EDUCATION BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3065, 14 December 1872, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

A special meeting qf %e BparcJ was helfi iff the Superintendent's room yesterday, there being present the Superintendent (in the chair), Messrs Turnbull, Bastings, and M‘Demid. Thi following business was transacted : A deputation from Green Island attended, and urged that an arrangement said to have beefl entered intq by the Inspector pf Schpohf, hr which Miss Freeman, pitpi). teacher, w&s continued in that office, should be set aside, the local schpol committee urging that it was illegal. It was stated that the committee had been endeavouring for some time past to make provision for qbtainiiig the services of a schpob mistress, and to that end appointed one of their number to collect’ the school fees, but inadvertence theif intention was raisnndq:stqq4i and no actipn was taken.' They ijad never able to get front the schoolmaster a knowledge of tlxe fees actually collected, and therefore had been unable to get at what amount cpuld hp set aside for the sclipolmistrpss’ salary. They still intended tp uppoifit a schoolmistress, but wished to make a se’eciiqn. The Inspector’s memorandum, whiph wag r§ad, explained that Miss Freeman, the pupil teacher, had served the fifth year of her apprenticeship, and under the Board’s regulations it was competent for her to continue in that capacity another year, or for the school committee to determine her engage* ment. She had passed a first-rate ejfauunatjhu at the examination of pupil teachers, and when he recently lier classes, found them iu a high state pf efficiency. She wqs well fitted for the duties of schoolmistress; and so far as lie could judge the parents of the pupils were generally satisfied. The Board had recommended the school committee to appoint her mistress, but they had declined to take any action; and therefore he could not advise the Board to san ction any change in the existing arrangements until ’Miss Freeipan’g present year had expired. The depuiatibn stated that they were unable tg act upon the'Board'S suggestion fpf the above sfatei]. "His Hoppr i ‘‘AVljat have youthen tq"Miss Frqeman.’! Mr King: ‘ ‘ None personally. ” Mr Hislop stated that lie not aware that the comiijittee had given Miss Freeman any notice fq leave at the end of hep first year, though iu accordance with the regulw. tious he had sent them notice on March 38th that, if they desired to make any alteration in the disposition of the teachers, they were to give the required three months’ notice. When he examined the school, he found an attendance of 84 pupils, and the school in a most satisfactory condition. In accordance with his usual practice, he informed the school committee of the date of his visit, and desired that they should meet and consult with him on school matters ; but none put iu an appearance. The question was put to him by Mr Allan, the schoolmaster —“ You see the number of chib dren; the committee decline: xo .appoint *> schoolmistress j Vlp4 h* to- be•’flowjj Ml “‘He • (Mf Hislop) referred to the lldapcTs fegblatiouwhicfi provided. that a, pupil teacher couhl remain & second year in that capacity under the fiftfi class; that it was impossible Mr Allan could cany on by himself, and the best plan was to let Miss Freeman stay on. His Honor (to the deputation); “I think you will admit what Mr H islop did was best and proper under the circumstances.” (To the Board) : “There can be no reflection upon Mr Hislop’s conduct in the matter. I may mention, for the information of members of the Board who are strangers, that I do not think there will be any peace or satisfaction in the district so long as Mr Allan remains teacher. I believe that is the root of the whole thing.” Mr Bastings : “ Then you had better say so.” His Honor: “ It has been said, A member of the deputation said it., was 35 his Honor stated: and further, that in, all, bability Miss Freeman,, wfiq. gav fl : would I'gCefve tiie apnaumuciit of mistress,'but the‘committee ■ Wanted Ibb' power to select; Mp Hislop' cal fed attention' td' a paragraph iri one of the ’communications to the Board from the Committee, in’ which it waj( said of himself, “We consider deceit hajj been prqctitjed iu this matter,” apd he asked that the Board take cognigapce pf thp imputation. He held that any officer who was guilty of deceit as alleged was unfit for his position. After discussion, tfie following resolution w(is carried ! —“ That the Local School Committee have power to apply L 25 out of the school fees towards the salary of a school mistress ; and that the necessary notices be given to Mr Allan and Miss Freeman; and further, that the charge of deceit against tie Inspector, contained iu the School Committee’s letter, is in the opinion of the Board unwarrantable and uncalled-for.” . , , A deputation from Port Chalmers urged the pressing necessity of something being done to provide better and owe suitable accommodation

for the grammar school there. . It was represented that at Home Bft lin of room was allowed for each child in schools, while at the Port the space in the several rooms was 3ft lOin ; 3ft Win ; and 3ft Sin. The buildings were the oldest school buildings in the Piovinoe, and it was deemed inadvisable to go on patching them. As it was, some of the scholars under the mistress had been taken to the Masonic Hall, where they were now tanght, the School Committee having leased that buikbng. The Committee asked the Board to vote a sum for new buildings. The Inspector of Schools stated the case was a pressing one. It was agreed to remit the matter to the Government for its favorable consideration.

A deputation from the Port Chalmers Mechanics’ Institute urged that, in terms of a letter from Mr Duncan, as Provincial Secretary in 1867, the Institute was entitled to a subsidy on all permanent improvements and buildings, in addition to books, while the Board’s minute of March last only allowed the latter. The Board resolved that it could only grant subsidies on hooks.

The Rector of the High School wrote suggesting, if it was the Board’s intention to continue Provincial Scholarship examinations, that the Board of Examiners should be summoned to meet. The Inspector of Schools advised, as there was now a considerable number of Provincial scholars at the High School, the examination should not be proceeded with for the present, and the Board agreed to act on that suggestion. Air Abram’s resignation as English Master at the High School was accepted. The Queenstown School Committee applied for a grant of L-iOOfor now buildings ; and the Town Council of that place recommended the establishment of a Grammar School there. Both matters were postponed until after next year’s appropriations. The Committee of the Oamaru Grammar School asked for tho sanction of the Board to a proposal to divide the surplus fees from the Grammar School among the teachers proportionately, which was agreed to. The Inspector said lie inspected the Dunedin schools dining the past week, and found them to be in a high state of efficiency, owing very much to the efforts of some of the teachers, to retain whom in the public service he thought it advisable, and promised to do so, to recommend the Board to grant them increases of salary, as follow .-—Miss Fisher, Middle District School, from JSO to LOO; Mr Lindsay, third master there, from L 75 to LIOO ; Miss Johnston, pupil teacher, North Dunodin, LOO to L7<>; and Mr Milne, thi d master at the same school, L 75 to LIOO. He thought, if it were not done, the teachers would leave the schools, which would be considerably injured if they did. The increases were sanctioned. Mr Turnbull mentioned, cn passunt, that the Dunedin School Committee had under consideration tho advisability of repealing the recent increase of school fees, which was found to cause gr.at complaints. A variety of other matters wore dealt with, among which were the following The subsidy to Tomahawk school was continued for this year only. The proposal of the Woodlands Committee to obtain an advance of LIOO from Mr Mqodie, of the meat works, to complete the school, the Board guaranteeing repayment, was sanctioned. LoO was voted for new schoolhouses at Welshman’s Gully and Miunewhequa; amt the consideration of applications from Halfmfifin Wnihemq, Clinton, and Table Hi]!, deferred. In reference to the application ipr a school at Talma Head, the Inspector was Instructed to inquire if the teaching power at tho Maori school there could he made available. The salary of the schoolmaster at Walton was increased to L 7 5; five acres at Smith’s Gully were ordered to be set apart as a reserve for the Bannockburn School; and t’2o was allowed to the master at Grove Bush, for extra teaching at Birch Bush.