BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3251, 26 February 1885, Page 5

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Vn or.liiv.iry meeting of the South Canteihiu Bor.-l of Education w:is lield on Seb. 5 at tneir oilices, Government buildings. MBMBKKS ;> K.-EST. ' r he Rev Geofo Baiviiir (. hiurman), Dr Foster, and Messrs S. W. Goldsmith, G. G. Russell, M. Gray nnd R. A. Barker. MINUTES. The minutes of the last meeting were read nnd confirmed. CIUIBMAU'3 STATEMENT. The Chairman stated that Mr Talbot had intimated to him on Wednesday thnt he would not be able to attend the meeting, ani that it also was the desire of Mr E. Wakefield and Mr W. J. Steward to have leave of absence for the day. Speaking of offieo work, the Chairman stud all matters connected therewith had been attended to during the month. Miss Strong had been appointed pupil teacher at the Orari Bridge School, and several names of pupil teachers for appointment had been submitted by the Timaru School Committee. With regard to the vacancy to be created by Mr Scott's resignation, the Secretary had advertised for a sue eesaor, and Mr Scott had agreed to stay at the school till the Ist of April. In the absence of a second master, ho (the Chairman) had appointed Mr Hammond locum tenens, and he had agreed to teach for about a month. Tho Works Committee appointed some time ago had met as soon as they knew what the grant for buildings was to be, and their report would be laid before the meeting later on. A report would a'so be read re the appointment of an assistant at the Waimate High School. The scholarship examination had been fixed for the fi-st Tuesday m March next, the work being divided among tho examiners thus — Mr Melville Gray to take Mathematics, Archdeacon Harper Latin, himself History, and Dr Anderson, the Inspector, the remaining subjects. These were all the chief matters that needed referring fe>. Mr Goldsmith moved, and it was agreed to, that the actions of the Chairman be approved. GOVERNMENT COBBESPONDENOE. The Education Department wrote, stating that the Board's share of the building grant would be £2230, and that it would be available on the 31sfc March ; also forwarding the following list of books which might be used m any public school, viz : — "Physiography," by T. H. Huxley, P.R.S. ; a geography adapted to Standards 11, 111, and IV, by Mr Hill, 8.A. : " St.ries from English History: Historical Reader No. 1 ;" and " Modern England : Historical Reader No. 4." From the same, enclosing a Gazette notice, giving information about school children's season tickets ; also forwarding a notice that Mr Wm. Browne, a teacher m the Board's district, had been certificated E4, and that Mrs E. Dunnett and Miss Kate Walk'ington Vance had been granted licenses to teach. NOMINATIONS. The Secretary reported that letters had been received from fifteen school committees nominating members to serve on the Board, the nominees being Messrs Gray, Talbot, Postlethwaite, Bruce, and Dr Foster. AECHITECTS* KBPOBT. The 'Architects' reported that the repairs at the Geraldine Flat School -were nearly completed, and that the repairs and alterations at the Timaru Main School had been completed. WOBKS COMMITTEE'S EEPOBT. This was read by the Chairman as follows : The Committee haying gone carefully into the matter entrusted to them, report and recommend as follows :— The building grant for the j ear is £2230. The Board would remember that lost year the general account was drawn upon to the extent of £900, which was expended on objects properly coming under the building grant. There was also owing to the Waimataitai School Committee, £500. For architects' fees, school furniture and general contingencies, there would be required about £500. Should therefore the £900 be refunded, and the £500 owing to Waimataitai deducted from the building grant, a balance of only £330 would be available for new undertakings. What the Committee proposed under the circumstances to do was this : — That the £900 owing to general account — though at present to be formally paid back — be drawn upon again during the current year and made available m aid of the building fund, and also that only a portion, say half of the £500 owing to Waimataitai be refunded this year the Board paying interest on the portion unrefunded. Should these proposals be adopted this is how the account would stand — Refund to Waimataitai, £250 ; reserve for architects' fees, £100 ; school f cirniture, £75 ; general contingencies, £275 ; total, £700 ; — tbus leaving £1530. The Board were aware that to execute all works needed and asked for within the district would require about fire or six thousand pounds, but seeing that that sum was not available, they proposed that masters' residences be built at Makikihi or Redcliff, Kingsdown, Geraldine Flat and Orari Bridge, and that with pecuniary help from the districts of Cannington and Upper Waitohi, schools could be erected there, the whole expenditure being £1525, leaving some few pounds of a balance. It would be seen that the Committee had been obliged to leave out a number of undertakings that they would gladly have entered on if possible. Silverstream, they added, had neither a school nor a master's residence, and if no part of the £500 was paid a small school could be put up there. With respect to Albury, the Committee hoped to continue renting the police buildings until the Board had funds to purchase. Some discussion followed, at the termination of which it was agreed on the motion of Mr pjucsell, seconded by Mr Gray — That the report of the Committee be adopted, subject to the loan from the Waimataitai School Committee being continued on a reduction of the rate of interest and power to pay off the whole or one-half on giving them three months' notice ; that a schoolmaster's house be erected at Makikihi and a schoolhouse at Silverstream. DEPUTATION. Messrs Cormick and Steel attended as a deputation from the residents of Upper Waitohi Flat, and m answer to the Chairman stated that about twenty children of school Sge were m the district ; that a site could be secured free, and promised to make up any deficiency there might be m the teacher's salary or the cost of school buildings. The Board said the school would come under the " aided " school regulations, thanked the deputation for attending, and instructed the Secretary to take the necessary steps to proclaim a school district. . It was decided that he proclaim a district at Cannington- also. "WAIMATE HIGH SCHOOL. The Chairman then stated what had been done m reference to the request from the Waimate District High Bchool for an assistant teacher. It would be remembered the Board of Governors of the Waimate High School had written stating that if this Board found it necessary to add to the teaching staff of the school they would be prepared to contribute £75 towards the payment of an additional teacher. This offer he thought a liberal one. He would |point out that this f oa : r , d h J«! made a very small contribution the^ ai mate High School so far, only some £20 m fact. What the Committee (himself and Dr Foster) suggested was this : That an additional third master be appointed ; that there be two third teachers at the school! The salary required would be something over £100, and as the Board of Governors had promised £75, only about £30 would be required of this Board. If this arrangement were agreed to, the master appointed would be a benefit to the whole school, as the time he was not engaged teaching secondary subjects could be devoted to the other clashes and, also, he would be under 1 the direct control of the Head Master, while m the case of an assistant merely some trouble might result. In conclusion, the Chairman said there were fourteen scholars attending tho sohool ; the fees of eeven. wero paid by the Board of Governors, and the Education Board gave £1 for £1 of fees received from the remaining seven scholars. Mr Barker doubted whether the Board would be doing right if it agreed to the Committee's suggestion. The Chairman thought they ;would, and pointed out that they were likely to get the services of a teacher on very advantageous

Mr Barker asked if the Board would be prepared to increase the staff of the Temuka High School, which, lie thought, required it as much as the Waimnte School, as it hud been pointed out more than once that the Temuka school was suffering through the. Head Master's time being so much taken up I by particular scholars. ... The Chairman said should an application come before them, they would no doubt favorably consider it. He added that the Board were not doing the whole of their duty as regarded secondary education. On ,the motion of Mr Goldsmith, seconded by Mr Russell, the repert was adopted. Tho Chairman then said that the Committee also suggested that the percentage of fees for secondary education be distributed as follows : the Head Master to get 40 per cent, and the second and third masters 30 per cent. The suggestion was agreed to. A letter was then read from the Waimate High School Committee stating that at a ballot taken at a meeting on the 14th Jan., it was determined that Mr W. J. Steward should retire as one of the members representing the Board of Education, and asking the Board to appoint a successor. It was unanimously agreed that Mr Steward be re-elected. ■■■ THB TIMABTT SCHOOL. ■':■•»'.'■ Letters were received from the Timaru School Committee just before the Board commenced its sitting, and the Chairman complained of its coming m so late, stating that it gare the Secretary no time to arrange and place m order on the agenda paper. He hoped Committees would forward correspondence earlier. The first letter stated that the Committee loft the selection of a second master for the Timaru Main School, to the Board ; tlie second contained the following resolution — " That with a view to save time and prevent any collision with the Board m appointing a Head Master, this Committee respectfully ask the Board to authorise their Inspector to confer with the Committee as to a selection from among the applicants, and that the Chairman of the Board be authorised to intimate at once to the party who may be jointly agreed upon;" and a third, also containing a resolution, a9 follows : — "That the attention of the Board be directed to the fact that there are already on the roll of the Main School over 900 soholara, overcrowding the present rooms, and that they bo asked to provide further school accommodation at the Side School." With regard to the first resolution, the Board saw no reason to depart from their ordinary rule m such matters. The Committee would have five .clear days to go through the applications for the Head Mastership, and when they had 'made their choice they could forward it to the Chairman, who would lay it before a full Board. With respect to the Becond resolution, the Chairman said the matter contained therein had been before the Board gome time ago, and then, as now, nothing could be done m the matter. He also pointed out that the average attendance at the school was but rarely 800, and as the winter was coming on, this was not likely to be reached for a long timd. The appointment of a second master^ was considered m Committee, and when the Board resumed ordinary business it was stated Mr P. W. Wake had been appointed. Just before the Board rose a letter was read from the Committee, stating the sixth master had resigned. — The Secretary was instructed to take the usual steps to fill the vacancy. THE XATB BMSCTIONS. Mr W. DeKenzy wrote, protesting against Mr Northam being elected on the Committee for the Winchester Sohool; stating that he was a lodger, not a householder. It was decided to send a letter to Mr Northam, asking for an explanation. . A letter was also received from Mr J. W. Jones, stating that the newly-elected Committee could not agree m electing a Chairman, and asking for instructions. The letter was worded rather vaguely and puzzled the Board somewhat, and after some discussion they instructed the Secretary fo write to Mr Jones, asking him to call another meeting of Committee to reconsider the matter. Letters were received front the residents of Waihao, Hakateramea, Hook and Hunter, stating that no Committee had been elected. |It was decided that another meeting be held I shortly, and that the householders be informed that no " quorum " is needed at these meetings, that three persons for instance can elect a Committee. MISCELLANEOUS. Letters were read from the Gapes' "Valley, Opihi, Kakahu, Wai-iti, Pleasant Valley, Woodbury, South Orari, Mount Gay, and Geraldine Committees b tat ing that the communications re Inspector's report had received attention. As no letter had been received from the Scotsburn School Committee, the Secretary waa desired to write to them, and state that the Board insist upon some satisfactory explanation of the low percentage gained at last examination and bad condition of the school being forwarded at once. Applications were received from Milford, Hunter and Claremont for grants for repairs, but it waa decided not to grant these until the Secretary had time to make up ft list of all Committees who had applied for grants and lay it before the Chairman. It was decided to grant £10 for a crossing over the railway near the Sutherland's school, as the Government had promised to give other £10. . Letters were received from the Gapes' Valley, Albury and Makikihi School Committees, and asking that these schools be taken over. It was decided to only takeover the latter school, the others to stand over for the present. ■ The meeting then at 3.15 p.m., adjourned.