TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITIEE.

Colonist, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8693, 20 October 1896, Page 2

TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITIEE.

The usual monthly meetiog of this Commit" cc was held at the Couocil Chambers last eveninc. Present: Hers. Jas. H. Mackenzie (Chairman), and J. P. Kempthorne, Mes3rs Grant, Anoe-1, R. Allan, Toplisa, W. Rant, and Fathers.

Minutea were confirmed, and oohool reports were considered. The number of scholars on tbe roll and average attendance for each ichool were reported as follows :— Brook Street — On roll 110, average attendance 97, (one child refused admittance as Jhe manimnm number allowed was already allowed on roll). Hardy S ;reet— lo9, average aitendanoe 98. Hampden Street— lo3, average attendance 89. Haven Road— 222, average attendance 195. Boys' Cantral— 326, average attendance 289. Girls' Central— 297, average attendance 261.

In a letter, Mr Gibbs, M.A., stated that as nearly all the Bchools in town had now been examined, he was wishful that after the exams had been completed all those who had passed the second standard and were to be moved ud to the Central Schoooi, should be flat op thereupon, instead of following the usual praotioe of waiting till after the holidays before reconstrnotiog. Mr Gibbs pointed out that by adopting the proposed method the attendance for the period between exams and holidays would not fall off as muoh as it had done in the past and also that after the holidays there would be muoh less delay in getting to work.

It was resolved to adopt the suggestion of Mr Gibbs, and schools will be reconstructed immediately upon completion of all examinations.

Regarding tbe qnestion of mark holidays, Mr Gibbs suggested that in any month that a class of boys made an attendance of three per cent higher than the average for the past wo years,

Further oonsidaration of this queition w»s deferred until rep!ie3 were received from other head teachers.

There wan gome discussion upon a request tbat the date for the examination of sewing should b 9 deferred, as in aonsqience of the standard exams having been held eariia than usual the sewing had besn delated.

it was pointed out that this might interfere wi'.h tha resolution re reoonstruoiion just passed.

Further consideration of the question was deferred until ncx; mcc ing.

The Chiirmaa was deputed to sea Mrs Taunt w"so inspected the sewing last year, about acain undertaking tha work.

Miss Gaacoigne, head mistress of ih* Girls' Central School, leadered her teeigmtion in the following terms : —

" Nelson, 17th Oat., 1896. " The Chairman of the Town Schools

Commit sfe

"S3,— I hereby beg to tender my resignation cf tbe mistrestsbip of the Qirh 1 Central S hool, to take effeofc at the end of January next. la doing so,* I desire to express my grateful sense of the Committee's kind consideration and courtesy daring the year, my f anks being especially due to yourself »s Chiirmaa. I also wish to take this opportunity of thsnkiog the parent i of my soholars — pas', and present— for their kind appreciation of, and cordial co-operation in my work. To the preßsni staff of assistants I owe a debt of gratitude beyond my power of expression, for the untiring zeal, sympathy, and ability whioh have lightened my 'abois, and brought the aobooi to its present state of efficiency. A faw fi-ure? reLticg to the progress of tbe school since my appointment, in Janaary, 1880, may be of interest to tbe Committaa. Eoll number at tbe end of 1879—182, Bines from 345 to 295, the present roll. Scholarships woo, 52, of which 23 were open ones. Teachers s?nt out, 53, of whom 8 received heir training In this school. "I have tbe honor to be, Sir, " Your obedient servant, " M. 0. H. Gabcoigne." The Chairman and other members of the Committee remarked that this was a very worthy record. Mr Topliss moved that the Committee accept Miss Gascoigne's resignation with very great regret, and the thanks of the Committee be conveyed to that lady for her very long and efficient services in the cause of education in this district, and for the very^ great progress made during her regime as mistress of the Head Girls' School. Seconded by Mr Ancell, and carried unanimously. It was resolved to forward the resignation to the Board, and ask the Board to advertise for a headmistress as successor to Miss Gascoigne at a salary of not less than £200. The Chairman thought that the advertisement might be left so that male as well as female teachers might apply for the position. He did not advocate the absolute choice of a male teacher, but it might be well to leaye the decision until applications were in. After some discussion it was eventually resolved as above. Mr Knapp was granted leave of absence to attend examinations, necessary arrangements having been made for supply and the standard examinations then being over. Miss M. Hughes made a similar application for a date identical with that of her standard examination. It was resolved to grant tbe application and approve of Miss Ainsworth as supply. Miss F. Hughes, probationer, also applied for leave to attend examinations, and Miss Wright approved as supply. Mr Grant thought that that should be a another probationer appointed available for supply. It was resolved to forward Mr J. AfcArtney's report on the spouting of the Boys' Central School to tbe Board.

Attention being drawn to the state of the Boys' Central School and Tas-man-street School playgrounds in wet weather, Messrs Kempthorne, Topliss and Grant were appointed a sub-Committee to visit the grounds and report. Mr Herbert Constable applied for the window cleaning of the schools during the holidays.

Mr James Hodgson not : fiad that he would have to give v j the sweeping oontraet for the Boys' Central School.

Mrs Ciittenden and Mra Parker applied for the situation vaoat«d by Mr Hodgson and Mra Chittenden scoured the appointment ehe baiDg the firet applicant.

Acoounts amounting to £22 119 lid were paaied for p tyment. Mr Topli.s said that he and Mr Kempthorne had visited the Toi Toi Valley and found khkt it was impossible to secure land upon either side of tbe school • and they recommeid tbe purchase of two sections oa tbe opposite side of the road as a playground. Tbe seotKns were owmd by the Savings Bank and Mr Tra*k and could be purchased for £125 and £85 re?psc»iveiy. He recommended that the Board be asked the purohaee the land as tbe cosS of moving the sohool ani acquiring another site was prohibitory.

It was resolved to ask the Board to purchase tbe land spoken of.

Mr Boat reported that with tbe Chairman he had vißited the Haven road school with the object of choosing a site for the new onthouseß ani they suggested that if a piece of land oould be acquired at the back of Mr Worgan Jones' house the limited playground would not be encrcaohed upon. Messrs Bout and Toplisa were appointed a sub oommittes to enquire farther into the matter.

The Chairman said he had been spoken regarding home lessons being impose I. Various members said tbat as far as they were aware it was in the higher standards only that home lessons were given. No action was taken.

Regarding cattle trespassing in sohool ground i it was resolved to request teachers uot to allow the keys cf grounds out of their possession, sweeping contractors to have separate keys. It waa resoived to grant a half holiday on Wednesday afternoon.

The Committee adjourned &fc 9*30.