GISBORNE SCHOOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 402, 29 April 1902, Page 2

GISBORNE SCHOOL.

ANNUAL MEETING OF HOUSE HOLDERS.

Till', annual meeting of householders for the Gisborne school was held last evening. There was a large and representative attendance, the Chairman, Mr A. F. Matthews, presiding.

Punctually at half-past seven the Chairman opened the proceedings, and called upon the Secretary to read the notice convening the meeting. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

The report was taken as read. The balance-sheet showed the Committee to have a credit of £9 15s Id. Mr R. Johnston said that there was a sum of £44 14s lid lent by the Technical Committee, which had been absorbed in the General Fund, and no mention was

made of it. Instead of there being a credit balance of £9 15s id there was a debit balance of £34 19s lOd.

The Secretary pointed out that the amount lent by the Technical Committee was not shown in the statement of accounts sent to the Board. He thought that the right to the amount had been waived. The Chairman said that the committee had not looked upon the amount stated as a liability. The Secretary : It has always been excluded from the balance-sheet sent to the Board. The Chairman: I think mention was made of the fact last year and right to the amount was waived.

Mr File : Then surely it would appear on the minutes, for they are very voluminous.

Mr Stafford: I cannot see how tho statement can be correct when there is no mention of the amount. How can there be a credit when we owe this sum of £4O odd ?

Mr Johnston wanted to know where the money had gone. The Secretary said that it had been spent in the ordinary manner during the year. Mr Bushnell suggested that a tag should be attached to tho balance-sheet. After further discussion the Chairman stated that the accounts were not presented in the form of a balance-sheet, but simply as a statement of receipts and expenditure, and tho meeting adopted it as such.

The election of a committee was then proceeded with, the following nominations being received: Messrs T. B. Sweet, H. Bruce, G. Humphreys, J. W. Bright, A. T. Hookey, A. Graham, Wildish, F. Cramond, W. L. File, J. Brown, and D. M. Orr.

A large number declined nomination, including Messrs Morgan, Matthews, and Nolan. The voting was as follows :

J. Brown ... ... ... 45 J. W. Bright 42 A. T. Hookey 42 A. Graham ... ... ... 42 F. Cramond ... ... 41 W. L. File 41 G. Humphreys 40 T. B. Sweet ... ... ... 37 D. M. Orr ... 29 G. Wildish 26 H. Bruce 20 The first nine were elected. The Chairman, referring to the resignation of Mr Bull as headmaster, paid a very high tribute of praise to the work done by Mr Bull since his connection with the School. He (Mr Matthews) thought that the record was a very great one, and they were all indebted to Mr Bull for the services he had rendered to the district. He moved a motion to that effect. •Mr Morgan seconded tho resolution, endorsing the remarks of the previous speaker. He would be perfectly satisfied if the pi'esent headmaster could sustain the record put up by Mr Bull.—(Applause.) Mr Bull briefly returned thanks for the vote of thanks. He had been connected with the school for many years, and had learned to love the children anl the place. He thought that the children of Gisborne compared very well with those of other places. He did not think that ho had causo to look back with regret to anything that had occurred during his term of

office. He had always endeavored to act with justice to all the children. Although he had given up the leadership, he would do his utmost to assist the Headmaster. The position was perhaps a delicate one, but from the opinion he had formed of Mr Bowley, he was sure that they would get on well together. (Applause.) The new headmaster, Mr Bowley, was introduced to the meeting. He expressed pleasure at being allowed an opportunity to sav a few words. He endorsed the remarks made by Mr Bull in reference to the general behaviour of the children at the Gisborne school. The scholars were, he said, very easy to manage, and at all times showed their willingness to do what they could, even more so than the children he had previously instructed. He thought the school reflected credit upon Mr Bull and the teachers who had had charge. He was at present examining the school, and so far as he had gone it was well up to the standard. The school was quite as good as those he had been used to in other parts of the colony. (Applause.) The Chairman said it must be gratifying to the parents to hear such an excellent report from Mr Rowley. (Applause.) Mr Bright moved a vote of thanks to the teaching staff, and made pleasing reference to the work which had been done during the year. Mr Morgan seconded the resolution, and asked that the names of Messrs A. Cuthbert and B. Cole should be included, for they had both worked hard. The motion was carried with acclamation, and Mr Bull replied. Mr Stafford proposed a vote of thanks to the outgoing committee, stating that the district had reason to be proud of the efficiency of the school. Mr Matthews, in replying, said that possibly there were many things that the public expected them to have done during the year that had not been done. One of these was securing for the district a separate Education Board. Together with Mr Ferguson, Assistant-Secretary of the Hawke’s Bay Board, he had gone carefully into the matter, and found that they required another j£loo per year in order to clear expenses. This estimate was based on an average attendance of 1700. Seeing that such was the case, it appeared to him that the time was hardly ripe for this innovation. “ I must adm't it is a thing we require very badly,” remarked Mr Matthews, “and the only way to carry it out is for the Governmen

to take over the inspectors. My experi, ence leads me to think that it would be a splendid thing. With all due deference to the gentlemen who have special districts to inspect, I think that if they were all located in Wellington and their dis-

tricts changed from time to time that it would be an admirable thing. We would not have men going over the same ground year after year, and they would probably see deficiencies and shortcomings that

they would never have Doticed if they had been constantly going through the same schools. If that is brought about there is no doubt that you can easily have an Education Board in this district. I hope very shortly to see this brought about. The men appointed to the committees in this district are just as well fitted to administer the work of the different schools as the members of the Hawke’s Bay Board. I thank you for the vote of thanks to the outgoing committee, and I feel certain from the names of the incoming committee that the same satisfaction will expressed next year. (Applause.)

Mr File brought up the question of the recent picnic, and asked if there was a surplus.

The Chairman : There is a surplus of £2 or £3. All the accounts have been audited, and anyone who cares to inspect them can do so.

A vote of thanks was passed to the ladies, who gave their services in connection with the picnic, several gentlemen present speaking in terms of the highest praise of the work done. Continued on page 4.

TE KARAKA.

There was a large attendance at the meeting of householders held at Te Karaka last evening, and keen interest was manifested in the proceedings. The Inspector’s, report was highly satisfactory, and the balance-sheet showed a credit balance of TO 14s 7d. The residents in

the district expressed pleasure at the selection of Mr P. Befton to fill the vacancy of Headmaster, caused by the departure from the district of Mr Ingpen. Since his arrival at Te Karaka, Mr Sefton j has taken a keen interest in the school, and the attendance was extremely satisfactory. The following gentlemen were appointed to serve on the committee : ( Messrs A. Poulson, J, Crimmins, J. Gra- ! ham, W. Spence, J. Price, Tera Haronga, and A. Lewis. At the meeting ot the committee, Mr Lewis was appointed chairman for the ensuing year. MAKAURI. The annual meeting of householders was largely attended. The report referred to the departure from the district of the late headmaster, Mr Bolton, and the appointment of Mr R. Cole, general approval being expressed by the householders in regard to the latter. The balance-sheet showed a credit of over JM. The following members were elected as a committee : Messrs T. McGregor (Chairman), P. Malone, Smith, Graham, Campbell, F. Tietjen, and S. Oxenham. WAIPIRO. The meeting of householders held at Waipiro last evening was largely attended. The statement of accounts showed that the expenditure had been very heavy during the year, but there was nevertheless a credit balance of T6l3s. A lengthy report was received from Mr Wilson, headmaster, with regard to the school. Ho pointed out that the school had in the past suffered from the frequent changes of teachers, but the difficulties were being overcome. The attendance at the school was higher than it had hitherto beon, and under tbo new scale they were entitled to an assistant teacher. He urged that steps should be taken to obtain a new school, as the present building was altogether insufficient to cope with the requirements of the place. Mention was also made of the need of a workshop in connection with the school. The follow--1 ing gentlemen were appointed as members 1 of committee: Messrs J. F. Pottie, J. , Boyce, F. Morgan, Hargreaves, G. Deeves. Mr Pettie was appointed chairman. It was decided to apply to the Board for a 1 new school and residence. Mr Pettie ’ proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr “ Wilson for his report, and referred in terms of the highest praise to the ex- * cellent work that the teacher had accomplished sinco his appointment to Waipiro. 1 Mr Morgan seconded the motion, which 3 was unanimously adopted.

The school is at present worked and stalled as follows: Headmaster, Mr Francis Rowley. Secondary classes, junior and senior divisions, under charge of Mr Mann, assisted by Miss Aikrnan ; number on roll, : 4°- , Standard 6, in charge of Mr Bull, hrst assistant master, 63. Standard 5, in charge of Mr Wells, , second assistant master, 60. ( Standard 4, in charge of Miss Lewis, 1 assisted by Miss Cussen, pupil teacher, 96. Standard o, in charge of Miss Adams, j with Mr Driller as assistant, 102. Standard 2, in charge of Miss Faram, - with Mr Geo.ge Morice as assistant, 91. Total number on roll, 472. ; Preparatory classes, including Standard 1, under charge of Miss Mathieson, headmistress, assisted by Misses Morgan, Evans, Colcbrook, Black, Cussen, and Messrs Quigley and H. Morgan, 400. Grand total on roll, 672. During the year the attendance has, upon the whole, been fairly good. The average for last quarter was 730, for last week 774. The highest daily attendance this week was 796. In justice to the teachers, the committee would again impress upon parents the necessity of seeing that no trivial excuses are allowed to keep their children away. The total number on the roll 672 is an increase of 141 over last year. The accommodation for such a large number is quite inadequate. According to Inspector’s report the work of the school was seriously hampered through overcrowding ; especially in the prepartory rooms. To relieve the congestion the Board sanctioned the hiring of the English Church School room, in which Standard I. is now taught. It is questionable whether in face of the increasing population the side school which it is proposed to erect on Mangapapa will at all relieve the pressure for room, and it will be a matter for the consideration of the incoming committee as to what is to bo done in this connection in face of the Board’s shortness of funds for building purposes. The following pupils gained Board scholarships, tenable for one year : Ethel 1 Ambridge, Lois Sheen, May Kenny, Una Cox, Bessie McLaurin, and Vera Cussen. Only six candidates were presented for Board of Governors’ scholarships, and all were successful. Seven pupils went up for matriculation, of whom six passed, namely Jessie Brown, Eva Nisbett, Lena Burns, Ernest McGregor, Phillip Hamilton, and Andrew Tuohy, after a two years’ course. The result is highly creditable to Mr Mann and his assistant, and shows the value of the work done in the secondary classes. Pupil teachers’ examination was held in June, and Misses Baker, Colcbrook, Black, and K. Cussen, and Messrs Quigley, and 1 Driller were successful. The following pupil teachers also sat for examination for a teacher’s certificate, and were more or less successful: Miss Baker gained partial D certificate, with 3 special mention in geography ; Miss Colebrook gained partial D certificate, with

special mention in school management; Mr Quigley gained a full E certificate; Miss Black gained a partial E certificate, with special mention in geography. Tetbnical education is a subject which has been much discussed by the committee. Owing to the want of qualified teachers and of funds for necessary buildings its introduction into this school is attended with many difficulties. A commencement has been made here by Mr

Anderson of Napior, in the teaching of model drawing and design to school teachers in the district. Miss Faubert takes classes on Saturdays for brush drawing and modelling in plasticine, These classes are open to the public by payment of fees. There is also a proposal at' present under consideration to give similar lessons to the pupils in Mr Mann’s classes, which the committee recommended to the board of Governors. The following is the financial position : Receipts, including last year’s balance, £441 6s 2d. Expenditure £431 11s Id. Leaving a credit balance of £9 15s Id. Liability, amount owing to technical committee, £49 Us, swimming grant £2 ss. The committee have much pleasure in being able to report that the secondary classes are now open free of charge to any pupil throughout New Zealand who has passed the sixth standard. The Gisborne District High School occupies the position of being the first in New Zealand where an education equal to anything the best secondary schools can give, is obtainable absolutely free of charge. The committee takes this opportunity of thanking the Gisborne High School Governors for their hearty co-operation and assistance in this matter, without which it could not have been carried into effect, The following pupils gained Board of Governors scholarships :—A. East, Daisy Bright, Adelaide Black, Kate .Wildish, Bessie McLaurin, of the Gisborne School ; Olivo Lange and Andrew Picken, Matawhero ; and Cecil McClure, Waerenga-a-hika. It should also have been mentioned that two additional female teachers, Misses Morgan and Evans, were appointed under the new regulations sixth and

seventh assistants (temporary) respectively.