EDUCATION BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13311, 13 June 1907, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD.

ANNUAL .REPORT. ■ The following is the report'of the- Chairm;ui of the ..South Canterbury Education Board, for the vear ending 31:,t December.. 19C6:— . The Board.—At the beginning of tht year the Board was composed of the following members:—Messrs..G. W. Armitage, J.P., Wm. M. Hamilton, C. S'. Howard, Wm. B. Howell, J.P., John Jackson, J.P., J. S. Rutherford, J.P.. Thomas Sherratt, John Talbot, J. P., and the Barclay, J.P. In accordance with the provxions of "The Education Act -. Amendmenl Act, 1905," all the members retired during the year and the district was divided into three wards for the purposes of the election .of the Board. The election resulted in the re-turn of Messrs Butlu-rford, Sherratt and Armitage for 'the North. Ward, Messrs Howard, Jackson and Howard for the Middle Ward, and the Rev. G. 'Barclay and Messrs Hamilton and G. Lyall for the South Ward. Mr Talbot did not 'seek re-election and retired from the Board after a membership of twenty-three yeaia. Mr W. B. Howell was elected Chairman of the Board . for the eleventh time lis succession. The Board held 12 ordinary and 3 special meetings during the year, the average attendance of members being 8. ■ , Office Staff:—Major Crawshaw, the Chief Clerk, resigned in April to take up the position of Secretary to the Hawke's Bay Board, and in order to cope with the increasing work of the office, especially work connected with the Manual and Technical Education, the Board 'appointed a diiector of Technical Education in addition to the previous staff; Mr Ritehings Grant was appointed Director and Mr James Millet Chief Clerk. ■ In parting with Major Crawshaw the Board passed a resolution expres.*ing regret at the loss of his services and congratulating him on his new appointment. The Schools. —There were 76 schools in operation at the end of ~ the year. The/ school at Waitohi Upper was closed, and new schools were opened at Tycho, Rosewill and Gray's Corner. Teachers.—At the end of ths year.there was 152 'teachers in the Board's service. 132 adults and 20 pupil teachers, 56 males and 96 -fem.ile-s. There/ was a decrease of 3 in the males and an increase of 8 in the female teachers during the year. Eleven pupil teachers- completed their apprenticeship at the beginning of the year, of whom nine entereok»the Training College at Chrisichurch at' Dunediri. As in the v previous year the Board found it impossible to get certificated teachers for many of the small schools, and for .some junior positions in the larger schools of the district. At the end of the year 19 adult: uncertificated # teacher* were employed. A few of there teachers are doing good work, but in the majority of eases the state of efficiency of the schools -in the charge of uncertificated . inexperienced teachers leaves much to be desired. Superannuation.—During 'the year the Teachers' Superannuation Act came into operation. 136' teachers and others in the Board's service became contributors to the fund, their total contributions for the l year being £IOBO 17s 10d. Four of these contributors retired 'on the funds during t-v----year, three having reached the age and one being compelled to resign through continued ill health. Scholarships.—The annual scholarship examiniitions were held in December, the number of candidates being for the Board Junior Scholarship 26, lor the Board's .Senior Scholarship- 20, for the Junior National Scholarship 10. All the examinations were conducted by the' Education Department, the Junior candidates for the first time sitting for the same examination as candidates for' Junior National Scholarship*. Five senior and ten junior scholarships .of the value of £165 were awarded on tha results of the examinations. Physical Drill. —This subject has received due attention in almost all our schools during the year. Cadet companies have been formed for the instruction of the boys in military drill in the eight largest schools. ' - Attendance.—The roll number at the end of the year ."hows an increase of 49 over that of" the previous year, ,and the yearly average attendance (4565) an increase of 64. The average attendance expressed as a percentage of the ;meau rff the average weeklv roll number for the foiir quarters was 88.2, -the same as the year 1905, andas that year was a.record for the district in regularity of attendance it is satisfactory to know that the record has been maintained. the more important new works undertaken during 1906 were residences' at Waihao Downs', Cricklewood and Hakataramea Valley, and additions to "Clarcmont School and Ashwick Flat residence. The usual expenditure was incurred 'in painting-and repairs; and-as the Board's buildings, which are nearly all of wood, b?come. older the cost of these repairs becomes a greater tax on the Board's finances. The Board has at present under consideration tha question of removing and partial rebuilding of the Pleasant - Point School, a work which if undertaken will absorb a large part of the Board's present credit balance in the Building Account. The Board has also under consideration the provision of better office'accommodation. At present the offices are far too small for the ._3taff,. and steps will soon lwvj to jb?-.tsiktfh to provide more room. Financial.—The appended copy of the balance s-rheet will show the receipts and expenditure under various heads-:. The policy of the Board has always been one of careful finance, and the result is' that the various accounts are in good condition. Receipts.—Cr. balance 31st December, 1905—Maintenance account £lßl6 9s 9d, building account £1357 17s 2d; Grants from Government—Teachers' salaries, £ls : 080-12s 3d, reserves revenue £3,440 ss: t-achevs' hou.-e allowances £291 13s 3d; relieving, teachers £ll4 6s 9d : capita Lion •it lis 3d and £250 £2822 C's 9d; special grant for committees £169 3* 3d; conveyance of children £7Bl 13s 6d; scholarships - £373 19s; district high schools £1,62718s Cd; manual and technical —school class.?.*—capitation, etc. £764 18s 5d ; as<;oci>t-.d free- places £67 2s Od, material £44- lCslCd. subsidies £IOO 9s 6d ; teachers' classes £313 l£r, sd; buildings—maintenance of school buildings £2,448, special new buildings £1,660, technical buildings and apparatus £1,618 lis Id ; subsidy from Waimate U.S. Board £l3 6s 8d ; subsidy Waimate S.C. for gymnasium £36; interest on fixed deposits £Bl ss; rents and truancy fines £lO5 16s 6d; other manual and technical receipts £9B 10s 6d.—Total £35,110 3s 6d. Expenditure.—Staff salaries £1,210 5s 8d; office contingencies £243 Is 8d; members' travelling allowances) £79 14s sd; primary teachers' salaries £18,472 5s 8d; teachers' house allowances £296 Is 7d; relieving teacher's salaries £llß 17s 9d; conveyance of children £lßl 13s 6d; special grants to committees £169 3s 3d ; school committee's 'incidentals £1,214 9s 8d; teachers' shares of house re-nts £7 4s*; swimming shield £l2 10s; scholarships £366 lis 2d; D.H.S. teachers' salaries £1,539 9s 8d: manual and technical —school classes £7OB 9s Id; associated classes £633 5s 3d, teachers' classes £lll 0s 7d, director's salary'£lll 5s 3d, buildings and apparatus £i.683 B.s 7d; general maintenance of school buildings £1,893 9s 7d: special new buildings'£l,B42 as- 2d ;. cr. balances 31st December, 1906—maintenance account £2.395 14s 7d, building account £1,81419s sd.—Total £35,110 3s 6d. Tables are given in the report showing the numbers of schools and teachers, roll

numbers and average attendance .for each quarter of 1906, and similar returns; lor each year since the Board was cLtablished in 18/8. ' : ' ■.:;...,-" At the close of last year there were 76 v schools in operation, employing 152 teachers ; there were 5195 children on the rolls, and the average attendance was 4547 (2380 boys and 2167 girls). . v ; '•-.' \ ..-'-. At the end of. 18/8 there were 17; schools, with 56 teachers, and 2666 children on the rolls. A year later later there were 29 schoo'ls, 7.7* teachers, and 3203 oil. the roll. The number of schools;'first/ exceeded 40 in ;1884,- 5C in 1889; 60 in 1892; 70 in; 1901. The numbers of teachers first exceeded 100 in 1834, and 150 last year. Tlie roll number at "the end of the year was over 3000 in 1879; over 4COO in 1884; over 5000 in 1891. -Th£'-" highest roll was in 1895, when it wa's -5331. " Since 1897 ithas been between 5003 and -5200, except that it fell 5 short of 5000 : in 1901. The average attendance was under 75 per cent.' for thr-?e years';' between 75 and 80 till lb9l. In 1894 it began to improve, with a percentage of 83.1, and except: for the years 1889. and 1903, which 'showed a slight' decrease, the average''has .steadily improved till 88.2 was - reached in 1905 and 1906.'