BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 255, 6 April 1875, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The Board of Education met last evening at 7 o'clock. Present—Messrs J. Inglis (chairman), A, Duncan, J. N. Tosswill, and H. R. Webb. PLEASANT VALLEY. A letter was read from the chairman of the district school committee, enclosing the following resolution agreed to by the school committee:—"That the chairman write to the Board of Education requesting that as no progress has been made with the school buildings, the Board will allow the committee to arrange for providing temporary accommodation so that teaching might be commenced, Mr Best having offered the use of his large room free for that purpose, and a certificated master, Mr Seaton, being in the district without a school. There are close upon forty children in the district for whom no provision for education now exists." The Board sanctioned the resolution of the committee, but directed the secretary to state that the Board preferred a married master, otherwise Mr Seaton was eligible. TEMPLETON. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, stating that the committee proposed levying a special rate of (3d in the pound for building a master's house. The Board approved. EAST OXFORD. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, asking the sanction of the Board to the appointment of Richard Tivose and Sophia Dohrman as pupil teachers. The Board sanctioned both appointments, Tivose to present himself for examination in June. KOWAI BUSH. A letter was read from the Kowai Bush school, explaining why the sum of £9 15s had been expended in certain repairs and additions to the school. The Board sanctioned the expenditure. IRWELL. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, asking the Board to approve of the acceptance of Mr D. W. Bartram's tender for erecting school buildings for £545. The Board recommended the committee to call for fresh tenders, as Mr Bartram's tender was considered too high. SOUTH RAKAIA. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, asking permission to charge school fees by the week, instead of by the quarter, to children living outside the district. The secretary was instructed to reply that the Board regretted they had no power to accede to the request, as the Ordinance directed that the fees should be paid quarterly in advance. GERALDINE. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, Btating that G. B. Barclay, who had been appointed pupil teacher, was over thirteen years of age. The Board sanctioned G. B« Barclay's appointment. INSPECTION OP BUILDINGS. A letter was read from the Provincial Secretary, requesting to be informed under separate headings, of what the Board required from the proposed inspecting officer of buildings. The secretary was instructed to reply that the Board wished the officer to inspect new buildings, repairs proposed > repairs being carried out, fencing, closets, ventilation, furniture, and also to report on plans proposed for new buildings. TIMARU. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, containing an explanation with reference to the interest on overdraft with the Bank of New Zeala-nd; also, Btating that the application of Mr Price for the head mastership had been received and would be considered; requesting that, as the late Mr Hunt's children were left in poor circumstances, the Board would sanction the payment of his salary to 31 sb March to them. Mr Hunt's salary had been paid to 6th February; and further, th-at Mr M. White had been elected as secretary to the com mittee.

The Board decided to ajik the Government for a special vote for the overdraft. It was also resolved to pay the salary to the late Mr Hunt's children, as recommended by the committee. EXAMINATION OP CANDIDATES. The following portion, of a letter was read from the Board of Examiners : "We recommend the following additions and amendments in the of examination of candidates for a first-class certificate : " 1. That candidates \i/ho take in Latin or Greek, instead of beinj; allowed to select their books at discretion , should be required to select from a prescribe id list. The uncertainty of the present pla n is embarrassing to both candidates and while we find that it tends to a lowering of the standard, and to a reduction i of the work offered both in quantity and qo ality. I subjoin a list of authors, Greek and. Latin, which we recommend for adoption*.. " 2. That an advance id knowledge of Latin shall be included amc >ng the optional subjects. At present, Lat in being a compulsory subject, no more can \ >e demanded than it is reasonable to expect from every master who claims to rank in tl ie first class, so that a candidate of superio r attainments has no chance of doing hims elf justice and making his knowledge tell. Of course, if Latin is taken as an extra sut ject, the range of examination should be sua 1 a as to make it an equivalent for the araom it required, from all first*

class candidates together with one other subject, and the scheme subjoined is prepared with that view. It requires candidates to take in three books (two prose and one verse), with double quantities in each, and to show proficiency in Latin prose composition and ability to construe at sight. " 3. That modern history be divided into two periods, either of which may be taken, viz, from the crowning of Charlemagne to the end of the fifteenth century, or from the beginning of the sixteenth century to the present time. The subject is at present too vaguely described, and covers too much ground. " i. We propose as an additional subject under the head of history an advanced knowledge of English history, either from the Conquest to the accession of Henry VIII., or from Henry VIII. to William IV. inclusive, with special reference to the constitutional history of the respective periods. The present examination in English history as an essential subject is the same for both the first and second classes, and iB confined to the general facts of the history as given by Collier, or in any of the books ordinarily used in schools. When it is taktn as an optional subject, the examination will of course be a strictly ' honor' one. The division proposed is, I believe, that adopted in the Oxford Modern History School. " The following are the proposed lists of authors referred to in the paragraphs numbered 1 and 2:—Greek.—Thucydides—Books 1., ll.j or 111.—V.; or VI.—VIII. Demosthenes—De Corona, with in Ctesiphontem, or the Olynthiacs and Philippics. Homer—l2 books. iEschylus—3 plays. Sophocles Two books, one prose and one verse, must be selected from the above. Passages will be set for translation into English, with questions on the grammatical construction, history, antiquities, &c. Latin (as a compulsory subject), Sallust, Livy, two books; Cicero, any five orations ; Virgil, four books; Horace, two books of Odes or Epodes, with one book of satires or Epißtles. (The Carmen Seculare will be taken with the Epodes, and the Ars Poetica with the second book of Epistles). Two books, one prose and one verse, must be offered for translation, with questions as before. Easy unseen passages will be set from Cfesar, Cornelius Nepos, or Cicero. The Latin writing required will be of a simple kind, designed chiefly to test the candidate's grammatical knowledge. Latin (as an optional subject), Cicero, eightorations; Tacitus, three consecutive books of Annals or Histories; Livy, four books; Virgil, the Eclogues, Georgics, and three books of the jEneid; or nine books of the Horace, the Odes and Epodes, with two books of Satires or Epistles (the Ars Poetica to reckon as part of the second book of Epistles); Juvenal (except 2,6, and 9). Three books selected from the above, two prose and one verse, must be offered for translation, with critical and historical questions. Prose translation into Latin will be required, and passages presenting no special difficulty will be set, to be construed at sight. I beg respectfully to suggest, that if the Board agree to the above or any other alterations, it is very desirable that no time should be lost in publishing the lists of subjects, as amended, for the information of intending candidates. " I have the honor to be, sir, " Your obedient servant, " J. V. G'OLBORNE VEEL." The Board approved of the suggestions. SOUTHBRIDGE.

A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, asking the Board to sanction an increase of salary to Miss Campbell. There were 100 children on the books, with an average attendance of eighty, and therefore the committee asked the Board for permission to appoint two pupil teachers. The Board sanctioned an increase of salary to Miss Campbell on the average of last quarter ; also, the appointment of the pupil teachers, provided the average would admit of it. LEESTON. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, asking the Board to sanction the appointment of Miss M. Ford as assistant teacher. Also asking whether the Board would give assistto the erection of a side-school at Doyleston. The Board sanctioned Miss Ford's appointment. It was decided to ask whether the committee concurred respecting the sideschool, also as to the site, and for a plan showing the localities from which the children would come, and the position of the houses where the children resided. Meanwhile the Board would take the matter into consideration when considering the estimates. ALFORD FOREST. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, stating that a site for a school had been selected on the south side of Taylor's branch of the River Ashburton on a piece of Government land. The Board sanctioned the site. PALMERSTON, OTAGO. A letter was read from the secretary of the school committee of Palmerston, stating that Miss Charlotte Brenning, late of the Waimate school, had been elected mistress of the Palmerston school, and asking for a certificate showiDg the result of Miss Brenning's examination as a teacher by Mr Restell, together with any information the Board could afford as to her success or otherwise as a teacher. The secretary was directed to reply that Miss Brenning held a certificate of the second division of the third class. STOKE. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, stating that the committee had no objection to Mr Piper continuing to act as schoolmaster, that he might have another opportunity of obtaining his certificate; also inquiring whether the late chairman had asked the sanction of the Board to Mrs Piper's appointment as sewing mistress. The Board sanctioned the appointment of Mr Piper until June. COLOMBO ROAD. A letter was read from the chairman of the district school, asking the Board to sanction the acceptance of Tillman and Co's tender for school furniture and additions for £BS. The Board sanctioned the acceptance of the tender recommended. WEST CHRISTCHURCH AND NORMAL SCHOOL. A letter was read from the Hon C. C. Bowen, stating, as he did not recollect any conversation with the West Christchurch committee respecting furniture for committee room, he had communicated with Mr Tancred, the chairman of the committee, and could not reply until he (Mr Bowen) received a letter from that gentleman ; also stating that no modification of the contract for erecting the Normal school was ever proposed to the Board of Education, and he had distinctly stated that he had no power to modify the contract without reference to the Board.

It was decided to give notice to Mr Reese, the contractor for the Normal School, that the Board would consider an average date for the completion of the two contracts. CHRISTCHURCH EAST. A letter was read from the chairman of the district committee, requesting the Board to sanction the appointment of Robert Witham as pupil teacher of the second year, in the place of W. C. Armitage, resigned, and the temporary employment of James Taylor in the room of John Reid, absent through illness. The Board sanctioned the appointments. INSPECTOR'S REPORTS. The Board decided that in future the Inspector's reports on the state of the schools should not be sent to the school committees until they had been laid before the Board. LAKESIDE. The Board sanctioned the appointment of Mr J. D. Harper, late of Southbridge, to the mastership of Lakeside school. YALDHURST. A letter was read from the district committee, asking the Foard to sanction the acceptance of Mr Gee's tender at £595, for the erection of school buildings. The Board were of opinion that the tenders were still too high. ASHBURTON. The Board approved of plans of furniture for the Ashburton schools. BUSINESS DONE BY THE CHAIRMAN. The Board approved of the business done by the chairman. The Board then adjourned.