BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1227, 8 February 1878, Page 3

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The monthly meeting of the members of the Board of Education for the district of Canterbury was held at the Board room yesterday afternoon. Present—Messrs J. Inglis (chairman), Montgomery, H. R. Webb, A. Duncan, and H. J. Tancred. The minutes of the last two meetings having been read and confirmed, the following business was transacted : The Chairman reported various appointments to schools, and sundry expenditures which he had sanctioned, and grants which had been made for sundry expenses since the last meeting. They were approved of by the Board. The Chairman read telegrams from the Government stating that the amount granted to the Board was £IO,OOO, and with regard to proposed scholarships, stating that the question was under consideration, asking from what source payment was to be made, and suggesting to the Board to submit to the Government proposals for fresh scholarships, as required by section 51 of the Act, keeping in view the fact that only £IOOO bad been voted for scholarships. It was resolved to inform the Government that there was a balance in hand from local funds sufficient to allow scholarships to be continued as in former years, expenses to be met from this source. The Board resolved to ask leave to advertise the same. A communication from the Education Department, Wellington, was read by the chairman. It informed the Board that their letter, relating to Mr John Matthew’s memorial, would shortly be considered by Government, along with Mr Ward’s case. SCHOOL STATISTICS. The following was laid upon the table:— Return of common (or district) schools, viz, schools receiving Government aid, or under School Boards, but not being grammar or superior schools, in the Provincial District of Canterbury in December 1877 : Number of common schools in the province— Boys, nil; girls, nil; mixed, 120; total, 120. Number of teachers —Male, 173; female, 196; total, 369, exclusive of 36 sewing mistresses. Highest number of scholars on the books during the December quarter—Boys, 8045; girls, 7468; total, 15,513. Average daily attendance during that quarter—Boys, 5710; girls, 6026 ; total, 10,736. Ages of pupils, viz.—

Years. Male. Female. Ttl. Under 5 215 216 431 Five and under 10... 4574 4282 8356 Ten and under 15 ... 2816 2517 5393 Fifteen and upwards 63 _ 91 154 Number receiving instructions in the following branches of education, viz.— Male. Female, Ttl. Reading 7698 7136 14,831 Arithmetic ... 5747 6269 11,016 Grammar ... 8078 2675 5763 Music 3674 3188 7162 Writing 6747 6269 11,016 Geography ... 3078 2675 5753 History 1716 1408 3124 Other subjects ... 1183 653 _ 1836 A number of reports from various school committees were laid upon the table. ■ 6T. AIBANO.- V;'. A letter from Mr J. P. Restell, Inspector of Schools, was read. It desired to correct a mis-statement made by the St. Alban’s school committee in their annual report. The committee had stated that a number of children had, at the beginning of last year, been placed in standards for which they were not sufficiently qualified. But the report on last year’s inspection stated that the scholars throughout the school were then one standard below the range of similar schools; also, that a good proportion in each standard were only nearly equal to pa 1 sing the standards in which they foiled. Mr Restell submitted that those comments indicated a very strict classification in 1876, and that if the scholars, then one standard below the ordinary range, had even so been classed too leniently, there would be still stronger evidence that the inefficiency was greater than could be overtaken by twelve months’ work. But on the other hand the master in 1877 presented several scholars to gain two standards at once ; of course they failed to do so, but it would be a very unlikely step for him to have taken if the scholars had already been placed in standards for which they were not sufficiently qualified. Mr Restell concluded by requesting the Board to right liim in the matter. OUST. A comnmiiication was read from the j Gust committee, asking what could be done in the matter of giving religious instruction out of school hours; also asking whether they had tho power to let the school buildings for the purpose of religious services on Sundays. Tho Board resolved to refer the committee to section 84, sub-section 3, of the Act. KAIAPOI. A letter was read from Mrs Taylor, explaining the apparent discrepancy between the statements ot the head, mistress and head master of the Kaiapoi school as to the attendance of her daughter, Frances, at tho said school. Another letter on the same subject, from Miss Hookham, was read. The secretary was directed to inform Mrs Taylor that her explanation was satisfactory, and to inform Miss Hookham that the Board were not satisfied with her explanation. HISTORICAL CHART., , The Secretary introduced to the notice of the Board a chronological chart, 22ft. long, copies of which could be supplied at four guineas each. After examining the chart, the Board decided not to purchase any. NOMINATIONS FOE NEW BOARD. _ The Board, in answer to numerous applications from committees, resolved that no nominations of candidates for the Board could be received unless the committees state that the written consent of the candidates has been given. AUDITED ACCOUNTS. A letter from the Chairman of the St. Alban’s school was read. It forwarded audited accounts and blamed the Board for any apparent irregularity. The secretary was directed to reply to him pointing out that ho was in error. PLANS OF SCHOOLS. Plans of the public schools in the district, made by Mr Cane, were laid on the table. THE NEW BOARD. A letter irom the North Kowai Committee wap yead, Bursting that those BjQmberp of

the present Board who were willing to act on the next Board of Education should express their consent to nomination. A lift of nominations for seats on the Board of North Canterbury already received by the secretary was read as follows: Messrs John Inglis and Andrew Duncan— Nominated by Barr Hill. Messrs John Inglis and William Montgomery—Nominated by Leßon’s Bay. Messrs John Grigg and Thomas Taylor— Nominated by Longboaoh. Messrs Andrew Duncan and William Montgomery—Nominated by Tai Tapu, For South Canterbury— Messrs John Martin and David Ogilvie— Nominated by Otaio. Rev. Wm, Gillies and Edward H. Tate— Nominated by Timaru. BATES. The Chairman stated that the City Council had given notice to the Board that they held property of the rateable value of £ll2O. The matter was referred to the Board’s solicitor. CHANGING NAMES ON SCHOOLS. The Colombo road committee again requested that the name of this school might be altered to Sydenham, The secretary was instructed to inform tho committee that the Board’s legal adviser was of opinion that the alteration could not be made. Tho South Ashburton committee forwarded a request that tho name of their school might be altered to Willoughby. The committee stated that their school is situated seven miles away from Ashburton, and that another township nearer Ashburton is springing up, to which the name South Ashburton is being given. The secretary was directed to make the same answer in this as in tho last case. COUNT DB ZABA’a CHAET3, The Chairman reported that seventy-five copies of Count de Zaba’s charts had been purchased for the price of fifty, and that they would be sold for half-price to teachers desirous of having them. The Secretary stated that he had ten large charts which might be distributed to the larger schools. NEW STANDAEDS. A letter from the Papanui school committee asked whether tho new standards are to be worked to this quarter. The Board replied that the new standards had not yet been authorised. THANKS. A letter from tho Waimate district school committee informed the Board that the report of the retiring committee contains the following paragraph:—“This committee desire to express their thanks to tho Board of Education of Canterbury district for the kind attention invariably given to any application made to the Board by this committee.” SOUTH ASHBURTON SCHOOL. The secretary was directed to take the necessary steps for securing a title for the ground upon which the South Ashburton school has been built. After some further business, the Board adjourned.