SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1930, Page 9

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

TARANAKI BOARD MEETING ACCOMMODATION AT WESTOWN. "SHOULD BE TREATED AS URGENT” "This should, be treated as urgent/'’ said. Mr. White when sponsoring a motion at the monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday that the architect should prepare a plan for a fresh-air room at Westown and that immediate application should be made for a. grant. Mr. Lees spoke strongly against holding classes in the public hall, as recommended by the senior inspector as a temporary expedient at Westown. It had been tried before and had always proved unsatisfactory. In connection with the proposed enlargement the senior inspector (Mr. N. R. McKenzie) reported that if conditions were normal a good case for an enlargement of the building could be made out. Indeed, with one exception, every room ; was. full or overcrowded. The one room in which there was a little epare accommodation would be filled almost immiately. In view, however, .of the present financial stringency, he recommended that arrangements be made for the use of the Presbyterian hall opposite the school gates, and that the question of enlarging the echool be considered as soon as money was available.

The motion wae passed and the question of temporary accommodation was referred to Messrs. Valentine and Jones, with power to act. Present at the meeting were: Mr. H. Dempsey (chairman), Dr. W. M. Thomson, Messrs. J. A. Valentine, W. H. Jones, A. Lees and P. J. H. White. Or the motion of Dr. Thomson it was decided to apply to the department for an A type dental clinic and a nurse for Hawera. Dr. Thomson explained that the committee had set out to raise £250, [£l3o as part of the cost of the clinic and the balance for working expenses. Up to the present a good deal more than £l3O was in hand, and this could be transferred to the board.

Provided the tenderer is prepared to convey up to 25 children from Haparua. to Ohura for £2OO, it was decided to apply to the department for a grant for that purpose. In the event of the department agreeing to this it was decided to close the Haparua school and to continue a grade 0 school at Waitawhenua. It was decided to lay before the department the position regarding the conveyance of children from Skoct Road to Auroa. NEW SCHOOL FOR INGLEWOOD. A new school of the fresh-air type for Jnglewood is to be the subject of an application to the department bv the hoard. The architect reported that he had prepared plans for seven rooms, Including a free room, teachers’ rooms and separate cloak rooms. There would be two separate blocks with a semidetached covered-way between. The first block would be a complete building of five rooms and the second block would contain two classrooms and the, free I'Oom, with provision for necessary ad-

dilions .in view of possible centralisation. The two buildings would be only 40 feet apart. This would be ample for classrooms lighted ou this principle, as against at least 70 feet required for the ordinary standard type. * The paymc t by the department of bus or train fares for children attending the special class who lived outside the school district was recently urged by the West End Committee. The secretary of the board said applications had been made for the payment of conveyance allowances to children attending the West End special class. Two or three children in the Fitzroy school district should attend the class, but their parents could not afford the .tram fares. As these pupils lived within two miles of a school they I- were ineligible for an allowance accordI ing to the regulations and it appeared, therefore, that unless the regulations were modified the class could not be operated for the purpose intended. Mr. Insull pointed out that when a similar application was made the department had replied that as the boy concerned was over 10 and lived under three miles from the special class attended by him he was. not entitled to payment fox* conveyance. Mr. Valentine said he was informed by officers of the department in Wei-. lington that if the children lived over two miles from the special class the department would pay for conveyance. That was quite definite. Probably the objection in the case mentioned by Mr. Insull was that the boy w r as over the | age of 10.

The chairman of the board was authorised to make further representations on the matter.

DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENC

It was decided to ask the department’s permission to remove the portable classroom from Opunake to Fitzroy. The department notified its approval of a grant of £250 for the extension of the Fitzroy ground by the purchase of Mr. Seamark’s section at the back.

The department notified its approval of the following grants.- Remodelling and rent of hall at Rawhitiroa, heating for Central school, New Plymouth, movable classroom for Puniho, septic tank and a special subsidy at Lepperton arid chip heater for Ohangai.

The application for a teacher's bach at Pohokura was refused by the department and the following grants- were held in abeyance; Re-building at Pihama, re-modelling at Oaonui. Grants were refused for re-modelling at Ongaruc, re-modelling at Oaku.ru. and for the teachers’ library.

Witli reference to the Ongarue application the department complained that, alterations there had been carried out without its authority. The secretary of tho board explained that the senior inspector had agreed to the work, and it was carried out because the board’s staff was then in the district, thereby saving the department hundreds of pounds.

It was decided to ask the chairman (the Hon. S. G. Smith) to make further representations on the subject. The need for re-modelling at Oakura was described as urgent and in this direction, too, the chairman was asked to make representations. In connection with a resolution by the Manaia householders, the department wrote that the question of increasing capitation grants could not be dealt with this year, but would be coit-i sidcrcd in the future.

Having visited the Waiau school. Mr. Dempsey recommended its enlargement by an extension of seven or eight feet in a southerly direction. The matter was urgent, as tire teacher dm not know ■whether und r r the circumstances she had authority to refuse to enrol additional pupils.

REMOVAL OF AUKOPAE SCHOOL. Regarding the suggested removal of the school from Aukopae to the board’s site at Aorangi, Messrs. Dempsey and Valentine reported that one of the settlers at Aorangi had offered the temporary use of a room for school purposes and there seemed to Ire a prospect of an attendance of six. It was recommended that the offer should be accepted and the department asked to sanction the opening of a school in the room, The settlers had offered to build a small school if the material was supplied, but it- was suggested such action should not yet be taken. If the department sanctioned the opening of a school at Aorangi it was recommended that the Aukopae school be continued as a grade 0 school in the meantime, and that the school at Aorangi be conducted as a half-time school with Roto for the remainder of the year, the position to be reviewed during January. The report was adopted.

Mr. Valentine reported that the settlers on Mataora Road had undoubtedly presented a strong case for conveyance or the erection of a small school. Fresh information had been received and forwarded to the department.

The chairman was authorised to make further representations in Wellington regarding Mataora Road. The manual supervisor (Mr. R. G. Riffling), reporting on woodwork, said that both drawing and bench work in all centres had reached a higher standard this year than at the same period in past years. Greater insistence upon (careful and accurate work in the early stages had resulted in the pupil setting his own standard, which was quite high. The practical side of the cookery work was being well done and a keen interest maintained. Theory still required close attention. In practical handwork, however, the work was proving highly successful. The range at the Hawera Centre was in bad condition, and a new range was required. A conference of woodwork instructors was held’ at Hawera on June 28. A valuable exchange of views took place and opportunity was taken to compare the work done at centres in an endeavour to raise the work to the highest possible standard.

M ANU AL CO.MM ITT E E D ELIS lON S. Recommendations made by the manual and technical committee were adopted as follows; That grants of shelter trees and shrubs be made to schools as under, the cost not to exceed: Arawhata £1 os, Mokoia £3 ss, Opua Road £1 10s, Frankley £3 Ss. That the question of providing trees for the Kohuratuhi school be deferred until next meeting; that application be made for a grant of £3O to cover the cost of installing a new range at the Hawera Centre; that the board record its appreciation of the work of Mr. W. Entwistle in arranging and managing the, display of woodwork at Hawera show; that in view of the that the Bird Road committee £ll 12 s Cd a year in rent the school site, the w boundary feneccommittee.

The architect (Mr, C, H, Moore) reported, in part; The special fresh air classroom at West End is well on towards completion. A grant was made fox* the re-modelling at Rawhitiroa and I the work was put in hand immediately. In the meantime the children are accommodated in the hall. The* heating of five classrooms at the Central school has beep approved by the department and the work is proceeding. Owing to the overcrowding at Waiau creating an urgent need, he had, according to instructions, prepared plans for additions and forwarded them to the department. At the suggestion of the finance committee the following decisions were made: That the special rates on the board’s property at Inglewood be paid, and the Inglewood Borough Council be informed that the board admits of no liability for general rates; that application be made to the New Plymouth Borough Council for a rebate of the charges made for the supply of water to schools in the New Plymouth area, and that the matter of interviewing the council be left in the hands of Messrs. White and' Jones.

The question of re-modelling the manual room at Eltham was referred to the architect for a report. Dr. Thomson and Mr. Lees submitted a lengthy report on. a visit to the school. The architect was instructed to deal with certain matters raised in the report. TEACHERS’ APPOINTMENTS. The following teachers’ appointments were made on the recommendation of the senior inspector: Matapu, head teacher, Miss Georgina Gray; Mimi, relieving head teacher, Miss Mary E. Hodder; Bell Block, infant mistress, Miss Elsa A. Griffin; Manaia, assistant, Miss Myrtle H. Wood; Norfolk, relieving assistant, Miss Anne Penney; Westown, assistant master, Mr. Arthur V. Gilbert, Owing to the removal of her home to Riverlea Miss Jean Allan was transferred as probationer to Riverlea from Manaia. Miss M. Curd was transferred to Toko as assistant. Miss Olivo Abraham was appointed additional assistant at Waitara in place of Miss F. M. Drader, who bad received another permanent appointment. Mr. James McAllister was appointed headmaster of the Whangatnomona school'. Resignations were accepted from: Mr. J. Bailie, headmaster, Kaponga; Miss L. McKenzie, infant mistress, Bell Block; Mias W. Boon, relieving assistant, Fitzroy; Mr. D. M. Jillett, relieving head teacher, Rawhitiroa; Miss E. F. Sage, relieving assistant, Toko; Miss F. M. Drader, additional assistant, Waitara; Miss M. Bayly, assistant, Manaia.