ASHBURTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1484, 10 March 1885, Page 2

ASHBURTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

i- The ordinary monthly meeting of the Ashburton School Committee was held at 8 t the Borough School last evening. Present a —Messrs D. Williamson (Chairman), W. c . H. Collins, J. Orr, S. W. Alcorn, J. rs Tucker, D. Thomas and A. Orr. J. BUSINESS DONE BY CHAIRMAN, h A report of the business done by the h Chairman since last meeting was read and j. approved of. le CORRESPONDENCE, h The following correspondence, most of , n whiohhad been dealt with by theOhairman, 5 . was read: —(1) From the North Canterbury Board of Education, requesting the Committee to advertise for a third master as ]: successor to Mr Gilboy.—(2) From the same, stating that it was within the discretion of the Committee to close the school or not to enable the teachers to attend the annual meeting of the Teacher’s Institute. —(3) From the same, in reference to school furniture.—(4) From ( same, stating that the Drill Instructor J had been requested to inspect the gymnasium apparatus at the Side J School. That the application for 1 another room at the side school would be , placed before the next meeting of the Board. (5) From Mr William Sterling, stating that he had resumed his duties as second master on the 16th February.—(6) ' From the Schoolmaster, newspaper, soliciting a share of the Board’s advertising.— , 8 (7) From the Headmaster, in reference to l ’ school furniture, etc.—(B) From Mr G. “ Parkin, advising cost of fence.—(9) From * the North Canterbury Board of education, authorising the erection of a dividh ing fence at the side school at a coat of s LII 45.—(10) From Mr George Parkin, - offering to erect the fence referred to in the preceding letter.—(ll) From Miss . Stewart, the mistress of the side school, e enclosing an application for allowance for r house' rent, and requesting that the same t should be forwarded to the North Can- . terbury Board of Education.—(l2) From Messrs R. W. Walters and Co., advising j. that school furniture had been forwarded. . of Education enclosing result of pupil teachers examination as regapdedcandidai es \ from the Ashburton school —(14) From Mr James Smitheram, requesting that his J son, aged 18, who through illness was , unable to work, be admitted to the , school.—Request acceded to. - (15) From , Mr G. Greenfield, asking for particulars . of duties and remuneration of third master. [ masters’ report. The master's report was read as follows; , —“ I beg to submit my report on the School for the month ending 6th March as follows:—Attendance, Main, upper department, 167.6 ; infant, 119 3; side school, .111.7 ; total average attendance, 400.6; on roll, main, upper department, 244; infant, 189 ; side school, 162; total 1 number on rolls, 595; admissions and removals, upper department, admitted, 16 ; J infant department, admitted, 15; side school, admitted, 18 ; total number ad- 1 mitted, 49; upper department, left, 12 ; infant department, left, 13 ; side school, 1 left, 5; total number struck of books, 30. A number of the above have removed be- 1 tween the two schools. The numbers are considerably lower on account of several 1 very severe days during the month. I am glad, however, to be able to report 6 that the attendance on such days has improved very much lately, and 1 hope to ' I be able to speak still more favorably on this matter. Teachers—The teachers ap- I pear to working earnestly and effectively, and are t aki °g consider- I able interest in their ipdjyjdijai cw^ 63 -” Mr Thomas remarked upon the small W average attendance compared With the t£ number of ohildreuon the roll. Hesaidtbat T it was evident a large number of parents 01 were still neglecting to send their children to school. In his opinion the (colonists of vi New Zealand were obtaining education Si for then children too cheaply ; they did Si not value the privilege. If they were B compelled to pay, parents would be careful to receive value for their money. Several other members of the Committee remarked upon the small attendance, Bi but thought that a Dumber of children pc were temporarily kept at home to a?£ipt ; B; in harvest work. It was ultimately resolved that an advertisement should bo Cc inserted in the local papers, cautioning 00 parents in reference to the irregpla? attendance, and calling attention to the co provisions of the compulsory clauses of da the Act. ro

THIRD TEACHER. Two applications were received for the position of third teacher, and that of Miss Janet Dick, which was supported by very j satisfactory testimonials, was recoin- - mended to the Education Board for v acceptance. j TBEVORTON SIDE SCHOOL. . Mr Thomas reported that in company with Mr A. Orr he had inspected the side school, and had found that the addition of two desks to the room had considerably relieved the overcrowded state of the school. However, another room was much required. He moved —“ That the attention of the Education Board bp called to the fact that additions are 1 urgently required to the Side School, as 1 Standards cannot be properly taught in i the same room.” I The motion was seconded by Mr A Orr I and carried. 1 VISITINB COMMITTEE. 1 Messrs S. W. Alcorn and .1. Tucker I were appointed to form the Visiting ComI mittee for the ensuing month. Mr Thomas said that having been a I member of the last Visiting Committee he I had taken unusual care to ascertain the I condition of the school. He had exI amined the children in Standards, and 1 had been perfectly satisfied with the reI suits. The children had made good proI gresa and the teaching was energetic and I effective. . I THE HEAD MASTER I A letter was raad from the North Can- ' I terbury Board of Education, enclosing a ■ 1 copy of the Inspector’s comments upon . I the Headmaster’s reply to their report. . I The letter stated that the enclosure was I on no account to be made public. I The Chairman pointed out that in view j of the Board’s letter It would be neces--1 sary to go into committee to consider the I matter. I Mr Thomas essayed to make some rej marks before going into Committee, but I the Chairman intimated that the Oom- " I mittee was formed, j On resuming, the Chairman reported I that the Committee had coincided with - the following resolution passed by the - I North Canterbury Board of Education, viz; I—“ After full consideration of the facts I detailed in the report of the Inspectors on ~ I the Ashburton District School and the I comments of the Headmaster thereon the " I Board has come to the conclusion that the j management of the school has been seriously defective, and that the headmaster - j therefore be given three months notice of •, I the termination of his agreement; that • I this resolution be forwarded to the Come I mittee in terms of clause 45 of the EduI cation Act.

The Committee then (11 p.m.) ad journed.