registrar of Otago University. Each of the three gentlemen by invitation attended last night’s meeting, and were in turn interviewed by the Board. The final selection resulted in Mr Bell being appointed. Mr Bell, who Is 41 years of age, is an M.A. of the New Zealand University with first-class honours in mathematics and mathematical physics, and holds an A. teachers’ certificate under tho New Zealand Education Department. He has been in the Education office at Timaru for nearly 14 years; has been Secretary, Treasurer and Inspector to the South Canterbury Education Board for 10 years, and Secretary to the Timaru High Schools Board for nine years. In 1886 Mr Bell succeeded in gaining the Governor’s gold medal as dux of the Timaru High, School. In pupil teachers’ examinations he was invariably top of his year, and he passed his certificate examination with special mention. While engaged in teaching he studied for the B. degree, and for two sessions attended Canterbury College, gaining the Senior University Scholarship in mathematics in 1895, and graduating as M.A. with first-class honours in 1896. Mr Bell has had a lengthy teaching experience. In 1887 he began as pupil teacher in the Waimaltaital School. For about two years he was on the staff of the Walmate District High School and the Geraldine school. For nearly five years he was'headmaster of a country school at Seadown. He was first assistant in tho Oamaru Middle School for about 1% vears, and headmaster of the Timaru South School for two years. He has also had nearly 14 years’ experience as a School Inspector, As Secgetary to the South Canterbury Education Board, Mr Bell had contro!>of the clerical staff, and was responsible for all the office work. He has also been responsible for a great deal of the organisation of the staff of workmen engaged in building and other Tyork, and has made a study of school buildings and equipment, and his experience has given him an intimate kno tv—ledge of every detail of the work of an Education office. Mr Bell assisted in the whole of the organisation of the South Canterbury Education Board’s Technical Education Department of the administration work from its inception. He has had to do all the secretarial work in connection with the Timaru High School Board. He has attended four Inspectors’ Conferences, and three Education Board Conferences, has visited almost all the education districts of New Zealand, and has travelled through Victoria and New South Wales. After the Board had arrived at a decision, Mr Bell was sent for, and formally offered the position which he accepted. He will commence his duties in a month's time.