SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 55, 19 October 1911, Page 8

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

MOX TH L Y M EETIXG. The monthly mooting in' the School , Committee was iiclu on Tuesday nignt. Present: Messrs. C. It. buu (,1a tnc ciiauj, A. Stewart, S. Clara, > . w . McMillan, i*. Skoghmd, ana tlev. B. Matson. HcacknasiGi-’s Repoti. Hit! ilouuiuastcr imported:—\Vo iituo now aiLOi'iuing oui school just tuo pupils Siioi i in svJVcii iiunuieii, so liku ini) now inuiauig v.ia no inliy iiuoit as soon as in is iunsiioil. luu names on our registers uro as iA■iuus:—X'rimary semio! odd, secondary xUk, total 096. iTimaiy itepartmont.—Owing to the epidemic or measles widen lielti sway tnrougU tlie district during Ine last quarter, tiio average attendance on bop tent dor OUfcii fell considerably below tiio required number, and consequently for tlie current quarter ire require an attendance of at least 016 to secure an addition to our teacidng staff at the beginning of next year. Attendance and Staffing.—Xew Zealand scfiools are staffed on the average attendance in them over the u nolo of the previous year. This is tin unfortunate method lor scnoois union are continually increasing m numbers. In such schools, teacners have to do not only their own wont,' out also that entailed by tho extra num of ciiildren attending wno snould really be in tiio hands of -another teacher or two. Our school, it seems to me, is always in this position. \Ve arc at present stalled as a school with an average attendance of 400 to 4do. Our average attendance last week was 50(5. -That is, wo had to manage daily 11(5 children more than tiio'Department’s own regulations indicate v, - c are capable of managing. ; And unless wo maintain tho necessary average of 516 for the current quarter—with a roll number of 596, there should not lie gteat difficulty in doing so—wo shall have to struggle through the next year in itnuch the same way—endeavouring to teach more children than we are able to teach, and trying to do good work under very adverse conditions. If, however, wo maintain tlie average of 516 wo i shall begin the new year with two additional teachers. Parents should bo as much interested in this matter as wa arc, and I fully expect their aid. Annual Examination.—The school was recently examined by the Board’s inspectors, and their report, just to hand, js enclosed herewith. I am glad to note that they are satisfied with our year’s work. One slight error has crept into the report. In Class P.—III. I gave no more personal attention to this class than to many others, and whatever credit is to ho given for the “exceptionally lino work” tho inspectors refer to, is duo to the teacher of the class, and tho mistress of the infant room. Secondary School.—The work of this department is proceeding satisfactorily. As far as 1 know nine candidates—not all from our school—are sitting for University examinations this year, and Stratford should therefore again he an examining centra. General.—l think members of the committee realise tho adverse •circumstances under which we are at present working. YVo arc supposed to enter tho new buildings on the opening of tho new year. I hope that nothing unforeseen will happen to prevent that happy pvent. Mr. Tyrer addressed tlie committee on the question of average attendance, elaborating his remarks in his report. He said the present system seemed a very hard one. The great difficulty was with tlie average, as on a day such as that day it would he hard to get an attendance of 400, which was a hundred under the average necessary before the staff could bo increased. Ho had spoken to a number of parents, asking for their help in tho matter. If the day was very wet lie would not mind' what time tiro children arrived at school. A number of parents had promised to do their best to enable, the school to maintain an average of 510. If this average was maintained the school would get two more assistants, and ifc did not matter how the attendance went down afterwards. Mr. Solo said it was to the interest of every parent as well as the School Committee to see that every child on the register attended school regularly. Mr McMillan said the Board should ho asked to look into the matter of u nder-staffing and over-staffing—both of which conditions were undesirable. It was decided, on Mr McMillan’s motion, to forward to the Education board tho headmaster’ remarks on average attendance. ■ Visiting Committee’s Report. .The visiting committee reported:— We beg to report that under very trying circumstances work at the school is being carried on successfully. Wo desire to draw the committee's attention to the fact that at tho present rate of progress it can hardly be expected that the new school will lie ready for occupation at tlie expiration of tlie Christmas holidays, and we suggest that pressure should be brought to bear on the Board to sec that better progress is made. We also think that a clerk of works should he appointed by the Board to oversee such an important work We would suggest that before tho foundations are completed the Board should iio asked to have a couple of doorways lot in, so that part of the space beneath the floor could he used as cellars. We arc of opinion that part of tho foundation on tho south side is dangerously near to an old well, and wo recommend that the Board be asked to sec that tho well is properly filled in, or that tho architect’s attention ho called to the matter. The report was adopted and it was decided to forward to the Board that portion referring to the building. The chairman said that if the building was not ready for occupation when the school resumed on February 4th ho would advise extending the holidays till the building was ready. It was very bard to carry on the way they wore at present. Tiio Bank Balance, On tho motion of 'Mr McMillan it was decided 1 bat the back balance oe snow;! at each irjcciiuua