SOUTHLAND EDUCATION BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 17921, 28 April 1917, Page 7

SOUTHLAND EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY AIK DTI NO. The Southland Education Board met yesterday when there were present : Messrs D. Gilchrist tchair), 11. E. Niven, J. D. Trotter, Jno. AlacGibbon. G. T. Stevens, P. A. de la Perrelle and J. C. Thomson, AI.P. CORRESPONDENCE E. The Assistant Director of Agriculture acknowledged receipt of the Board's memorandum recommending that all pupils in Standard VI be presented lor proficiency. The matter had been discussed at the Inspectors’ Conference and the necessary steps would be taken to meet the case. The Department wrote stating that at the last annual teachers’ examinations the blackboard drawing had been, on the ■whole, deplorably weak. With the object of Improving the work in future, it was the intention to select the best from this year's results and forward them for exhibition in the various centres in the near future.

The Department advised that, owing to the shortage of teachers, applications for retirement on superannuation would not be favourably considered unless such retirement would be in the best interests of the education of the dominion. EXECUTIVE REPORT.

Appended are extracts from the executive committee's report, which was adopted : Your committee recommend :

That the following applications for leave of absence be granted :— Tlsbury : Aubrey Witting, from 31st Atarch to join the Expeditionary Forces. Tokanui : C. H. Alackay,' one month from 10th April on account of ill-health. Wairaki : 11. Schroeder, from the 12th Alay to join the Expeditionary Forces.

Applications for conveyance allowance :—Dacre school : Eric Robertson. Grove Bush school : Florence Laurie. Mataura Island : 2 Christie children. Dipton school : Eileen Evans. Balfour school : 3 Matheson children. Waimatuku school : Margaret Dawson. Alataura Island : Lyall Christie. Holmesdale : 3 Keown children.

That the architect be instructed as follows :—Brydone : To report on the committee’s application for (1) repairs to fireplace at school and (2) the supply of a new tank, with power to act. Bluff: To report on the committee's application for half cost of various works with power to erect coal bin and supply blinds, if such are found to he necessary. Invercargill North : To report on the committee’s application for (1) new sash and (2) repairs to fence, with power to act if such are found to be necessary. Thornbury : To report on the committee’s application for half cost of erection of new pump. Tisbury : To report, in conjunction with the inspector. on the committee’s application for alteration to school buildings. Mimihau: for half cost of concrete path at residence. Sandstone : To report on the committee’s application for repainting school buildings. St. George . To report on the committee’s application for a lawn mower. Holmesdale : To report on a communication from the school committee re the overcrowded state of the school and also as to the future prospects of the district. Walhopai ; To report on a communication from the school committee asking the Board to make application to the Borough Council for permission to connect school drains with borough drains. Kapuka South : To report on • a communication from the commtitee re the condition of the creek running through the school grounds. Haldane : To report, for next meeting, on the Department’s communication of date 29th March re the conditions under which a grant is made for re-erecting the school building in this district. Garston ; To supply two grates, two chairs and two lids for range as applied for by the committee. Edendale : To supply a new press for the use of this school, if such Is found to be necessary. Haldane ; To proceed with the erection of the new school building in this district, the work to be carried out by the Board’s staff of workmen.

That the following applications be granted :—Makarewa : For half cost of laying concrete path round the teacher’s residence, total cost not to exceed

£B. That the Senior Inspector be asked to report as follows : —Half Moon Bay . On an application from the committee for extra seating accommodation, with power to act. That the following communications be received ;—Spar ’Bush ; From the committee re outbreak of fire in the teacher’s residence. The teacher to be thanked for his efforts in subduing the Are. Makarewa : From the secretary of the Salvation Army agreeing to lease, for school purposes, of the Army Hall in this district. Application to be made to the Department for payment of rent of the hall. Slopedown : From Mr E. Jeff agreeing to exercise a general oversight over the school buildings and grounds In this district That the following resolutions be adopted ;— Aparima : That the teacher of the school in this district be granted permission to take the term holidays from the 9th to the 13th April inclusive, In lieu of the second full week in May (14th to 18th May inclusive). Oteramika Gorge: That the tender of Mr J. C. Morton for the lease of section 26a, block 7, Oteramika Hundred, for a period of five years, from Ist May, 1917, at a rental of £1 per annum be accepted. Wellington : That, in reply to its memorandum of date 27th March, the Department be Informed that the Board approves of the proposed alteration in the present system of payment of national scholarship allowances. Galloway Memorial Shield competition : That the action of the secretary in notifying teachers that owing to the limited number of entries for the Galloway Memorial Shield competition and to the curtailment of railway services the physical instructor will not visit the centres previously agreed upon, and that the competition if held will be confined to those schools which have intimated their intention to compete be approved. Redan Valley : That the inspector's report on an application for the re-open-Ing of the school in this district be received and adopted, applications to be Invited for a teacher TECHNICAL The report of the Director was received and the following resolutions adopted : That Miss Catto be appointed sewing mistress at Heddon Bush. That the arrangement made In respect to a temporary instructress in cookery for No. 1 centre be approved. That the architect be instructed to prepare the necessary plans and specifications for a new cookery room and a woodwork room in Don street. The report of the Director was received and the arrangements made in regard to closing down Saturday classes for teachers during the period of the coal-saving train service were approved. The report of the Agricultural instructor was received. THE TRAIN REDUCTIONS. Mr Niven moved : "That this Board «rge upon the Department of Railways the necessity of reconsidering the proposed alterations to the train timetables. If the proposed time-table is adhered to, its effect on technical and ■econdary education will be most disastrous.” —In doing so he dwelt upon the great effect which the impending time-table would have upon the secondary education of the province, more especially as concerned the Gore High and Southland Technical schools. He was Inclined to think that the claims of education sa far as Southland was concerned at any rate, had been overlooked when the time-table was being drafted.

In seconding the motion, Mr MacGibbon advocated the preparation of a report showing in detail the number of children effected and the extent to which they would be inconvenienced. Mr Thomson entered a mild protest on behalf of a hard-worked Government. They must not embarrass the department. It had been impossible to satisfy everyone and all had to bear part of the sacrifice. Was there any way out of the difficulty that they might suggest to the Government ? If S o, let them advance their suggestions, but they should not unnecessarily embarrass the department which was doing its best. They had to recognise that they were at war. He would not oppose the motion, but had spoken so because lie knew of the great disadvantage under which the Government was labouring.

The chairman agreed that the best plan would be to offer, if possible, a plan of solution to the Government. At the same time, rather let them stop almost every other civil activity before education. N’on-essentlal industries might be stopped or businesses might be closed down and, although financial loss

would result, it would, largely, be only temporarary. Were education to be suspended, on the other hand, the country would lose something which it could never recover and the loss of which would be a drag on its progress for generations to come.

Air Stevens, in supporting the motion, said that he had it on good authority that Southland education had been considered when the alterations were being planned, but certainly they were still largely effected. The Alarist school and the Convent were others that would be called upon to bear hardship. He considered that the department should be approached for conveyance, allowances for those children residing within a limited radius of Invercargill, vyho might then he carried into town in time for school.

Mr Trotter supported the motion. Air Perrelle was of opinion that a special grant for conveyance might be solicited. If it was forthcoming motor services' could be instituted for the benefit of country children. Replying to Air Thomson's statement that all had to bear part of the sacrifice, Mr Niven said that the sacrifice, m this case was entirely on the country people as the town dwellers were not suffering anything in the connection under review. He was still of opinion that the position of secondary education in Southland had not been fairly considered before the time-table was announced. The motion was carried and Messrs Niven, AlacGibbon and Thomson yere appointed a sub-committee to go into the matter. ANZAC DAY. The following motion, moved by Air Stevens and seconded by Air Niven, was, on the motion of Messrs Thomson and Perrelle. referred to the executu e . “That Anzac Day in future be a PuUic holiday at all Southland schools, it being a special stipulation that pupils present themselves at schools on the occasion to salute the flag and receive addresses; those schools who have recognised the holiday this year_ t0 1 "‘ formed the day'taken is not included in the special six days' holidays. GENERAL. Air Stevens moved a hearty vote of thanks to those teachers and scholars who so actively entered into the antiwaste'' campaign by gathering cockslo seed from the roads and reserves. The children themselves profited from thc ; gathering, the sole object of which was to impress upon them the need for and benefit of, economy. Special merltlon to be made of the Waikaka school, which had sent in GOOlbs of seed. That was particularly gratifying in view of the very disappointing results from other schools. The Waikaka children too had donated part of their cheque to the Ked Cross Fund.—The motion was seconded by Mr Niven and carried. Accounts amounting to £(491 15s -U were passed for payment.