BOARD OF GOVERNORS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1370, 6 July 1878, Page 2

BOARD OF GOVERNORS.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College was held yesterday morning in the Board room. Present—Messrs W. Montgomery (chairman), H. J. Tancred, H. R. Webb, Rev. Charles Fraser, Hon. John Hall, Dr. Coward, Messrs C. C. Bowen, R. W. Fereday, J. Tosswill, E. C. J. Stevens, J, V. ColborneVeel, Dr. Turnbull, Messrs T. H„ Potts, and F. do C.. Malet. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The secretary read a list of correspondence received since last meeting. The Chairman stated that ho and the Hon. John Hall had deemed it necessary to secure a piece of ground at the junction of Montreal and Armagh streets. The ground was about half-an-acre, and would be most desirable for the College. The purchase had been effected in the manner it had been, because the last meeting of the Governors had lapsed for want of a quorum, and the previous meeting had had so much business to transact. It would bo for the Board to take the land if they thought it desirable. boys’ and girls’ school.

Mr Bowen moved—“ That a committee be appointed to consider the advisability of securing for the College the present sites of the boys’ and girls’ schools, to obtain other sites for these institutions, and to report as to the means available for these purposes. The committee to consist of the Chairman, the Hon. John Hall, and Messrs Tancred, Fereday, Tosswill, the Rev. Charles Fraser, Mr Malet, and the mover, and to report within ten days.” He thought no time should be lost, as it was generally admitted that the present sites were not the best in the interest either of the schools or of the College. He was glad that a step had already been taken towards altering the site of the Girls’ High School, and hoped that a little reflection would induce the Board to take the same steps with the boys’ school. Mr Fereday seconded the motion, and a division was taken, which resulted in—Ayes, 4; noes, 8. The motion was therefore declared to be lost. AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL SCHOLARSHII’S. The Board then proceeded to consider the clauses of the agricultural school committee’s report of the 30th May, postponed from a previous meeting. The following were the clauses : “ Clause 3. The committee recommends the Board to establish in connection with the school of agriculture nine scholarships, to be held for three years, and to render the holders free of all charges or fees for board, lodging, and instruction at the farm and College. “ Clause 4. Three of the above scholarships to be competed for annually, two to be open to bays between fourteen and sixteen years of age, who shall have attended any school in receipt of State aid in New Zealand not less than one year, and one to be open to boys between the above ages who shall have attended any private school in New Zealand for the same period. “ Clause 5. The scholarships to commence on the Ist July, 1870, and the examination for the same to be held in accordance with the regulations to be framed by the agricultural committee and sanctioned by the Board. “ Clause 6. Also that the Board be further recommended to establish three temporary scholarships to be held for one year, and three temporary to bo held for two years, such scholarships to be of the same value, and subject to the same conditions as the temporary scholarships.” I he Chairman explained that the last “ temporary ” was a clerical error for “permanent.” Dr Turnbull asked what w'ould be the value of the scholarships? The Chairman replied that they would bo worth A’so a year for board and residence, and would include entire exemption from' fees, which would bring the amount to tfif). Dr Turnbull entirely objected to tl.is discussion proceeding, as the circular which the members hud received did not mention anything about permanent scholarships. lie moved that the discussion bo postponed sine die. The Rev. 0. Fraser seconded the motion, as it could not bo ascertained which were permanent aud which temporary scholarships, Ho

would support the adoption of this committee’s report if it were understood that the measure was a purely tentative one for three years. Dr Turnbull altered his motion by substituting the words “next meeting” for “ sine die.” Mr Tosswill hoped that the matter would not be adjourned, as ho had obtained the opinion of many fellow-farmers, whom he found to take the greatest interest in these scholarships. Mr Tosswill was proceeding to speak, when a point of order was raised, and the chairman ruled that the discussion so far had boon irregular. Dr Turnbull’s motion was not put. Mr Tosswill then moved the adoption of clause 3, and spoke at some length, explaining the object of the whole scheme. He argued that the effect of establishing these scholarships would be to attract to the Agricultural School of Canterbury the clever lads, not only of the district, but of the whole of New Zealand. The clever lads were generally sent to the professions or to mercantile pursuits, and only the dull ones sent to farming. The introduction into the agricultural school of such as could gain the scholarships would give a tone to the establishment and promote emulation, which could not but be productive of the greatest service to the future of agriculture, There were already abundant indications to prove that farming us hitherto carried on would soon cease to be remunerative. Owing to the rapid rise in the value of land, its cultivation must be conducted on the soundest scientific principles, which could only be inculcated in a well regulated school such as the Agricultural College was, ho trusted, to prove. The future of the agriculture of the colony must depend upon lads of ability being given all the advantages of modern scientific education. The matter was one of the gravest importance, and ho hoped most earnestly that the Board would give it favorable consideration. Mr Stevens would second the motion. Ho could not believe that anyone who really thought the matter out could raise any objection. Dr. Turnbull opposed the clause, 'The whole principle was in favor of the rich. The scholarships were said to be worth £6O a year. This would be a favor to the parents but not to the boys. He considered that £ls a year given to a boy to enable him to procure the means of improving himself would be much bettor. Ho was opposed to the forcing system of scholarships, and knew instances in Christchurch where its results had proved disastrous. The dull boys should be attended to more than the clever ones. The “ slow and sure ” boys frequently proved the most successful men. Let the Board give a £lO microscope or £2O worth of books as prizes to be competed for. He had seen a parent place forty sovereigns, the amount of a scholarship, before his boy and allow him to play with them. It was most quixotic to publish far and wide that the Board had such scholarships, and to make them open to the whole colony. This would still more alienate the colony from Canterbury. The Chairman considered that politics should not bo alluded to.

The Hon. J. Hull thought Hr. Turnbull waa speaking to the question. Dr. Turnbull waa entirely opposed to tbe agricultural scholarships, at least until the school was in thorough working o der. The Hon. J. Hall thought it questionable whether or not the proposed action was premature. He believed that it was. As to making the scholarships open for the whole colony, the trust had been intended undoubtedly for Canterbury alone, one school for North and he thought another for South Canterbury. They should see whether their means were sufficient to carry out the larger intention. They 'could not say what the cost would be, hut experience led to the belief that it would be larger than anyone connected with the College anticipated. He was not hostile to tbe scheme itself, but considered it premature to discuss it at present. He should like to see the question postponed for some time. Mr Potts thought they should get their building and their scholars before deciding upon scholarships. Mr Tailored, although a member of the committee which drew up the report, did not go altogether with the whole of it. His objection was principally to the fourth clause. So far from thinking with Dr, Turnbull that the scheme would favour the rich, he thought it exclusively favoured the poor. The resolution he considered incomplete, as they did not say whether the attainments necessary for gaining the scholarships were agricultural or intellectual: A more detailed explanation as to what the competition was to consist of, should be given. The number of scholarships, too, he considered to be too great—one would be enough. There would be room for only twenty students in the school, and the proposal was to subsidise from the Board’s funds no fewer than half ot them. Mr Bowen thought there were many good objections, though he was not prepared to oppose the scheme altogether. He could not see his way to vote for nine scholarships to begin with. He was afraid that there was too great a desire to make education a race for scholarships. Germany was most successful in education, and ridiculed the English for holding a bunch of carrots before the noses of children in the shape of scholarships. If the Board had plenty of money let them make the fees as low as possible.

Mr Wtbb agreed that the number of scholarships was too great, and was in favour of postponing the question. Mr Fereday also opposed the motion as premature. Mr Tosswill could see with regret that ho was in a minorily. The arguments used had not convinced him. Qne section of argument was against the principle, and another against the details. If he could carry the principle, he would be prepared to give way on details. He reminded Dr. Turnbull that these scholarships would be open only to boys of fourteen or sixteen years, and the competition would not inilict the injury on children the Doctor had referred to. The school, it must bo remembered was a national institution, and if the Board ignored this fact they yould be putting into the hands of their energies a weapon which might proye capable of indicting much injury. He did not agree with Mr Hall that it was decided by the Provincial Council that there should be a branch school in the south of Canterbury. As to the question of finance he was prepared to say that there would be quite sufficient funds. He could not agree with Mr Tancrcd that it was necessary to give the details of the examinations before establishing scholarships. He was not aware that this was ever done, Mr Bowen’s argument that the fees should be reduced was rather conflicting with that which objected to the farmers’ sons getting education free. The great point he (Mr Tosswill) had in view was to get clever able boys in the school, who would be a credit to it afterwards as farmers. The Chairman put it to Mr Tosswill whether it would not be better policy for him to withdraw the resolution than to risk its rejection. Mr Tosswill felt too strongly on the point to allow the resolution to be withdrawn. He wished it to be placed on record that ho had moved it.’ The Chairman explained that the resolution he was about to put was as to the making of nine scholarships. On a division there appeared for the resolution six, against it eight. The motion was declared to be lost, and consequently the following clauses were not discussed. GIELS’ HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS. The Board then wore proceeding to the consideration of clause f> of the College committee’s report of May 30lh, rc the Girls’ High School scholarships, but upon the motion of Mr Malet, seconded by Dr. Coward, the consideration was postponed till the next meeting of the Board. COLLEGE BUILDINGS, A;C. The Chairman said the next business for the Board was the consideration of tenders for the building of the east wing of the College and of tho'purchaso of the half-acre of ground in Cranmor square as a site for a Girls’ Hig'n School. With regard to the latter point, he considered that the present Girl’s High School building could bo used as a School of Art, and the proposed site would bo preferable on account of its extra size, Though he and Mr

Hall had bought this land for this purpose, the Board were not to consider themselves bound to purchase it. In connection with his suggestion for making the present Girls’ High School a School of Art, ho quoted from Mr D. C. Hutton’s report to (lie secretary of the Otago Education Board on the Dunedin School of Art:—“ The total number that received instruction in that school during the year 1877 was 3351. This total included 3120 pupils of public schools, 42 teachers and pupil teachers, and 192 other students. There are classes in the afternoon for ladies, and in the evenings for artisans and others engaged during the day. An analysis of the occupations of the last mentioned gave the following result : —26 carpenters, 1 bricklayer, 7 joiners, 20 mechanical engineers, 2 brass founders, 9 civil engineers, 4 surveyors, 3 boiler makers, 1 iron turner, 3 pattern makers, 2 architects, 7 clerks, 9 painters, 2 gardeners, 2 reporters, 3 wood carvers, 2 coachmakers, 6 drapers, 2 teachers, 3 goldsmiths, 4 photographers, 3 blacksmiths, 2 plasterers, 3 storekeepers, 1 merchant, 1 banker, 1 stonemason, 2 plumbers, 2 watchmakers, 2 ironmongers, 13 students. The Board went into committee to consider the report of the museum committee, the library committee, the estates committee, and the school of agriculture committee. On resuming, the chairman brought up the reports, which were adopted. The items of public interest in these were the acceptance of Mr William Grigg’s tender for the east wing, on the recommendation of the architect, £4078 ; the purchase of the half-acre in Cranmor square for £IBOO ; and the purchase of forty acres, part of rural section 2159, from Mr Wright, of Lincoln. girls’ high school. The following report, by the InspectorGeneral of Schools, upon his recent inspection of the Girls’ High School, which had been forwarded to the chairman by the Minister of Education, was read : Education Department (Inspector-General’s Office), Wellington, June 14th, 1878, To the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sir, —1 have the honor to inf na you that I have paid a visit of inspection to the Girls’ High School at Christchurch, and to present the following report:— I did not propose to myself the task of examining the school, partly because being so lately established it is not prepared for any severe enquiry as to the attainments of the pupils, and partly because I think that a full examination of a secondary school should be conducted by two or three examiners rather than by one acting alone. What I endeavored to do was to ascertain by observation and by questions whether the arrangements of the school, the methods of instruction and the quality of the teaching, are of such a character as to afford reasonable hope of successful results. I spent the greater part of three days (the 4th, sth, and 6th inst.) in the school, interfering as little as possible with the conduct of the classes, and taking note of the work done and of the manner in which it was done. I have no doubt that the presence of a stranger is slightly disconcerting to the ladies engaged in tuition, but I am sure that the Lady Principal and all the teachers did all that they could do to give me an opportunity of seeing the school in its ordinary condition and o'-enpied with its ordinary work. I am much indebted to the Lady Principal for the frankness and fulness of her replies to the many questions I found it necessary to ask, and for the readiness with which she seceded to my proposal that I should meet all the teachers together for an hour’s conversation. In the course of this conversation, while improving my acquaintance with the general principles on which the school is conducted, and finding opportunity to make some suggestions and to offer advice, I also received abundant proof of the cordiality of the relations of the various members of the staff with the Lady Principal and with each other, a point which I Lad previously noted for enquiry, and on which I am disposed to lay great stress. The school was opened in September of last year, and during the first term laboured under great disadvantages. The building being unfinished, the school was provided with temporary accommodation in the class rooms of Canterbury College, which were in manyrespects unsuitable, some of the teachers who had received appointments, were not able to enter upon their duties till late in t*-e term, and the appointments wore not all filled up Assuming that the Board of Governors will cause an annual examination to be held, I should advise that the first examination be deferred till the end of the current year, 1878, in consideration of the unfavorable conditions of the first terra. Even at the end of the year it will be right to bear in mind that the school is of very recent institution, that the proper work of a High School is new to most of the pupils, and that therefore the attainments of all but a very few of them will be far below the standard which an examiner not fully acquainted with the circumstances of the case would expect them to reach. The lowest class is at present receiving instruction of a merely prepavatury kind, which however is not out of proportion to tin* work done in the higher classes. If care bo taken not to admit for one or two years any pupils who cannot at once take their place side by side with those who constitute the lowest class for the time being, that class will. I think, by that time he a satisfactory one, and stand well related to the highest class, which will then have arrived at its normal condition.

The time-table seems to bo carefully and judiciously arranged, and all the movements and changes of classes are made in strict accordance with it, with commendable punctuality, ami without confusion. Though there is very little school drill, there is a sufficiently good mutual understanding a- tr necessary movements. Perhaps as the number of pupils increases it will be found advisable to establish some conventions of a more definite or at least of a more noticeable character, than any which presented themselves t»my observation. A great difficulty in connection with the distribution of the school time arises from the withdrawing of the individual pupils from the classes in constant sncces-ion throughout the day for lessons in instrumental music. In the same way, though in a less degree, the drawing class interferes with the general work of the school. Every effort appears to be made to reduce this evil to a minimum, hut it must seriously affect the progress of the classes, and some allowance ought to be made for it in judging of the efficiency of the teachers. The time table reveals a defect in fhe organisation of the school, to which I think it right to call attention There are five chsses always at work, and there arc only five teachers, including the lady principal. As a consequcnc -, the lady principal is never at liberty to supervise the work of the subordinate teachers. Time for such supervision might perhaps be secured by occasionally throwing two classes into one, and thus liberating one teacher; but as this expedient has been already adopted for certain hours to give two or three of the more advanced pupils the advantage of special instruction, instruction in Latin, mathematics, and French, it may not be found practicable to extend its operation. The employment of an additional teacher would supply the deficiency in the moat satisfactory way. Failing that an arrangement might be made to have French taught by a native of France, an arrangement which, considering how rarely correct pronunciation is acquired by English teachers of French language, has much to recommend it. With the exception that the Lady Principal has not sufficient opportunity to observe and guide the work of the other teachers, the staff at present engaged is adequate to the number of pupils, and a larger number could be very well taught without increasing the number of the classes. There are at present ninety-nine names on the roll, and the average attendance for the four weeks of the term has been eighty four, a low average, as the result of much wet weather. I ma le enquiry as to the principle of classification, and learned that afaor the Christmas recess an examination, extending over two weeks, was held, and that the pupils were therefore divided into classes according to their attainments in the ordinary branches of an English education, a separate classification being adopted for arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, in winch subjects great differences were observed between pupils who were nearly on a level as to English. The tone of the school as to‘ manners, cheerfulness, obedience, and honour is, so far as I could ascertain, satisfactory ; except that I saw instances of copying during ananthmet c lesson. I am afraid that it is useless to trust to a sense of honor on that point. On another point very high ground is tiken, which I fear will prove to be a mistake. I refer to the absence of any system of marks to indicate diligence, accuracy, and progress. The Lady Principal holds that the pupi’s can be trained to do the r duty and their work for the sake of work and duty. It seems to rue that young persona require some standard by which they may measure their uwn diligence and success, and that much good is likely to result from a weekly publication in the school, of a list showing for each class the order of merit for the week as ascertained by marks. The distribution of the work as between the different teachers is, I think, judicionslyordered. The relation of each teacher to some one class is closer than the relation to other classes, but not

to confine her to one class. A teacher who has special qualifications for imparting instruction in a given subject removes from c.ats to ela.-s day after day to teach that subject. I am satisfied that though tie present standard of attainment is low, this is to he a -counted for by the necessity of laying a good foundation where it has not before been laid, and that the present staff is quite comp etent to do much higher work v.hou the pupils are ready for it. I notice that Engl sh grammar is taught with constant reference to its logical basis. The arithmetic is being very thoroughly and intelligently done. Even in the junior Latin class the translati -n and composition arc both done viva voce. This, of course, requires a more ready command of vocabu.ary and grammar than is necessary for the production of written exercises, and Ims the advantage of bringing •fight, hearing and speech to bear all at once upon the task. 1 listened with very great satisfaction to an admira le lesson in Algebra, far above the ordinary style of school work. Reading is carefully taught throughout the school, but I am not quite sura that the necessity of careful preparation on the part of a teacher for a reading lesson in a junior class is sufficiently recognised. Very great care appears to be taken in the correction of exercises. The school premises are very commodious, well warmed, and well ventilated. The upper sashes of all the windows ought to be made to open. The curtain that separates the two class-rooms on the ground floor should bo replaced by a wooden partition. At present the confusion of sound is such as to render it almost impossible to teach two classes with only the curtain between them, and one class is frequently removed to the entrance hall for the sake of quietness. I noticed that on one day the temperature of the rooms wits a little too high, and on another day not quite high enough, but I attribute the irregularity to de fcctive management of the hot water apparatus, and not to faulty construction. In all other respects the building is everything that could be desired, except that in any future extension it would be well to arrange for rooms ' for pianoforte practice at a greater distance from the class-rooms. A room in the custodian’s house suffices for the present as a place of retirement for luncheon, whence the pupils return at their pleasure to a class-room appropriated to their use during the mid-day recess, one of the teacher- being also in the building, lam not quite satisfied with the amount of supervision thus secured, but I was assured that it was found to be sufficient. I noticed that the supply of wall maps was very scant, but I am told that this is owing to delay in the execution of an order, I have, &c , W. J. Habens, Inspector-General. With reference to the necessity for a wooden partition, alluded to in the report, (he Chairman stated that the work was being attended to at the time of the InspectorGeneral’s visit. The Chairman announced that at the annual meeting, which would be held on Wednesday next, he would lay before the governors a statement of all the work which had been done in the various departments of the College during the past year, and an estimate of expenditure and ways and means for the ensuing year. The Board then rose.