EDUCATION BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16441, 12 January 1918, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY ■ MEETING. Special, to tho. "Herald." CEffilSTOHUilCttl, Jan. 11. . The Canterbury Education Boardi met to-day. APPOINTMENTS. The (Following formal appointments of ex-students 'and teachers serving with the Military Forces, as recommended oy Iche Senior Inspector, Were approved:—Mr "R. C. 'assistant master at Shirley; Mr F. AV. Gurnsev master at South Malvern; Mr J. L. Menzies, assistantc master at New Brighton; Mr F. o'-Donoghu9, master at Hapul.-u; and Mr W. S. Pratt, assistant m sister at Hampstead. Among *he resignations siceepted was hat of Mrs J. T. O'Connor, assistant mistress, Timaru Soulth School • BUILDINGS. • The report gave details of to vao-ionk schools 'on ich,e-Wast Coast and in South Canterbury. The report stated thsitTomtika school was one of the best conducted schools visited, and reflected credit on ;the r 'stnff 'nmd 'the , head master. • J Th'oi. .'gajcdon was tho , best visited. ' '•'<',>"' : The committee reported its' intention* to endeavour to have a District Higli; School established. The letter was referred to the Appointment's Committjee^"ii : . Mount S'timersvschool committee wrote ■tibat in the absence of an assurance that tho proposed new room would be commenced at once, members tendered their resignation.—lt" was agreed to inform the eommit|tee-=tharti the Board had the' extension under consideration. THE WAR AND TEACHEKS AVAILABLE. A list was- submitted showing approximately the number of teacher? Available for other work in the event'cemporary from the service owing to;thei war, and it was acreer" to inform the Military Service Board that for this year the "Board could sop no difficulty St filling 'temporary positions thiat midit hlecoroe vacant owing to teachers being called upon to joim 'die expeditionary forces. HIGH SCHOOL FBEE PLACES. . _ A letter was read from tlie "Education "department reporting a probable shortago .of free placo accommodation in tho Christchurch High Schools, and suggesting that 'the number of : pupil? seeking admission should be ascortained. APPOINTMENT OF TEACHKRS ATTACK BY INSTITUTE.

THE BOARD'S KEPLY.

The methods of the appointment of scliool leaches by: the local Edncatiory Board have" of lato bo?n itlio cause of much public complaint from members of the Teachers Institute 1 , who" have advocated appointment from tflie Inspector's' grading list. A (reply to these complaints was mado at to-day's modting. 'J he matter was brought up by a. letter from the "Westlamd branch of tha Teachers' Institute, which fonvarded resoluItions, (1) urging tihat the 1 Board when making /appointments should adopt the recommendations of the inspectors; (2) urging 'the piihlication of extracts, etc., from inai>ectors' reports, and (3) protesting against the manner in which Canterbury teachers had. been treated in tile matter of sick pay. Mr W. M. HataiMon movod that the letter bo received. He,thought it time 'chat the Board should 'reply to' the many insinuations nuade against it-. .Tf the. Board was to be charged with impropriety in appointments the teachers had their remedy in their /own Court of Appeal. Tho idea of sug!?esting by insinuation tiha'c iSier? had been' impropriety was '-what he took. exception to. it was an intolerable position. There was a great significance in the present movement. There were certain teachers who wanted to "take away the power' of appointment from the Board and degrade it into a. mere committee for the administration" of funds, in other words x/raotieally to, do away witfli Boards altogether, which; he considered a. most undesirable thing. It seemed to* Wm that tthere were indications that Ith.© CSvil Service as a whole was tirying to make a-bid to rule the oourfcry altogethej*. If that wero so then there was an end to domooracy, which -would give place to bureaucracy, as in Germany. Lessening the powers of the Board, Mr Hamilton concluded, was juSr. lessening the power of the people in the matter of education. Mr C. S. Howard expressed, the opinion Wait tho Board would be false to i the .position in which it had been placed 1 by the peoiple, were it, 'to allow _ itself +o I be dictated to. in the manner indicated by iDhe" teasers. ~; The motaibn was 'aigrocd to.