PRIMARY EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1924, Page 7

PRIMARY EDUCATION

TARANAKI BOARD MEETS. 55.EPORTS OF OFFICERS. ADDITIONS AND NEW WORK. The Taranaki Education Board met. yesterday. Present: Messrs S. G. Smith, M.P., (chairman), H. Dempsey, R. J. Deare, P. J. H. White and R. Masters, M.P. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs A. Lees, H. J. Eaves and F. H. Sims. The chairman reported 'having made the following apajolntments during the month:—(Miss M. J. Hunt, sole teacher, Toklrima; Miss L. Williams, assistant, Ohura; Miss N. M. Fahey, assistant. Waiters; Miss C. Jo-frsey, sole teacher, Opatu; Mr. F. 4. Cumberworth, head teacherd, Huiakama; Miss M. B. Simpson, assistant, Ngaere; Mr. W. A. Cartels, headmaster, Opunvke; Mrs. Lee, assistant, Hawera; Miss M. F. Anderson, assistant, Awatuna; Miss 0. H. Davies, sole teacher, Mangakara: Mias J. R. Mitchell, assistant, Tahora; Miss M. K. Spence, assistant, Auroa; Miss M. J. Huat, assistant, Matlere; Miss E. Surman, sole teacher, Mokau; Miss F. E. Rawson, sole teacher, Hurford. Miss Donothy Martin was appointed seventh assistant at - Stratford. Tlie following reslgaations were received and accepted:—-Mr. B. W. B. Hunt, head master, Oeo (September 30) ; Miss E. F. Leech, assistant, Inglewood (September 30) ; Mrs. L. M. ' Street, sole teacher, Piko (August 31); Miss F I. Laurent, relieving teacher (September 8) ; Miss N. V. Collier, sole teacher, Hurford (August 31); Miss M. E. Leech, assistant, Kaimata (September 30). Leave of absence was granted to the following teachers: —Miss P. H. Hutchinson, assistant, Matlere (September 9 to October 9); Mr. A. V. Sims, head teacher, Frankley (September 20 to December 20) ; Miss D. W. Pitt, assistant, Fraser Road (extended leave to December 19) ; Miss R. Were, assistant, Pukengahu (September 9 to September 15) ; Mr. G. W. Graham, sole teacher, Otaraoa (September 9 to September 32) ; Miss E. F. Farquhar, assistant, Auroa (September 9to September 30) ; Miss C. Mcßae, sole teacher, Puniwhakau (September 9 to September 12) ; Mr. E. G. Smith, pupil teacher. Central (October 30 to November 7) ; Mr. H. A. Insult, probationer, Central (October 30 to November 7). AGRTCUIMJRAL INSTRUCTION. The senior instructor in agriculture (Mr. R. G. Rldling) reported as foMows: — Primary schools.—ln the course of the month 55 schools have been visited by instructors and •their reports state that the work is proceeding satisfactorily In most of the schools. Preparations are being made for commenelni the spring work, and arrangements for carrying out competitions in various phases of the work are in hand. The Eltham. Farmers’ Co-operative Company has generously donated seed and manure for the potato competition in the schools of the Eltham district.

Rural science classes.—The classes In the various centres have been regularly conducted. Fair progress is being made. The S 6 classes are being withdrawn from attendance at the Stratford centre.

Teachers’ classes.—Thdse have been held regularly. It is essential that these classes should be commenced earlier in the year than was the case this year. Several teachers desired to take agriculture for the teachers’ examination, and because the work required had not been covered they were compelled to attend extra classes during the evenings and on Saturday afternoons. This can be avoided if the classes are commenced earlier in the year than rhe middle of March. Boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs.—The reestablishment of these clubs under the auspices of the Taranaki Agricultural Society seems to have given new life to the work in the northern area. The calf-rearing competition has been, commenced, and an endeavour is being made to re-establish the poultry competition under better conditions than previously. Demonstration plot for Central School.—-The Central, West End, and Technical Schools are not favourably situated for observing agricultural work being carried out, and the formation of a demonstration area somewhere in the vicinity of these schools is very necessary. That piece of land between the office of the board and the Central School ground previously used by the architect would make an area where at least some experimental work could be done. 1 would therefore suggest to the board that this area be granted as a demon strarton area under my control. A resolution was i»ssed thanking the Cooperative Organisation Company for its gift of seed and manure. The matter of a demonstration plot for the Central schools was left .in the hands of the chairman with power to act. NEW WORK AND REPAIRS. Additions, new buildings, and repair work were reported on by the board's architect (Mr. C. H Moore) as follows: New work.—The new classroom at Okato has been completed and the school Is now well off for accommodation. A start has been made on the Eltham new school and good propress has been made. A start has not yet been made with the new residence at Norfolk owing to the nort-arriva.l of timber and the requirements of skilled labour at the Eltham School, but the material is now on the site and another week should see It started. All the sawn timber for the Awakino residence Is ready at the local mill. If the sito was definitely fixed and the committee levelled Pt out as agreed, a start would be made as soon as the roads were in better condition. Repair work.—The erection of a concrete gateway at Tataraimaka hr , been proceeded with, and painting and general repairs hare been done at the Lepperton School and residence, York school and residence, Okato school and residence and Wakongona school and residence. At Hawera the folding partition authorised has been erected, and improvements made to the ’lighting, besides general repairs. There still remains the matter of a movable partition In this classroom.

Plans.—We have been busy with details and final plans for Westown and Eltham. Plans for remodelling the Norfolk School have a'lso been completed and application made for a grant to cover Jjalf the cost, the balance to be met. out of the rebuilding fund.

IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE. The attendance officer (Mr. G. Pascoe) reported that he had sent out 50 Irregular attendance notices during the month. He had visited 28 schools, the attendance being good in each case. GENERAL MATTERS. The Inglewood School Committee applied for a grant for an additional! woodwork room In order that the present room might be used for rural science classes, which were at present overcrowded.—Th® board decided to forward the application to the department. It was decided to ask the department to arrive at a decision regarding the establishment of a district high school at Manaio as soon as possible. The chairman stated that In his opinion the board of managers of the Hawera Technical High School should In their own Interests do something towards providing conveyance of the children In that district to Hawera. Concerning the Ilia! a school the department wrote approving of a grant of £36 for extension of the room by six feet. In view of the possible consolidation of small! schools in the district in the near future, it could not see Its way to consider application for a new site or a new school.—'The board decided to accept the department’s offer of £36. Approval of the proposal to lease an additional playing area of approximately one and a half acres adjoining the Frankley Road school, at a rental of £5 per annum, was forwarded by the department. The secretary reported having received a number of fire extinguishers from the department for distribution amongst various wooden schools. —The allocation of the extinguishers to the schools was left In the bands 1 of the chairman. i The establishment of a school at Tuhua wan

held over pending a report on the matter oy the senior inspector when he next visits the district.

The department notified, the board that an annual grant of £39 a year had ibeen authorised for renting the Sunday school at Opunake for the accommodation of the standard 4 pupils, on account of overcrowding at tho main school.

The board decided to contribute up to £9O -towards the fencing of the Courtenay Street site.

The question of making some 'increase to the Central School Committee’s Incidental! grant was deferred pending a full attendance on the finance oommiu.ee.

It was resolved to re-im!burae the Kaipikari School Committee lor the cost of fencing the school site.

With regard to the transport of children from Ngarlkl Road to Ra'hotu, the board decided to apply to the department for authority to enter into a bond with the contractor, pointing out that eighteen cWdron had been guaranteed for conveyance. On the motion of the chairman It was decided to forward to the department tho following suggested school dates for 19(25 First term, February 3—May 8; second term. May 26—August 21; third term, September 15— December 18.

The matter of organised toothbrush drlfij at the Hawera School was left In the hands of Mr. Lees to report. In reply to an. application from the residents of WaHelka Road concerning the carriage of their children to Mangahume the board decided to state that it will continue to pay an allowance, but the settlers must supply their own means of conveyance.

The chairman and Messrs White, Deare and Dempsey were appointed a committee to decide upon boundaries for the Westown school district, and to arrange for the election of a provisional school committee. It was resolved to apply for authority to expend half the cost of re-modelllng Norfolk School out of the rebuilding fund, and to renew application for re-modelling Puniho School, half the cost to be paid by the board from the rebuilding fund. An application was received from the federated dairy companies of South Taranaki foe permission to use the manual buildings at Hawera for the purposes of a dairy (laboratory. Decision was held over pending further particulars being made available. The New Plymouth members of the board were appointed a committee to meet the. Ffctzroy School Committee regarding the erection of a wood and shelter shed. The matter of the erection of a shed at Moturoa was referred to the architect.

The date of Mrs. Martin’s resignation from her position as infant mistress at the Central! School wae extended till January 31. The chairman and Messrs White, Masters and Lees were appointed a ounimittee to go into the matter of an authorised list of school books at their earliest convenience.