WEST INFANTS SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 9, 24 April 1902, Page 2

WEST INFANTS SCHOOL.

POSITION CONSIDERED B¥ THE EDUCATION BOARD. At the Education Board meeting on Wednesday the Teachers' Selection Committee reported in eflect as follows upon the position of affairs in connection with the West Infants School:

The question before tbe committee was whether the Wiist Infant*' should be made a side school of the Central, or include pupils of all standards and continue as a separate school. If the schools were amilgimated the combine! averages would be about 640, and the whole would most likely be phced in the grade embracing schools with averages from 600 to 660. The staff* of the two would be combined, and some re-arrangement of positions would be necessary. The committee considered the most equitable s'aff adjustment would be to make Mrs Dowling third assistant and Miss Mynott sixth. This would involve low»iii»g by one grade two female assistants at present at. the Central, and lowering by two grades the female .aasistans recently appointed. The head teacher's salary would be increased by £lB plus capitation, and the mistress's by £18; but ♦he third aiwintant's salary would be iv-duced by .£55 Bs, and she would lose £3O house allowance. The fifth assistant would 10->e £25, the sixth £5, and the sevench £ls. The combined schools would, moreover, lose an assistant. There were, therefore, two strong objections to this arrangement salaries in its incidence falls unfairly on the teachers with the lower salaries; (2) the withdrawal of an assistant would understaff the Central Sohoo), where the loss would be borne, and efficiency would thereby be impaired. If tho schools remained sepiiate and all standards were taught at the West Infants', it is estimated that the average at'endnnca there would increase by 50, and the Central fall cjcrespjodiug y. The effect at the Central would be that all teachers' salaries would decrease by sums ranging up to £ls, and that th • school would lose an assistant and a pupil teachßr, At the West Infants' the mistress's salary would increase by about £lO and tbe assistant's £5, while an additional assistant at £BO would be appointed. The committee considered the time not yet ripe fur making these changes. They recommended that tbe Minister for Education ba asked to allow the schools to remain as at present, as they have b«en j working satisfactorily s> for a considerable time, and especially ns there could be no doubt that the Act contemplated disturbing as little as possible, for two years at any rate, arrangements made by Board's under the old regulations as regards either the status or salaries of teachers. Residents in the West End forwarded a petition nsking that the school be made a f u'l standard one. The Chairman coaMdeied the time was not yet ripe for this. Mr Maokay said that was the effect of the committee's report, which he I moved should be adop-.ed,—Seconded] by Mr Wade.

Mr Faull agreed with the raporr, I though he would like to have sean th» school a full standard on* at once. Mr Allswortb concur* ed in this vi> w. The Board hid two years to get «oeustotned to the unw c mdition of afluirs, and it would it. juriously affect a 'me of the teachers if a change wera effected at once. He had no duuit the time would soon be rips for a full statdurd school. The repo.t was adoptel.