BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1884, 17 March 1874, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Monday, Maecii 16. The Board met at 3 p.m. Present — Mr O. C. Bowen (chairman), Messrs J. N. Tosswill, G. Gould, T. W. Maude, A. C. Knight, and J. Inglis. A letter was read from the East Christchurch committee with respect to the plans for the Bai'badoes street school, which were forwarded with it. The secretary was instructed to reply thnt the Board would not object to the plans if the ■ committee approved them. Another letter was read from the East Christchurch committee stating that the lowest tender for the erection of the main school in Gloucester street was Messrs Allen & Son's, at £7674, which they recommended the Board to accept. The tender being in excess of the estimate originally submitted to the Board, it was decided 1 o defer consideration cf the matter until an opportunity was afforded for conferring with the architect and the chairman of the committee. Tho Secretary was then instructed to write to the chairman of the committee, and ask if he could attend tho next meeting of the Board in company with the architect. Another letter was read from the East Christchurch committee, enclosing two reports — one respecting regulations and textbooks for conducting tho school work of the district, and the other respecting the financial relations of the district with the Board. The Board approved of the regulations for circulation in the schools of the district. The Secretai-y was also instructed to inform the committee that the list of text-books am 1 , the financial report would be considered at the earliest convenience. The report of the Inspector on the supplementary examination of pupil teachers and candidates for appointment as such was read, and the following is an extract therefrom : — " With more timo and with competent assistance I have been able to render the pupil teachers' annual examination more definite, strict and comparative than last year. The statement of tho results will probably stimulate the more careful and faithful instruction of the pupil teachers by some of the masters who have charge of them. The results are far from satisfactory, in _many instances; the standard of attainment is very limited, so that a little boy of eleven year 3of age, who happened to compete with tho first year candidates (of a minimum ago of thirteen), came out at tho head of the list. The gradation for each year is very moderate,' but the general progress does not afford satisfactory evidence to sufficient interest felt and pains taken in the instruction of tho pupil teachers. Accuracy in those rules of arithmetic which the candidates could work when they left school has been overlooked. Too great a reliance appears to hare been placed upon their retaining what they have already learned ; for this reason, and for want of practice in reading, the new candidates mostly read as wcll.^or better, than the advanced pupil teachers. Sufficient attention does not appear to have been paid to the programme of attainments required from pupil teachers. Book-keeping, mechanism, and mechanics do not appear to have received more than very slight attention. A loose in-, terpretation lias in one or more instances been put upon the certificate required that the pupil teacher has been instructed in accordunco with tho regulations. Tho certificate should in future bo more definite, and any exceptions as to regularity of instruction should bo notified to the Inspector of Schools. It is important that in certain instances inquiry should be made as to the regularity and amount of instruction given to the pupil teachers." The candidates reported to have passed as pupil teachers were John A. Ambrose, Archibald Luak, and Sarah. Jones. The pupil

teachers reported to have passed the examinations as to progress satisfactorily were Geo. Ramsey, Annie M'Cormack, Wm. John Baxter, David Grubb, and John M'lntyre. The remainder of the business referred to country schools .