EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8366, 10 January 1889, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

Tiia Education Board met on Wednesday. Present: Mrs Richmond, Miss HoywooJ Mes-rs Kelly (chairman), Bauohopo' F.mll, Olson, Adlum,Syino, r.nd Andrews. Fainting and Repairing High School.—. A. Clelaiul's tender ot XG{\ H)s lor painting and repairing ihe Ilijh School was acc< pted. Rahota Committee — Mr G. W. Gano orqaiivd if tha present Rihotu Committee was still in existence.— The Board decided tlut as the Kahotu Committee had ceased U> exist, ow'mvr to tho members being non resi knt in thu district, un eleo.ion for a 4U'\\ Comnnttpo would lako place on f-.iim.lay, J tnoary 20, at the sclioolhouae, Uahotu, at 8 a.m. Ejmoid Villiage —An oven applied for oy llio l^rnoat School Committee for tha Exmont Village Schoool was to be cup» plied, but some small repairs also oppliet^

fo', the Board thought the Committee should see to. Question of Salary.- Mr H. Dempsey, headmaster of Central School, wroto calling attention to tho smullness of his salary. He stated that for the year ending March 31 next his salary would be £240. He compared this with the salary, £347, paid to the master of the school at \VaDganin, where, according to the education report for 1887, the average attendance was under 300, and he also compared his salary to the Ua\ve<-a teacher, who got £290, with an average attendance o£ 200. When he recoivsd the appointment the fees for tbe instruction of pupil teachers was said to be £30 per annum, but during the past two years he had only received £19, and yet none of the pupil teachers he trained had failed, the difference in tin fees being about by a change in the arrangement of the staff He also pointed out that no bonus or certificate was paid in the Central School. — It was decided that the Bonrd could not increaao Mr Dempsey's salary, as it would have the effect of involving a readjusting of the Balaries of all tho teachers, and the Board for financial reasons «as net in a poaiiion to make any increases at present. Tender.— Mr A. J. Honey field's tender for sec 109, block 7, Onaero, containing 160 acres, for 21 years, at Is Id per acre for first seven years, for second seven years Is 6£d, and for the third period 2s, was accepted. Koru Rcservo.— The Oakura Committee intimated that thay had leased a portion of the Koru School Reserve, between Koru Boad and Oaknra river, at 2s 6d per acre, for 12 years. — The action of the Committee was endorsed. Kesignation.— Mrs E. Pen ward en sent in her resignation as sewing mistress at Oaknra School. — It was accepted, and steps were to be taken to fill the vacancy. Waitara. — The Board decided to inform the Waitara School Committee that they would contribute half the actual cost of enforcing tho compulsory cluuses of the Education Act in that district, provided the Board's contribution did not exceed £3 Leppedon.— The question of assistance for teaching at the Lepperton School was referred to the Inspector, with the vie^r of making provision at once for 6uppljing the vacancy in the teaching staff there temporarily. Residence atFitsroy. — MrS. W. Jackson, Chairman of the Fitzroy Committee, reminded the Board of their promise to erect a teacher's residence at Fitzroy, and ti usted the Board wonld build the same out of the next grant. Seicing, — Mrs T. Marsh, sewing mistress ot Upper and Lower Kent Road schools, forwarded reasons respecting the backwardness of the sewing at these schools.

Scholarship Regulations. — A letter dated December 22, 1888, was received from the Education Department, wherein it wns stated lhat the Minister for Education withheld his approval from sees. 2 and 8 of the proposed scholarship regulations — The Chairman moved, and Mr Olson Bsconded, " That the Board resrrets that the Minister Tor Education withholds bis approval from sees 2 an-J 8 of the proposed scholarship regulations, which permit children of school age not attending Board schools to compete for B3boltirßhipß offered by the Board, and submit the following; reasons for the Minister's consideration :—(1): — (1) That the grant for scholarships is made ont of the Consolidated Fand, to which tbe parents of children who do not avail themselves of the Boird schools contribute in common with parents whose children 'receive free education; (2) That parents who educate children at their own homes or at private flchools relieve tho public funds to the extent of £3 15s per annum for each child of school age so educated; (3) That under the circumstances atove stated the Board deem it on injustice to exclude <=uch children from competing for scholarships offered by the Board, when tho examination is strictly confined to standard snbjects; (4) That the Board is also of opinion that the proposal to exclude children who do not attend Board schools implies a fear that the teaching of private schools and home teaching is more effective than the teaching in the Board school?, and that children attending Board schools would not be able to win scbolnrships subject to such competition; (5) That the Board is of opinion that the teaching in Board schools is not inferior to the teaching in private schools, and that there is no necessity to protect children attending the Board schools from fair competition with children attending private schools ; (6) That to suppress open competition for scholarships ■would be a most unwifce policy, as it affords a valuable test of tho quality of work done in the Bonrd's schools bh compared with that done in private schools or by homo teaching ; (7) That as r.O reasons have been given for the proposed change in the present system the Board hopes that the Ministar will reconsider tho matter, as only very strong and urgent reasons ought to induce the Bonrd to exclude children of echool age attending private schools from competing for scholarships, under section 2 of the regulations." — Carried.

Accounts. — Accounts amounting to £22 0s Gd were passed for payment. The Board adjourned.