The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1872

Evening Star, Issue 2858, 17 April 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1872

The third part of the proposed Education Bill relates to School Districts, School Committees and their duties, and assistant and pupil teachers. This part contains sixteen clauses : from 21 to 36, both inclusive. By the 21st clause, in each School District a School Committee of eight householders, male or female, is to be elected, of whom one-half are to retire annually • retiring members to be eligible for re-elec-tion. Bankruptcy, insolvency, treason, conviction of felony, perjury, or crime, or insanity, are disqualifications. On a memorial signed by five householders, praying that a locality may be consti-

tuted a school district, or upon the re- ; port of a Government Inspector of Schools, the Board of the Province is to enquire if provision for public education is necessary. If so, a public meeting of householders is to be convened, both male and female; the meeting is to appoint a chairman and elect a School Committee, and also to consider the boundaries of the school district, which are to be finally determined by the Board. The Board also has power given to constitute new school districts, without memorial from the inhabitants or recommendation by the Inspector. The elections are to take place on the fourth Monday in January each year, when a report of proceedings and statement of accounts of the School Committee are to be read to a meeting of householders, and vacancies caused by retiring members are to be filled up; the chairman to have a casting vote. In case of a vacancy in the School Committee caused otherwise than by efiluxion of time, the School Committee are to elect a qualified person to fill the vacancy during the unexpired time of the retiring member. By clause 25, in case of disputed elections the question must be submitted to the Board ; whose decision is to be final. Should the householders neglect or refuse to elect a School Committee on the specified day, the Board may appoint another day, of which public notice is to be given. By the next clause, the 2Gth, should the householders in the School District refuse or neglect to elect a School Committee, the Provincial Board is empowered to appoint Commissioners to exercise all the powers and functions of the Committee, at salaries fixed by the Board out of a rate to be levied on the District. Clause 27 directs School Committees to elect a chairman at the first meeting after their election, who is to be chairman until the next annual election. Should he die or resign, a fresh chairman is to be elected at the next meeting of the Board. By the 28th clause a member of the School Committee or some qualified person is to be appointed cleric and treasurer at a salary, and upon giving security to be determined upon by the Committee. Clause 29 requires minutes of proceedings at meetings to be kept, and provides that no “ business involving the appointment or dismissal of a teacher” shall be transacted, unless after notice in writing has been given to every member of the Committee at least three days before it is to be considered. The next clause, the 29th, authorises the representation of the Committee in all legal proceedings by the clerk or chairman. By clause 31, with the express sanction of the Provincial Board, previously obtained, School Committees are authorised to establish one or more elementary schools in the districts they represent ; the kind or grade of school to be determined by the extent and population of the school district, and other circumstances. “ Subject to the general supervision and control of the Board, and the Minister, and to inspection by a Government Inspector of Schools,” the School Committee of every School District shall have the entire management of educational matters within the district. By clause 32, the Provincial Hoard may purchase lease or acquire sites for a school, or schools, glebe, schoolmaster's residence and

play-grounds, if application for that purpose is made by the School Committee : and, if they think tit, require the whole or any part of the cost to be defrayed out of donations, subscriptions, or other money at their disposal. Clause 33 empowers School Committees, after having obtained the sonction of the Provincial Board, to provide school buildings or enlarge them, or improve or lit them up with school apparatus; the cost to be paid out of donations, subscriptions, or authorised rates upon the districts in which the outlay has been incurred. The provisions of this clause include apparatus for gymnastics and physical training. By Clause 34, the Provincial Board is empowered to contribute towards the salaries of teaches of the schools under its control, and the ordinary expenses of schools, the balance to be provided by the School Committees. The salaries of school teachers are not to be less than the minimum rates determined upon by the Provincial Board, but the School Committee may pay to the teacher or teachers out of the school fees or other available funds, such additional salary as the Board may fix. No teacher’s salary is to be reduced after it is once fixed, without the sanction of the Board. The term teacher’s salary to mean “ the total income derived by such teacher from the school, exclusive of any sum or sums awarded to such teacher by the Minister out of the Parliamentary grant.” Clause 35, authorises School Committees with the express sanction of the Provincial Board to appoint one or more schoolmistresses, teachers of sewing, and assistant teachers, in any school where the attendance is such as to require such appointments such

appointments to be made by the School Committees, subject to the approval of the head teacher of the school, and to the conditions prescribed in the 18th and 34th sections of the Act. By, Clause 36, the Provincial Board may authorize the master of any school under its control to engage, and employ any number of apprentice pupil teachers it may deem expedient, and subject to the sanction of the Minister from time to time to alter and amend the rules and regulations for the “ examination, training, employment, and payment of such pupil teachers.” Part 4th, which will next come under analysis, relates to schools, libraries, scholarships, <tc., and free schools.