BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4858, 25 January 1894, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

North Canterbury. The ordinary meeting of the North Canterbury Board of Education was held this morning; there being preßentMesars E. G. Wright (chairman), W . j Saunders, E. Meredith, T. H. Anson, J ; Joyce, and the Hon W. Montgomery. BUILDINGS COMMITTEE. The Buildings Committee reported as ; follows:— £2 5a had been allowed for { improvements to teacher's house at j Amberley ; the Hinds School Committee ! had been informed thafc, as Boon as funds : were»available, an addition would be made , to the residence; no fundß were available for a teacher's house at Glenroy; the clerk of works was instructad to report ! upon several repairs applied for; tenders I were invited for a room for the maßter at : Sydenbam j ib was resolved to build a , school at Waipara as soon as funds were available; the clerk of works waa in- ! Btructed to prepare plans for a school- ! room at Porter's Pass, and to call for i tenders for repairs and drainage at Brookside j tenders were called for i repairs to the teacher's house at Burnham; ; distempering and repairs to the residence ! at Springeton was allowed; and a number j of applications were deferred, owing to ! want of funds. The following tenders had ! been accepted for additions to masters' houses : — Christchurch West, G. Petrie and Co., £115; Greendale, E. Prestidge, Heathcote Valley, G. Petrie and ; Co., £159. The St Albans School Com- ; mittee had called attention to the need of ! repairs at the side school, and it was re- , solved that the Buildings Committee ; Bhould visit the school and decide what ought to be done. The report was adopted. The Chairman said that with reference to the proposed school at Porter's Pass, it was only to be a small wooden building, , which waa absolutely necessary. I APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE. i The Appointments Committee reported : —Miss Mary Butledge was recommended for appointment as mistress in sole charge of the school at Kyle. The resignation of Mr Bowljr, of Greenstreet, was received and accepted. The Loburn Committee reported that the average attendance was 38, and again applied for leave to retain . the services of the mistress. It was reI solved that the Board must adhere to the j decieion arrived at on Nov. 1, viz., allowing only the salary payable to a fourth year pupil teacher. The Secretary submitted the names of pupil teachers who had passed the examination for the fourth year. As it was necessary that the results should be made known as soon as possible, for the information of the Committees of schools in which there would be vacancies, the secretary was authorised to publish the list. The necessary certificates having been forwarded, Sarah Morton wag appointed pupil-teacher at Marahland. The appointment of Miss Mary Kelly as sewing at Rolleston, recommended by the School Committee, waß approved. On the application of the Woodside School Committee, it was resolved to invite applications for appointment as mistress. On the application of the newly-elected School Committee, it was resolved to advertise at once for a maßter for Weßt Lyttelton. The Fernside committee having refused to deliver the Board's letter to the master, the secretary was instructed to send it direct. Applications for appointment as teacher in sole charge of Greenstreet were received and considered. The results of the annual examination of pupil-teachers were received. It was resolved to allow I Miss Bell, who bad been prevented by illness from completing her examination, to pass for the second year. All other questions were referred for consideration to the Board. A report wbb received from | Mr Wood on the Bchool at Plemington, the | examination of which had baen deferred on account of sickness in the district. The report was adopted. COBPOBAL PUNISHMENT. Mr Joyce withdrew his notice of motion ; in favour of one by the Hon W. Montgomery on the same subject. Mr Montgomery then moved, pursuant to notice, after amendment— "That, for the future, neither cane nor stick be used in the schools, but a leather strap, one and a half inches broad; that no pupil be struck on the head or neck; thafc corporal punishment be not inflicted on girls over twelve years of age." He s»id some of the moat valued masters maintained that Borne corporal punishment was necessary in order to preserve discipline. If girls, however, diaobeyed their teachers, they should be (Mr Montgomery considered) sent home, and not received in the school again until an apology waa forthcoming. Mr Peryman seconded the resolution, and asked if the mover would agree to have the punishment confined to the left hand. Mr Saundera was inclined to think thafc the delicate hands of children should not be Btiuok. The application of a strap to the lower part of the back was the best and eafesfc form of punishment. He would also have the Board provide the straps and not let masters obtain whatever sized leather they pleased. The Chairman was not in sympathy with the motion, although he would vote for it with a certain amount of reluctance. After Borne discussion, the resolution was carried. The Hon W. Montgomery then gave notice to move—" That if a girl above that age disobey the order of the teacher, and persist in such disobedience, the teacher j should send the girl home, giving her a note, stating the circumstances, to her parents ; I make an entry in the register, and report l . the occurrence to the Chairman of the School Committee ; the girl to be re- I ceived back into the school on making an apology and promising good conduct in i the future." THE LKESTON SCHOOL TROUBLE, Mr Wood, the inspector, wrote stating that the Leesfcon Committee had done him a great injustice by assuming that he had sought complaint against the master of the | Leeston School, Mr Anderson, or that he j had endeavoured to compromise matters. He denied having interested himself ! in the question beyond what was en--1 joined upon him by the duties of his [ office. The matter of the complaints against the master had baen brought ' under his notice by members of the Committee, and it had been pointed out to him . that the actions of Mr Anderson bad been ; of such a character that the attendance at j the school waa severely suffering. He (Mr j Wood) had not sought to stir up the feeling of dissatisfaction in any way, but .it had been put to him that if ' something . could not be done the withdrawal of children from the school I would practically mean the dismissal of the master. He had endeavoured to ■ assuage the heartburnings, allay the feel- ' ings of strife and stay the acrimonious discussion that had been rampant. Only for the purpose o! hastening a reconciliation, and toning down affairs for the good of the school, had he attempted in the I least to bring about a compromise. I Mr Adams moved, pursuant to notice— "That while the Board considers Mr Wood's motives to have been pure, they I deprecate his action in forwarding, copies of his report to Mr Cook and Eev — Giant, of Leeaton, before that report bad been considered by the Board." This was seconded by Mr Meredith, who considered that Mr Wood had been guilty of much indiscretion, and had interviewed the minority of the Committee— the disBatisfied ones. An inspector waa far exceeding his duties by circulating copie3 of his report before the Board had seen them —or, in fact, at all. The Board had some- , times to call upon its inspectors to amend t their reports or re-visit the school. Mr | Wood had no right whatever to forward copies of his report to dissatisfied members and not to the master. ! | The Chairman pointed out that Mr i Wood had sent only one copy to a disi affected member (Mr Cook), and that he had understood Mr Grant was the chair- . man of the Board and a representative of the other side. I Mr Joyce did not a^ree with the latter . ' pait of the motion, which would mean Mr > Wood's dismissal if it was carried. Mr Wood had rent an ample apology in a very dig-

nified letter, and the nutter should not b • further pursued. The Leeston question had been finished with, and, as Mr Wood had admitted hia mistake, ths matt, r should certainly be dropped. The standing orders provided a way out of the difficulty, and in accordance therewith he moved—" That the Board go on with the next business." This was seconded by Mr Aneon. Mr Peryman considered that a Taw should be laid down that, no inspector should divulge his report unless so authorised by the Board. The Chairman said that this position waß acknowledged all round, and Mr Wood had admitted his mistake. There was certainly no nece3sity to carry the matter further. Mr Adams askei leave to withdraw his motion. The Hon W. Montgomery suggested to Mr Adams a resolution, which he accepted, as follows:-" That while the Board believe Mr food's motives to have been excellent, it disapproved of any report being made known to the outßide public except through the Board." Mr Adams said that he would not have had Mr Wood resign on any account, but still he had thought that the action ehould not be passed without notice. The amended resolution was then carried. Mr Adams further moved, pursuant to notice, a resolution which deprecated the action of Mr Wood in meeting Mr Cook and Mr Spring, of the Leeston School Committee, at the hotel for the pnrpase of discussing the trouble concerning Mr Anderson. This he considered to have been the worst thing against Mr Wood. It certainly was very wrong of an inspector to hold a private examination in an hotel ; but, as doubtless he had done bo with the best of motives, he (Mr Adams) would not press his motion, but would ask leave to withdraw it. The Hon W. Montgomery said it ?was extremely important that -inspectors should not take evidence and consider it themselvep. Whatever they learned they should simply report to the Board. However, he was willing that Mr Adams's motion should be withdrawn, and he would move—" That, in future, all inspectors report to the Board upon any matters that come under their personal observation in the schoolhouses or play-grounds." I After £ome discussion, Mr Adams's resolution was allowed to be withdrawn, and the Hon W. Montgomery held over his motion. THE VIEW HILL CIBE. The commission which had been appointed from the Board to enquire into the alleged floggingof Alice Simpson, aged fourteen, in April, by the master of View Hill School, reported that the complaint had been made in July to the School Committee by Mr Simpson. It was evident that the master had been irritated by the insubordination of the girl, and that he had etruck her harder than he intended. The commission was of opinion that there was no ground for the charge of severe brutality, and that the fact of no complaint having been made for two months— until Mr Simpson had had a disagreement with the master— -pointed to the conclusion that the charge had been made from personal feeling rather than from any sense of wrong. If the master was admonished, the merits of 'the case wonld be fully met. The report was adopted. LY.TTELTON SCHOOL MATTERS. The Chairman said Mr Joyce had placed a letter in hie hands from Mr Brvce, the chauman of the Lyttelton School Committee, with reference to the division of the district. He failed, however, to see how anything could be done, as the boundaries had been fixed for a year. * The letter enclosed a memorial from the householders, and resolutions that had been carried against the proposed division and boundary lines at public meetings, and at meetings of the committee. These resolutions came rather too late, the Chairman said, as the committees had been elected. The boundaries, however, might be altered if it was shown to be necessary, and the bridle mth. spoken of could be made a boundary instead of that already fixed. The Board had no feeling in the matter of the division. Mr Saunders said nothing was to hand from the West Lyttelton division. It was necessary to know what that party had to say. Mr Joyce said he would give notice of motion to bring the matter up again. There would be plenty of time to readjust the boundaries before the election of Committees in April. Mr Meredith advocated allowing the matter to remain for a year, while public opinion settled down and the required boundaries were ascertained. Mr Joyce gave notice of motion—" That the boundaries be altered so that the bridle path be the dividing line between the two districts, and that a copy of this be sent to both committees." PUPIL TEACHERB. The following return was submitted of the annual examination of pupil teachers :—

A return of the pupil teachers who passed, arranged in Wo classes, was also submitted, the list being as follows :— First Year.— Firßt C1e.68: Annie Adams, Laura Bank?, Iney Dunn, Janet Pinlayson, Dorothy Hall, Isaac Newton, Alice Osborn, Percy Eevell, David Shiriaw and Elizabeth Wauclaop. Second Clatß : Samuel Andrewa, Henry Bell, Selina Boyd, John Campbell, Mary Chapman, Edith Comer, Thomas Cromie, Annie Gorman, Emma Hewinaon, William Hunter, Jeannie Jory, , Elizabeth Killner, Barbara M'llraith, Edbc , Mason, Estella Moore, Cherrie Pattrick, Bofcert Pearson Claude R&pley, John Peareon, Alfred Tayl ;r and Emma Thompbod,

S<cond Tear.— First Cla B s : David Artiott, Thomas Cutler, Matilda Harvey, Kate Kendall, Mary Lewis, James Mllraith, Sarah M'Kee, Mario Pavitt, Annie Hobson and Edith Vorran. Second Clas3: Rosina Anderson, Florence Bell, Rosamond Bonnington, John Brown,. Katd Busaell, Maud Clarkson, Mary Edkins, Bertha Fleßher, Florence Glanville, Emma Hewitt, Maude Hight, Thomas Hills, Ooey Hitchcox, Henrietta Eime, Annie M'Gregor, Jane Maxwell, Fanny Morrow, Mabel" Newman, Theresa Perham, Annio Ritchie, Frederick Smith, Fanny Starkies, Robert Stout and Emilia Wallace. Third Year.— First class: Henry Amos, Edith Brown, William Burley, Wilfred Chaplin, Alexander Charters, Amy Chrietau, Eleanor Deakin, Reginald Dixon, Jame3 Irwin, Mina Irwin, Maigaret Leversedge, John Lewis, James Lynskey, Kate Newton, Doia O'Callaghan, Norman Pavitt, Lucy Pickering, Mary Popple, John Purchase, Annie Reeve, Elsie Reid, Annie Riordan, Ellen Simmonß, Ada Taylor, Mabel Trezise, Elizabeth Tullccb, Annie Turner, Margaret Watson, Isabella Webster. Second Olbsj: Christina Armstrong, Frank Benjamin, Charles Bird, Grace Brown, Margaret Caltaghan, Rosa Corsbie, Myra Bickeneon, Alico Edwards, Frances Foster, Lily Gilmour, Maud Glanville, Edward Hudson, Mabel Lockwood, John M'Nair, Charlea Morland, Joanie Ross, Emily Sloan, Clara Smith, Isabella Wilkinson, Myra WiUon. Fourth Year.—Firet Class: Ella Armstrong, Minnie Bannett, Charlotte Blaokwell, William Bayce, Eveline Cordery, Mary Cradock, Annie Disher, Bella Dynte, Florence Franklin, Amelia Lusk, William M'Donald, Kitty Menzies, Margaret Menzies, George Robbie, Elizabeth Rosewarne, Elizabeth Scott, Ernest Smith, Mabel Smith, Marian Sorensen. Second Class: Jane Anderson, Ernest Audrews, Eva Bird, May Button, John Cook, Jane Hempleman, Charles Hill, Emily Howard, May Hurse, Blanche Joyce, Sarah Liggett, Jean Lorimer, Jane M'Rao, Dorothy Manifold, Robert Mouneey, Jeannie Reese, Frederick Rundle, Gertrude Tipler, Jainea Webb. Mr Joyce move— •" That the report be referred to the Appointments Committee, and its attention called to the large proportion of failures." Thiß was seconded by the Hon W. Montgomery and carried. The names of four pupil- teach era who had failed for two years in succession were etruck out. Mr Meredith asked the committee to consider a certain case before it dismissed the boy. THE SCHOLARSHIPS. Mr J. Colborne-Veel, on behalf of the Inspectors and himself, submitted the results of the examination for scholarships, which took place on Dec. 19, as follows : — " The number of candidates examined for junior scholarships was 133 (80 boys and 53 girls) ; for the senior scholarships the number was 13 (12 boys and 1 girl). An accompanying table gives the names o£ the candidates in order of merit, with the marks allotted to each in every subject, and in the total. "The twelve who stand first for the junior scholarships are :— Arthur Standago, Woodend; Olliver Gillespie, Rangiora; Kate Harvey, Christchnrch West ; Mary Counsell, Woodend ; Madeline Peebles, Sydenham; Alexander M'Keown, Sydenham; Herbert Bowden, Christchurch West; Herbert Chapman, Richmond; Alexander Reese, Christchurch West; Samuel Steele, Hororata ; Edith Standish, Eiffelton i Frederick Kissel, Templeton. " The first five competitors for the senior scholarships are:— Walter Scott, Christ's College School; Hugh Cordery, Bojs* High School; Frank Sandford, Boya' High School; Harry Robson, Christ's College School ; John Chapman, Bojb' High School. "Of the 133 candidates examined for the junior scholarships, 92 came froai schools defined in the Board's regnlatione as town schools, and 41 from schools defined as country schools. The 92 town candidates gained seven scholarships, and the 41 coun.ry cmdidates five. It may be observed that of the five successful competitora from country schools, two had entered under the regulation which gives country children the advantage of a year in sge, and would not have been admissible under the former regulations." GEANTS FOB BUILDINGS. A letter drafted by Mr Saunders to the other Boards of Education throughout the colony was read. It eet forth the unealisfactory position in which the various Boards were placed with regard to their expenditure on school buildings, and suggested the advisability of making a combined effort for improvement. For several years past, since the vote for buildings had been taken from the consolidated funds, the amount allowed for this purpose bad been totally inadequate, and the Boards could not do what was absolutely necessary in the way of building and repairing. For yeara this state of things had been in force, and numerous applications had been made to the Government with but very ecanty success. The Board believed that its experiences in this respect were identical witb that of other boards, and it considered it would be advisable for all to take united action, and it suggested that all the Education Boards of the colony should join in an addreßß to the Government, setting forth their necessities in the direction indicated, and urging Parliament to pass a vote of a sufficient amount to give adequate building grants to each Board. The draft circular was approved of. MICCBLLANEOUB. The Kaiapoi School Committee asked that two female pupil (.eachers should be allowed to remain in the echool for another year. They had passed their fourth year examination* Mr Meredith proposed that the request should be acceded to. This was seconded by Mr Adams, but was lost. The meeting then terminated.

The Royal Academy is entirely self" supporting. It devotes£the surplus of a respectable income— £2s,ooo to £30,000 a year, it is said— to the relief of artists who are in distress*

CD , Year. g | J $ «g all § 1 3 h h P. Ph End of first year 15 28 43 31 12 End of second year 9 29 38 33 5 End of third year 16 36 52 49 3 End of fourth year 11 33 44 38 6 Totah. 51 126 177 151 26 Totals for Dec, 1592 57 124.~181 ~164~17~