TARANAKI EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1930, Page 14

TARANAKI EDUCATION

WORK IN THE SCHOOLS SPECIAL SECTION REPORTS. SUBSIDIES TO COMMITTEES. ' The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held at New Plymouth yesterday.; The chairman Kthe Hon. S. G. Smith) presided, and ©thera present were Dr. W. M. Thomson, Messrs P. J. H. White, A. Lees, W. H. Jones and J. McAllister. The chairman took the opportunity of thanking the board for re-electing him te- his position of chairman during his absence in Wellington. . The Education Department advised ■Khat. it could take no action regarding the representations from school committees for further consideration of subsidies on voluntary contributions made before their department decided to restrict subsidies. The letter pointed out that financial considerations limited the department’s present powers. It was apt intended that urgent applications for repairs to grounds and similar necessary work should be refused. After discussion of a letter from the South Taranaki School Committees Association, the board agreed that Trench phonetic gramophone records required in primary schools where French was v taught should be subsidised on a £1 for/£l basis. The board forwarded to the Minister a resolution from the as- . soeiation that in view of the fact that district high schools required practically the saTne equipnie-nt as secondary schools it was .held that, capitation should be on the same basis. The board expressed satisfaction with ■. the altered capitation for manual work. ■lt was stated that £lOO7 would be received annually, an amount in excess ;/;.J of the previous, capitation. A copy of proposed new regulations for the classification of all teachers, primary, secondary and specialist, into . one grading register was received. The board considered that the regulations concentrated too much power in the director of education and suggested .that decision should rest with a committee / appointed by the Council of Education. ! ■ Permission was granted primary schools affected by the. South. Taranaki ’Pri mary Schools Sports Association annual sports meeting to have a full holiday on December 17; The list of projected works in order of urgency at the date of the meeting was: —Westown, additions; Oakura, replacement; 'Whakamara, reinstatement; IPihama, replacement;. Inglewood, new school; Tataraiinaka, remodelling; Korito, replacement; Lincoln, reinstatement. Residences, etc.: Central, repairs; Lower Mangorei, residence, .5. rooms; IPohokura, movable bach; Mahoenui, re- ' si deuce; Omata, reinstatement; Hillsborough, new residence;- Eltham, manual building. , BUTLDINGS AND REPAIRS. ■ '.The board’s architect (Mr. C. H. Moore), reported that the new dental clinic at Hawera was completed and in occupation. The Lepperton septic tank - ’ system and general repair work had been completed. ' A start had been made on the Oaonui remodelling and in the meantime the classes were, housed -■//’ in the ba.ll. He had made- arrange- '< ■ ' onents to start ■ the Midhirst additions and remodelling early in December, and the expected to have' .them completed ready for the new year. The spare tem- • porary classroom from'Newalltwas Removed to Tikorangi. Authority had been received to enlarge the Tarurutangi classroom accommodation- in accordance with ’the board’s application. General repair works had |>een done at the Kaponga and. Marigatoki resi- ■ dences, -and< at the schools and residences at Te Roti and Mokoia.Fencing had been authorised at Whakamara and clearing of. trees was being carried out at Koru before the installation of electric light at the school residence. Authority was received by the board for this installation out of the rebuilding fund. The Koru School , had been painted outside and the Kirihau School had been .painted throughout. Small repair works had been done at Tokaora, Manaia, Mangamingi, Ratapiko, Inglewood and Huiakama schools and elsewhere. On Mr. White’s recommendation the board decided to sell a portion of the Inglewood residence site, all legal and .survey expenses to be borne by the purchaser. t . " The department wrote approving of a grant for additions at Tarurutangi School. Concerning this school Messrs Valentine and White reported- that ’he •present floor space of 267 ' square feet was inadequate for the present-roll of 33, which would tend to increase with time. This was in spite of • the new room recently built. They recommended the 'board to apply to the department to remove the existing partition to give more floor space. An extension of the entrance porch would be required but even with these alterations the architect thought the original grant from 'the department would not be exceeded. Messrs Valentine and!McAllister, reporting upon the Ratapiko School, pointed out that as the head teacher • had only 19 children in a room that would accommodate 27 -the present ■trouble could be. remedied by transferring some pupils from the lower room. Thev recommended that the architect should effect repairs where necessary to the shelter shed. The recommendations of the finance and buildings committee were adopted. Several maintenance matters at the Hawera, Moturoa and Mahirakau schools were referred to the architect with power to act. Subsidies being in order applications were made for the departments ap- ' proval of special grants at Fraser Road, Kahui, Hurford, Matau, Pihama, Riverlea and Tututawa. 'Messrs White and Jones were asked to report upon the accommodation and need for improvements at the Pungarehu School. It was stated that there were 101 children and three teachers in two rooms. The department approved a grant for Heating the Stratford main school. AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. General outdoor activities had been pursued as far as the weather would permit during the month, the agricultural instructor, Mr. D. Mackay, reported. In all schools the garden operations were well in hand, experimental plots being sown in most cases. The value of the study of order and arrangement in seed-raising and plantpropagation was being appreciated by the teachers and methodical lay-out of gardens was a feature. Flower gardens, frequently the care of the junior classes, brightened the school grounds. The number of schools failing to appreciate the value of that aesthetic adjunct to school Hfe was steadily diininishing. In agricultural club work local superTisors had been concentrating on thorough preparation of the plot, while the teachers were presenting indoor work to stress the importance of this. Regular and systematic notemaking was proceeding under supervision. The manual supervisor, -Mr. Macks. , reported that good progress had been

reported from practically all ; schools. Hand work, in materials other than wood was widening in range and combined well aesthetic and practical influences. On the manual and technical committee’s recommendation letters of commendation were sent to the school committees at Egmont V illage, Frankley and Niho Niho relating to the ground improvements made. • The action of Mr. Lees and Dr. Thomson in arranging with the Hawera Technical High School Board for the conduct of night manual classes at the Hawera manual school was confirmed.