EAST CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3258, 16 September 1878, Page 3

EAST CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The newly-elected School Committee of the East Christchurch district held their first meeting on Friday night, at 7.30, in the committee room within the school buildings ; present — all the members. The Chairman (the Rev H. C. M. Watson) made the following statement : — On entering upon the duties which devolve upon us as the School Committee for the East Cliristchurch district, it is necessary that we should take a general survey of the field of our operation. Accordingly, I felt it would be well to place before you to-night some information as to the extent and nature of our work. In company with the headmaster, I therefore visited during the week the several schools placed under our supervision in this large district. They are, as you are aware, five in munber, and are divided, in some cases, by a considerable distance from the main school. In these five schools 1654 children are receiving instruction. As the number under instruction in the whole of Canterbury is only 13,022, it will be seen that tho schools under our care educate considerably more than one-eighth (7.87) of the school - going population of our National Schools. The number of teachers engaged in the instruction of these children is thirty-five, and the amount of money paid in salai'ies is £2933. But as there arc salaries paid to several caretakers (with house allowance in two cases), besides considerable sums spent in repairs, the total amount disbursed by the committee in each year is not less than £3500. These facts show the responsible position which we have been elected to fill. A cursory inspection of the school grounds and buildings show that there is a good deal to be done to put them into a suitable condition. Some of the buildings are in bad* order, and the school grounds, with one exception, are in an equally bad state. In one school— the South town belt — it is quite impossible for the children to get upon the playground after a little rain. In the main school the girls' play-ground is unsuitable. It should be separated from the street and the boys' play-ground by a high railing. Calistheme apparatus should be provided, and, if possible, a separate entrance obtained from Armagh street. Portions of the several school grounds should be planted. There are many other points to which mention might be drawn, and these are mentioned generally for the purpose of indicating the direction in which improvements can be made. I wouldsuggest that the headmaster should be requested to furnish a careful and detailed report of the condition of both buildings and grounds, with a view to their improvement wherever necessary. A slight glance afc the internal condition of the schools reveals the fact that the teaching staff is insufficient, at least, in point of numbers. This is made still more apparent by a comparison of the West Christchurch staff with that of our own schools. The former school, with 935 pupils under one roof, has a staff of 24 teachers, costing £2135 a year ; while the East Christchurch district, with 1654 children in five separate schools, has a staff of only 35 teachers, costing £2933; that is, the classes in the East Christchurch schools contain each an average of nearly nine children more than the classes of the West Christchurch schools ; or, to put it in another way, if the latter school is only sufficiently officered by its present staff, the other things being equal, require seven and a half additional teachers to put us upon an equality in this particular. Strictly speaking, we should require even more, as our teaching is. conducted in five different buildings, widely separated. As showing the economical and possibly parsimonious arrangement of tho East Ohristchurch school, I draw your attention to the following facts : — The total cost of the educational staff in the Canterbury district is £2 14a s£d per head of those under instruction, or a total of £35,448. The cost per head in East Christchurch is only £1 16s s£d, were the whole cost of Canterbury on tho same moderate scale, the total cost would be £23,739 ; or £11,709 less than is now spent in salai'ies alone, or were tho East Chridtchurch schools to receive an allowance proportional to the general average, they would be entitled to an additional sum of £1488. These facts speak volumes, and bliow that we have some claim for consideration should wo require a few hundreds of pounds to increase the efficiency of the schools under our care. The Committee then entered upon the consideration of the work bofore them. Mr J. M.. Wheeler was requested to continue to act as secretary to the committee during their term of office. A resolution was passed requesting the head master to bring up a careful and detailed report of the condition of the several school buildings and grounds, accompanied by such suggestions as he thought desirable. Sub-committees were appointed to visit and report upon the various schools : — The Main school, the chairman, Messrs Farr and Harris; Bingland, Messrs Candy and Henderson ; South town belt, MrAyers; Philipstown, Mr M'Dougftll ; each sub-committee being authorised to deal promptly with any requirements that were of a pressing nature. Messrs Farr avl Ayera were authorised to attend to the nejcsivry repairs of the cottage on the south town belt. The Secretary was requested to furnish a report showing the names of the teachers employed in the several schools, their classifications, their duties (including the number of children in tho several classes), and their ealaries. Mr Thomas Taylor was appointed auditor in the place of Mr M'Dougall resigned. After dealing with several other matters connected with the internal management of tho schools and passing accounts to the extent of £32, the Committee adjourned until the first Friday in October.