THE SCHOOL WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1174, 8 July 1911, Page 10

THE SCHOOL WORLD.

A WEEKLY REVIEW.

NOTES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY-

Teachers nnd others interested in the administration of education are invited to contribute notes for publication in "The School World." These should bo addressed to tho Editor, "The School World," The Dominion, Wellington, and posted to reach this oflico not later than Wednesday in each week. Correspondents desiring enlightenment upon any question in connection with the school work, or tho genera! administration of tho education system, are invited to submit these points to the Editor for elucidation and reply. Where anonymity is desired, it will ho Etrictly observed.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "C.J."—(l) The rents received from reserves set aside as endowments for sec-

ondary education aro handed over to tho governing bodies of.the secondary schools situated in the provincial district administered by the Land Board (vico tho School Commissioner), iu proportion to the average attendance at the several schools; in tho case of primary education reserves, the rents are handed over to tho Education Board, or boards, in the provincial district, in proportion to the population of each , education district, as determined by the census returns. In each case—primary and secondary education reserves—the grants are subject to a small deduction, to defray the expenses of administration. Tho peculiarity of tho position is this, "Whero the. board of any district" —to quoto the Act—"is in receipt of rents or other profits derived from lands or other property vested in the School Commissioners (now the Land Board), under the Education -Reserves . Act, 190S, an account shall be taken, at such periods as the Minister directs, sliowing the amount of such rents or profits;.and in computing tho proportionate share which such board would, under the provisions of this Act, bo entitled to receive from- the Government, allowance shall be made for such rents or profits, and such share shall be paid, subject to a deduction based upon tho net amount of such rents or other profits." In other words, an education board derives no extra bonefit from the rents of these reserves,' for ■ whatever they do receive-is-taken off the annual Government grant from the Education Department. "(2) No. Tho amounts paid to committees are disbursed from a different-vote altogether, the voto for general administrative purposes, assessed at 12s. per capita of the . average attendance.. (3) According to the Minister for Education, tho maintenance grants to education boards were not intended to cover the cost of new schools, but only to meet tho cost of maintenance, repairs, a,nd rebuilding of old schools. According to the strict letter of this arrangement, each education board should have annually set aside from tho grant such funds as would provido for the replacing of worn-out schools when the timo for rebuilding camo to pass. That is to say, your board should have had at hand, according to this arrangement, sufficient cask to replace the school when it was condemned. But, according to the Minister—the boards deny this—the boards, either through a misunderstanding of the conditions or an easy-going system of carrying on from year to year, havo not got tho money. Taking tho whole of New Zealand, the gross amount of money which has leaked away in various directions" is now .£48,000, which, according to tho Minister, should have been applied solely to the rebuilding of worn-out schools, Tho Minister adds that tho only 'clear way out of tho present situation is for.tho Government to pay a second time, and that bo is apparently disinclined to do. "J. Cameron."—lnvestigation has been made. Are you quite sure you have not misunderstood the Department's explanation?

CONTINUATION CLASSES,

SUGGESTED REGULATIONS,

In connection with the recent amendments to the Education Act providing for compulsory, attendance at continuation classes, 'tho special sub-committee appointed by the Hawke's Bay Education Board to draft tho provisional regulations to give effect to these has submitted, a report, of which tho following main points may be of. interest:— In every school district in which, on tho application of tho School Committee, and tir.the consent of the Minister, the Act becomes operative, every young person between the.ages of U and 17 years of age living in any district in which the Act becomes operative, and whoso place of residence, measured by the nearest road,' is within two miles of tho Technical School, shall attend such technical or continuation classes as are provided for them for not less than four hours in each week during which the school is open, beginning in each year on the first Monday in March and ending on tho last Friday in October. Parents and employers having young persons of over 14 years of age and under 17 are required to forward to the board, not later than tho end of tho first week in February, the names of such young persons. Exemptions.—Provided that the attendance shall not bo required of young persons in any one of the following cases:— (a) That they are unable to attend by reason of bodily infirmity. (b) That they are specially exempted on the strength of a doctor's certificate. (c) That they are in attendance at a primary, secondary, or other school approved by tho board. (d) That they have passed the senior free place, junior or senior civil service examinations, matriculation examinations or other public examination approved by the board. (e) That they aro receiving such private tuition, or tuition by correspondence, as may be approved by tho board. (f) That they havo received an exemption certificate under the hand of the director'or chairman of tho committee. Hours of Attendance.—Attendance shall bo on at least two separate evenings of each week from 7 to 7.30 to 9 or 9.30, as may be.arranged. Course of Instruction—For those pupils who have obtained Standard VI certificates of proficiency, the course of instruction shall' in every case be as far as possible adapted tD the needs of tho pupils, and shall be determined by the director after consultation with tho pupil or with the pupil and his parent or guardian. Pupils who have not obtained the above-mentioned certificates will take a course of subjects which will enable them to: sit for an.'.examination, h.y : thc board's inspector in the various subjects, and, if proficient, will be granted certificates enabling free places to be taken at the Technical School in any desired.course>af. work.

Registration.—Tho committee-shall keep a register of persons between the of fourteen nnd seventeen in its district. Tho name of every pupil shall bo registered in the admission register of the school, nnd there shall be procured on his behalf from his last teacher a statement detailing the nature of his conduct, nrcgress, and aptitudes; and if his conduct and progress at the Technical Schc< be satisfactory his name shall be put. on the register of the employment bureau of his =chool. and every effort will be undo bv the school'authorities to procure his advancement in his chosen walk of life.