EDUCATION BOARD.

Colonist, Volume XXX, Issue 4779, 7 April 1887, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

wm revolted that the Committee be authorised to obtain plans of the new school, andestimates for a building of wood and briok. On the motion of Mr Shephard, the same Committee were appointed to seleot a site for the proposed new school at Brightwater. Mr Clayden reported that he had visited the Upper Wakefield school. That building and the teacher's house required painting. He thought it should be pointed out to the Local Committee that when a shingle came off the roof, or palings came away from the fence,, such trifles should be seen to at once, and out of the Committee's allowance. When neglected, such trifles often did serious mischief. He moved that the buildings be painted.—Carried. TheWestport Committee wrote requesting that the teaching staff of that school should be altered so as to give an assistant instead of a probatioder, there being three probationers employed in the schoolOn being referred to, the Inspeotor laid he considered the teaohing staff -quite strong enough. Ho recommended that it should remain as at present. On the motion of Mr Shephsrd this was agreed to. A letter from tEeLyell Committee referring to the teacher there being uncertificated was considered. In reply to a question, the Inspector" laid he had no fault to find with the teacher. Mr Dencker said it was an unfortunate thing, but they always seem to be dissatisfied at the Lyell with their teachers. Mr Clayden thought that the further consideration qf the matter should be postponed until after the election of the new Committee. . The Bishop of Nelson thought the Board were much indebted to Mr^Rotton for remaining there and doing so muoh good work. Mr Shephard moved that, the consideration of the matter be postponed for six months.— Carried. . , -On the motion of Mir Clayden £16 was voted for the removal of a chimney., at Anpleby School.! : A letter, from Mr W. P. Burgess asked if the Board would bs willing to give him" a subsidy of £50 to £60 per year, if he started a School of Design in Nelson. The Bishop of Nelson considsred t hat the Board had among its present staff of teachers those quite as qualified to teach if a School of Art was started, for instance, he named Mrs Scott. He moved that the Board is not at presentable to establish a School of Art, but in case of suoh an institution be established would favorably consider any scheme for enabling the teachers to avail themselves of it.—Carried. On the motion of Mr Hursthouse, £i was voted-for the desks supplied by the Bockville Committee. On the motion of Mr Shephard, £10 was granted to the Rochfort Terrace Committee for addition^ a private room for teacher to the school building. Mr Dencker moved that the term of probationers positively cease at the end of three years, but the Board will submit the names of any who are willing to act as assistants to Committees, If they wished to be removed elsewhere at the end of the term it would be under another and a distinct understanding. It was found that many of them not only wished to remain where they were after the three years, but considered themselves entitled to higher remuneration; What he comp ained of was that they often refused to go to fill vacancies in the country. • Mr Shephard suggested the substitution ol the words f thejßoard ?wijl consider applications <".inßtead<6'f" submit their names.'JAe. MrHarkness thought this was traversing very important ground. The probationer* were regarded as apprentices, and it appeared to him that if they were willing to be kept on1 at|he;same salary, which he maintained was altogether too low, they might be retained. '■ Mi;, Shephard said there was nothing in the resolutions say that they should go, but rather' that the Board shall have the option of retaining them. . ■ '■ ' Mr Clayden said jthat.it,,must be remembered that the prbbatioriers'iwefe being trained as teachers while being paid for their services, and this should be taken into consideration in connection with their ' salaries, which otherwise might appear low. _-Mr Harknfess maintained that'the probationers entered jthe service and remained in it at vary low salaries, scarcely sufficient in some instances to keep the ladies in dress. He pointed out that there was already a Bylaw of the Board son the subjeot., He denied altogether that theteaoherg received* regular training as teachers, as* .the greater part of their time was taken up in teaching. < In reply to Mr Phillips the Inspector said that there was no fear of them having too many probationers on hand if they would only go out into the country districts and take aided schools, but they wouldilnot do bo. Mr Dencker explained that his motion was not laying down a hard and fast rule that the probationers were to be turned adrift at the end of three years. What he objected to was the probationers remaining stationary..The Inspector stated-^hat the probationers received three hours a.week special teaching from the head teachers, who were paid for it. Some of them had passed their examinations, which they never could have done without they had had such special teaching. The motion was then put and carried, Mr Clayden moved that a Committee be appointed to confer with the Town Committee as to the desirability,, of re-arranging the teaching:of the! v^riour'Standards'. h He!waa very dissatisfied with Ine result of the recent scholarship examinations, especially in the town. Compared with Marlborough, Nelson was nowhere in the running. - There was a school set apart especially for the Sixtk Standard, but when tested by results it-was found to be wanting. Now there must ba kome reason for this, though he was convinced that" it was not the non-ability of tha teachers. The distant country schools also beat the town** sohools. He considered it a duty incumbent on the Board to look into this matter and sea how it was. He wanted to see Nelson at least upsides with Marlborough. It was not for him now to produce any scheme, or to specify any oause, but he moved that a conference be held with the .Town Committee with a viaw to making the town sohools more efficient.

The ordinary monthly meeting of t Education Board was held yesterday, when all the members were present except Mr Tarrant. The minutes were read and confirmed. The Pinanoe Committee reported as follows :— The net credit balance ongeneral account i« £2357 13s 9d, and the payments passed from this account amount to £124116s lid, leaving an actual credit of £1115 16s lOd. The unappropriated balance on building account is now £454 Os Bd. The Committee made the following recommendations:— '..'■. 1. That inasmuch as small repairs tobuildings, &c, are intunjled to be-defrayed out of allowances regularly made to Committees, in future no applications for such matters shall be considered unless accompanied by a statement of the finances of the Committee. 2. That only the sum of £29 6s 3d be.paid the Westport Committee to, defray cost of lobby and roof to lavatories, the remainder of the account submitted not having received the sanction of the Board. 3. That the account of contract for paint-

ing Westport schools be paid, as also charge for calling for. tenders, but that the other items on the account are a proper charge on the school funds. 4. That a cheque bo drawn for payment of Messrs Eout and Sons [account for purchase of Eedwood's Valley school site, and transfer of same, but that the cheque bo held by the Secretary until the receipt from the Board's solicitors of an assurance in writing obtained by Messrs Eout andjSons at their, own expense that the transfer is properly executed. 5. That with respect to the tender for chimney at Charleston, etc, referred to the Committee, it is recommended that the In-.

spector on his next visit to the district have

authority to make such arrangements for heating the school as will be satisfactory to the Committee, and as economical as possible to the Board. That the account submitted by the Charleston Committee should be paid out of schooHunds. Mr Shephard moved that Clause 1 be struck out, Lost, and the report adopted. The report of the Committee appointed to enquire "into school accommodatioo at Brightwater and Spring' Grove was read as follows: • " The Committee appointed by the Eriuea-tion-Board at its meeting on the 2nd March to confer with the School Committee of

Spring Grove as to the best means of supplying the educational wants of that district, having by arrangement met that Committee on the 17th inst., beg to report as follows." 11 It} appears that the School Committee think their district aggrieved by the absence of any means of education for the Brightwater boys generally within the village itself; all except the very young boys of school age being obliged to go to the Spring Grove school, The School Cdmmittee wish therefore that

the resolution arrived st by a publio meeting held at Brightwater to consider the question should be carried but, viz, That a boys' school be erected on a site somewhere between the girls' school and the|bridge roadi Your Committee see no way on the whole equally unobjectionable for removing the obvious" defect in the existing educational arrangements ; particularly as your Committee find on inspection of the River Terrace school room that in addition to the inconvenience of its situation for the*purpose named, it is further ineligible from its size, structure, and decaying condition."

" The cheapest mode of supplying the needed education for the Brightwater boya would be to add to the Brightwater ■choolroom and oonyert it from a girls' to a mixed school. This, howiver, your Committee deem to.be retrograde step which they cannot recommend." ■ ...'■■ . • ■

■ "As regards the question of the division of the Spring<Groye district into two which was also referred to your Committee for consider, ation, your Committee are of opinion that the request of tho Spring Grove Committee should be granted, and thatthdHne separating the new Spring Grove School 'District from that of Brightwater, should be that recommendedby the Spring Grove School Committee, viz?' "Bya line beginning at the \yaiiti River at the south west corner of section 37, and following the southern boundry of that section to the great road southerly,"to the S.W. corner of Bection v 22, then following the southern' b6uridry of sections 22 and 23 to the next road; then along that road southerly to where it crosses Jthe road at the S. W. corner of section 140, .then along the last named road and the line of the toad produced to -theeasterly boundary ofthe district.'? Considerable discussion ensued, arising through Mr' Olaydeu throwing a doubt that the School Committee were desirous that the resolution arrived at by; the public meeting held at Brightwater should; be carried out-

He moved as an amendment to the Bisb op of Nelson's motion that the, re that the matter be postponed until after the division of the school district.

Mr Hnrathouse said that a little too much had been said about the age of the Nelson and Marlborough candidates, tho discrepancy not being qhite so great as was made out, and besides that, age did not always bring wisdom as they soatetimes saw. There was one matter too that was overlooked, namely, that the principnl State school in Marlboroagh stood in relation to that district as did toe College to Kelson. It was the chief school with an exceedingly able master who took a deep interest in his work, and to which all the best boys and those of the keenest-intellect were sent. If there were no Bishop's School or College in Nelson then a fairer comparison could be made. He always expeo;ed tbat the | town boys would beat the country hoys, for the s»m« reason applied there, namely, that in the town they had one head sohool; If any good could arise out of the proposed conference he would gladly support it. I Mr Harkness thought they must recognise that tha difference between the ages of 15 and 16 ; was very considerable; also there was very much in what Mr Hurst house had eaid that there better material to work upon in the Blenheim school. There boys now had the advantage of passing the sixth standard about tenmonths ahead of the Nekon boysr which must give a very great advantage. With reference to those taking higher marks in distant country schools, it should be shown how many boys came up to a higher standard anil not be guided by merely one boy, who, perhaps, had been coached up to a certain point, to the disadvantage of the other boys. Mr Shephard thought the Board must proceed very carefully if it did not want to mute a rap over the knuckles from the Town'Com-mittee,-with whom rested the orgahiaatibn of the schools, and wh^ might be disposed to tell the Board to mind its' Own business: . :v; Mr Dencker thought the Town Committee was fully alive to-tha education of the young, and was quite; as competent :to judge as the Board.lf such amotionWere to be brought forward, it should have been from them. .

The Bishop of Nelson hoped that Mr Claydea would withdraw his motion: There was no evidence of "a; permanent deficit, for phe'year's examination vwere"not sufficient to judge; by. .There might be- something that required a ; little stimulus, and therefore he should hot like; to be driven to absolutely nagativing the; motion^ He did not consider thecaaewas made put, and he hoped Mr Claydon; would withdraw hi? motion, though he;vfould;pr6misef to" 'support it if there was "tbe • same conditiou of things at the next examination.

Amendment lost, only Mr Olayderi and Mr Phillipa voting for it. A letter having been received from the Chairman oi the Spring drove Committee, it

The Chairman did not regard the poiition on the examination JUsts aa a test of the bon educational; merits,; aa a great deal of the time ol the bud boyi ia Neluoo wai ipral

outiide the •übjeetein which matte wm given at tte Mholuslup examinations. Th« Inspector desired to deimate my strongly the fact of a faw pnpils, takiag prominent position being regarded m a tNt of the lUtai of any school, as the aooidantal the matter forward. He did not think then had been coaching in the diitant schools to the disadvantage of the othir pupils. In toys in the Sixth Btandard7He believed the whole thing was fo be attributed to the fact that they had only one tohooi in the town in existed. The boyi even knew prettj well who would be the winners of the scholarships, and did not strive as" they ought, He thought the present system a bad one. Hewasrery pleaded with the resalt of the disoassion, and would now withdraw the matter for twelve months. Mr Sbephard said that Mr Glayden had no in 8r hepK wUhdraWthe moti°n ■*" lpMking Mr Clayden thought that Mr Shephard was very fond of nrsurping the faaetions of the Chairman. Mr Shiphardwse to a point of order. This was one of those fictions in which Mr Glayden was so fond ef indulging when he did not get everything his own way." ,- N The Chairman did not think that he had any ground for complaint that Mr Shephard "s^tss. ».*»*»* Mr Shephard took a deep interast in all the Board's work, he never came within 100 miles of usurping the functions of;'th« Chairman ~Z£2&Y£32g££3Z& he ought not to be allowed to withdraw hia motion. . On the being put that Me Clayden be allowed to withdraw his resolution, i; waa negatived, and the motion w«i then put and negatived. Ayw-Mtsars Clayden, Hurst■bouse, and Phillips/ Noes -Messrs Barnicoat, Shephard, Denoker, and the' Bishop of PlatOommittee appHedfor a female assistant or sewing mistress. The Inspector was asked to see to the matter when he visited the district. Mr Anderson, of Collmgwood sohool, wrote applying for an increase of salary or to be removed to a better position. Resolved, on the motion o! Mr Shephard, That no applications for increase of salary Je^ffSS? 1--"^- rt **'■*?"*' The same reply was given to the DennUten Committee, who applied for an inoreaseof salary for Miss Lan«. . su^or^lo^^ applications be granted with the except!.* of those for painting, which were aonsidered exiessive. the understanding that the roof be of galvaa. r ised iron. Miss Deck's resignation of the assistant '•"'•• . of