EDUCATION BOARD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 250, 25 November 1914, Page 5

EDUCATION BOARD.

ORDINARY MEETING. The meeting of the Education Board this morning was attended by Messrs G. Rennie (chairman), T. W. Adams, E. H. Andrews, J. Jamiesou, M. Dalziel, H. Boyd, and C. H. A. T. Opie. BUILDINGS COMMITTEE.

The Buildings Committee reported on a large number of applications. Elm wood.I—A 1 —A letter from the Department, offering a grant equivalent to half the ofiicial valuation in aid of the purchase of additional ground at the Elmwood School, was left for the board's consideration.

Lynton Downs.—A letter was received from the Department, authorising a grant for erection of a new school at Lynton Downs. It was agreed to point out to the Department that the board's application was for an amount larger by £166 than the sum granted, and the board' wished to know where the balance was to come from. It was suggested that the board should call for tenders and submit same to the Department for consideration.

NeW Brighton.—-The architect was instructed to report on the committee's application for improvements to outside accommodation. With regard to the committee's application for a marquee to relieve the overcrowding, it,, was pointed out that the committee had previously condemned the use of marquees, - and that in any case the board trusted they would be able to make the present accommodation suffie'e until the end of the school year. ■North' Nfew Brighton.— ; Mr Cox, representing the North . New Brighton residents, waited on the committee and pressed for the immediate establishment of a school, there being sixty children of' school-age. It was agreed to further consider the matter when the full particulars with regard to the number of children had been forwarded.

Opawa.—A letter was received from the committee, advocating more ground for recreation purposes, and the advisability of,removing the schoolhouse. A letter was also received from the headmaster asking permission to vacate the schoolhouse, owing to its age and to its exposed position, the dust from the constant passing of heavy traffic constituting a -menace to health. It was agreed that members should visit the district and inspect the house.

Tuahiwi and Woodend.—The Hospital Board forwarded copies of reports received from Dr Blacken ore and the board's Health Inspector, with regard to l&ahiwi and Woodend schools, and asked that the questioii of open air schools - for Maoris might be considered. It was pointed out that the board had already made provision for open-air teaching at Tuahiwi. The architect was instructed to visit both schools and report, also to have any urgent matters attended to. .

Painting and repairing.—The following tenders for painting and repairs were recommended for acceptance:— Westerfield, W. A. Bisset, £22 15/-; iWinchmore, Wi A. "'Bissett, £29 15/-: Winslow, T. 8. Nicholls, £2l; Buslvside, Bats and Hoskins, £35 17/6; Greenstreet, W. A. Bisset, £27 14/-; Hinds, Chapman, and Davis, £36; Lismore, A. and 'R. Terriss, £47; Mount 86mers, C. B. Neilson, ' £24 18/10; Springburn, Bate and Hoskins, £4l 15/-; Wainui; A. King, £35. Heathcote Valley.—The chairman broiight up the question of the school roof at Heathcote Valley, which he considered should be painted. It was pointed out that the board had decided that as a general rule school roofs should not be painted, but that if in this instance the architect considex*ed it necessary to have the roof painted the work should be done.

APPOINTMENTS' COMMITTEE. The Appointments' Committee reported on several staff and departmental matters. Appointments.—The following appointments were recommended:—Courtenay, mistress (sole charge), Miss L. Ainsworth; Hampstead, assistant mistress, Miss L. D. Kershaw. The provisional appointment of Mrs Tabraham as mistress of the Springbank School was recommended. LEAVES OF ABSENCE. The following leaves of absence, owing to illness, were granted:—Glen Kowhai, Mr W. A. Brown, to December 15 ; Lyndon, Miqs L. Milligan, to November 30; Port Levy, Miss M. Clarke, a month; Richmond, Miss K. Newton, six months; St. Albans, Mr H. C. Somerset, to end of year.; Phillipstown, Miss R. L. Slater, assistant mistress, three weeks. RESIGNATIONS.

The following resignations were received and accepted:—Hororata, Miss E. J. B. Menzies, assistant mistress; Okute Valley, Mr ,T. Dawe, master ; Hampstead, Miss R. M. Kenna, assistant mistress; Lyndon, Miss L. Milligan, mistress.

PHYSICAL TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

Mr Royd Garlick, Director of Physical Training, waited on the committee with reference to commencing the establishment of the scheme of physical training in the board's schools, for which purpose the Department was prepared to station an instructor and an i instructress in Christchurch. As it 'is necessary that teachers should first become conversant with the new system it was proposed:— (1) That on the Christchurch and suburban schools resuming after the midsummer vacation, two teachers from each of these schools should attend for physical training; or, (2) that the city schools only should remain closed for an additional week, and all the teachers from these schools commence a fortnight's training on January 25, the date originally agreed upon for all the teachers. It Was considered the first proposal entailing the absence of two teachers from each school would prove inconvenient and unworkable. The committee accordingly agreed to the alternative suggestion, of which the teachers of the following schools should be informed:—Addington, Christchurch East (including side schools), Christchurch West, Elmwood, Linwood, Richmond, St. Albans, Somerfield, Sydenham, Waltham, Woolston, and Normal.

It was further agreed that the teachers from country schools should assemble later on for physical training. A letter was received from the Department, reporting that the arrangements made for the assemblage of the Canterbury teachers for physical training in January next must be postponed, and the Department was prepared to station an instructor or instructress in Ohristchurch from the beginning of the year for the instruction of students at the Training College, and in order to commence the establishment of the scheme in the schools of the district. STAFFING OF SCHOOLS.

It was agreed to consider at the committee'a next meeting the question of the

staffs of the various schools as affected by the new Education Act, a schedule showing the present staffs to be submitted. In the case of Elmwood, the com-' mittee applied for the appointment of an assistant master of grade 5, which they pointed out could be arranged without causing any hardship to the existing staff. It was agreed to give effect to the request. The application from St. Albans for the appointment of a certificated teacher in place of two pupil-teachers was allowed to stand over for consideration when other similar cases should be dealt with. EXAMINATIONS AND MILITARY SERVICE. A circular was received from the Department, asking for a return of teachers and pupil-teachers who had been required to undertake military service, and who in consequence were debarred from completing the preparation for their certificates. It was agreed to inform the Department of the only case, that of a pupil-teacher, at the Lyttelton West School, that had come under the board's notice, and to ask the Department to continue payment of salary. STAFFING OF SCHOOLS UNDER NEW ACT. 1 A report was received from the Chief Inspector on the changes it was desirable to make in the matter of the adjustment of school staffs under the new Education Act, with a view to strengthening teaching conditions. It was recommended: — 1. That the fourth positions in schools of grade 5 and higher should be filled by assistant masters, except in the case of Christchurch East Infants, Phillipstown, and Ashburton, where the circumstances were exceptional. 2. That the fourth position in the Phillipstown School should be advertised. 3. That the East ChristchuTch School staff should be adjusted and the fifth aud sixth, positions allotted to MiSs R. Gihnour and Miss 'E. Thompson.,respectively. The committee recommended the board to give effect to the Inspector's recommendations, under which assistant masters will be immediately required for the following schools: —Wharenui, New Brighton, Opawa, Soinerfield, Kaiapoi, Linwood, and Elmwood. As regards New Brighton, Somerfield, Linwood, and Elmwood, the junior assists ant mistress would in each case be retained in place of two pupil-teachers. It was further agreed that should a school in grade 5 fall to grade 4, and a reduction in staff become necessary, the junior assistant master, would be the teacher to be removed. . In the few cases, New Brighton, Opawa,'j and Linwood, where the maximum salary; of one of the members of the-staff would j be reduced by £lO, it was recommended i that the board maintain the maximum! payment until a transfer can be effected..

SINGLE DESKS.

Mr Opie, in accordance witli notice, moved the following;—" That the Department be asked to alter its standard of allowance of Hoot space from 12ft to 14ft per pupil, so as to allow of the installation of single desks, without which schools cannot be regarded as being equipped on modern lines." Mr Opie said that he had visited several new schools opened by the board, and he was glad to notice the advance made by the board in regard to school furniture . and^architecture.., He -was now, asking the board to go one step further. One advantage of the single desk was that it would tend to minimise the practice of 4 ' copying,'' which encouraged a trait of character which tended to cultivate a desire to lean on others, and get something for nothing. The single desk would also stimulate the pupils' sense of individual responsibility. It would make the children free from the chatting of their neighbours. The single desk could'also be adjusted to the requirements of the pupils. Curvature of the spine and other ailments-were to some extent caused by the unsuitable seats in school. The system would also prevent overcrowding in their schoolrooms. The? result of the system was good in America, according to Mr Howell, who said that single desks were used practically everywhere. In asking for 14 square feet for each child the board would not be asking anything unreasonable. Mr Andrews sec&lided the motion. Every member would agree that if the conditions of space were made satisfactory it would be a great advance to equip the schools with single desks. Ninety per cent, of the teachers favoured the single desks, if the system were properly initiated, with sufficient space between each desk. The advantages were the prevention of copying, cleanliness, and the encouragement of individuality.

Mr Jamieson said that two new schools had asked for single desks.. It was the board's policy to instal dual desks, and the plans f«fr the Schools had been drawn on the basis of that policy. Were they going to put single desks into Wharenui and Beckenham, and if they decided to do it, would they have room! They could not put new wine into old bottles, and they should not put single desks into old schools like Sydenham and St. Albans, which were dropping to pieces with rot. He favoured the resolution asking the Department to provide 14ft.

Mr T. W.-Adams said that the board had not got 12ft space, and it was not much use askiug for 14ft. He thought that the dual desk solved the difficulties in a fairly practical fashion. With the education vote increasing every year the board would bardly be encouraged to adopt single desks. Mr Dalziel said that the single desk had obvious advantages. They would prevent overcrowding, aud it was poor patriotism and poor citizenship to deny their children the best possible conditions.

Mr Boyd said that in view of the difficulty of getting room_ for the present desks, it was no use advocating single desks. The chairman said that it was difficult to get the 12ft space. The board's funds were in a precarious state, and the. board did. not want to be committed in the future, to a big expenditure. The dual desk was a very serviceable one,, and the board was committed to it for at least two years.

Mr Opie pointed out that it was for the Department to provide the money foi- the extra space. The motion was carried. SUPERANNUATION PAYMEN T DEDUCTIONS.

A letter was received from the North Canterbury Education Institute, protesting against the action of the Education Department in requiring deductions, by way of superannuation payments, to be made from salaries earned by teachers of classes under the Manual and Technical Instruction Act, which classes have been held out of ordinary school hours. A similar protest was received from a number of teachers concerned.

The secretary (Mr Lane) pointed out that one section in the Act exempted overtime, and this work waa overtime. The earnings would not be taken into consideration when superannuation was being fixed. The Department was asking tho board to collect tho amounts from payments of which it had no knowledge or control. The arrears for 1911,

1912, and 1913 were required by the department, with 5 J per cent, compound interest.

Mr T. W. Adams said that the board should support the teachers in this matter. It was especially unfair that they should be charged compound interest on their arrears. He moved that the board support the protest, and that the matter be referred to the Normal and Technical Committee.

This was seconded Mr Janiieson and carried.

CANTERBURY PATRIOTIC FUND. ' The Canterbury Patriotic Fund Com ' mittee suggested that the board should send a circular letter to all schools, conveying to the children tlie committee's thanks for their response to appeals made on behalf of the Canter, bury Patriotic Fund and Ambulance Equipment Fund. This was agrood to. 1