Feilding School Committee.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 285, 8 June 1897, Page 2

Feilding School Committee.

The ordinary monthly meeting of tbe Feilding State School" Committee was beid last evening. Present— Messrs W. Carthew (chairman), F. F. Haggitt (secretary), J. S. Milson, W. Spence, J. Taylor, J. Wood, W. G. Haybittle, and E. Goodbehere. The Head Master, Mr J. C. Hill, reported tbat tbe average attendance for the month was 868*6, tbe number on roll being 405. Tbe annual examination was beid on 11th and 12th ultimo; as every school had a good year and a bad year alternately it was necessary to take two consecutive years in order to form a just opinion on tbe state of a school, thus, average for 1896 (bad year) 88 38, average for 1897 (good year) 9603, average for two years 92*20. Reference was made to repairs required at the school and to the crange in the staff. Correspondence was received from Miss A. Brunette resigning her position as second assistant in the Bchool. Also, from the secretary to tbe Education Board with reference to the same and Btating that the names of applicants to fill the vacancy would be forwarded after the next meeting of the Board. The chairman reported having written to tbe Board, on the recommendation of the headmaster, objectiug to the removal of Miss Brunette at the end of May as at first intended, as a relieving teacher would have to fill tbo vacancy for a time, and until it was permanently filled. This would cause unnecessary changing witb detrimental results to the school. Tbey were entitled to a month's notice, as adrnittod by the secretary to tbe Board. It wus resolved tbat Mies Brunette's resignation as from June 18 be accepted. It was resolved on the motion of Mr Wood and seconded by Mr Goodbehere, That this committee desires to place on recurd their appreciation of Miss Bm-. nette's services while connected with the school and express their regret at her dei parture. The report of Inspectors W. H. Vereker-Bindon and J. Milne on the recent examination was read as follows ; — Standard I — This was a very well prepared class. Standard II. — Tbis was a very fine class ; in arithmetic tbe work was exceptionally good and the class subjects showed excellent treatment. Standard 111.- This, alto, was a very fine class ; in arithmetic the work was excellent as to accuracy, and the setting out and arrangement conld not wel. have been better, the writing on all the pipers was of very fine quality, and the arrangement of the work showed excellent training ; spelling, while rather weak on the dictation papers, was practically good on the composition paper* ; in several respects the class was ona of the best third standards we haye ever examined. Standard IV. — An excellent class, reading, spelling snd drawing were good to excellent ; arithmetic was the best Mr Bindon hnd ever received, during fifteen years of examining from Standard IV ; not only had no pupil failed to work «s many as three sums out of five correctly, but, also, 30 pupils out of 45 examined obtained foil marks, and the methods and tbe setting out of the work were of the test descrip. tion ; this is the more creditable as, in our opinion, the snms wers more difficult than usual this yrar; composition was tbe weak subject ; the letters were very meagre, showed bad errors in spelling, especially iv spelling local names, and tho endings were not appropriate aud did not show good training in arrangements ; also, combining of sentences was not good ; geography, while not weak, might well have been better. Standard V.— This was a good class ; reading, spelling and arithmetic again were particularly strong; while composition and geography were the weak subjects. Standard VI — An excellent class ; arithmetic was very fine, only two pnpils failing in more than one sum ; again, composition might well have been better. The class subjects and tlie additional subjects ou the whole showed as good treatment as the pass subjects, aud tbis of itself is deserving of special commendation. The school bas passed a very fine examination. Of the Dice pupils that failed, four did very good work in some subjects, bnt owing to their failing iv two subjects we cannot grant them a pass for their standards, though perhaps tbey might be advanced as though they had passed. Tbe order and discipline were excellent. The manner in which everything was ready for tbe examination and tbe promptness and accuracy with which class motions were proposed were of great assistance to the examiners, and enabled tbo work to go on speedily and without friction. Manners are very good. Altogether the school reflects much credit upon the head master and bis staff. The class teachers mnst have considerably improved under Mr Hill's direction to produce tbe present fine results. Preparatory classes: P. I — Beading was very good both collectively and individually; more attention should bavo been paid to the pauses at the ends of sentences and paragraphs. Spelling showed excellent training in consonant and vowel sounds Tables (addition and multiplication) were excellent, little sums in addition and multiplication were worked with accuracy and neatness. Writing excellent. P. II — Reading was only fair individually and the pupils did not keep at all well together in collective readiDg; spoiling was very good ; writing very good ; counting aDd tables were very goqd. P. Ill— A very good beginning baa beeu made. All classes - recitation and singing were excellent ; object lessons were fair ; tbe order and discipline were excellent It was .-.solved, on the motion of Mr Goodbehere, and seconded by Mr Hay* bittle, Tbat tbis committee begs to express their very great satisfaction at the result vi tbe late examination. Resolved, That the chairman and secretary sign cheques. Resolved, That Messrs Taylor and Spence be the visiting committee for the monthResolved, That tbe amount due (i'l 18s) up to the end of last year to the Truant Inspector, Mr C. Lucas, be paid to him and that he be informed if he will continue to act to the end of tha present year, to tbe satisfaction of tba committee, he will be paid on the same terms as last year. Accounts were passed for payment and the meeting adjourned.