BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1563, 21 February 1879, Page 4

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Thursday, February 20. The ordinary meeting of the Board of Educatiou for North Canterbury was held at three o’clock, at the Normal School. Present— Messrs John Inglis (chairman), W• Montgomery, B. J. 0. Stevens, Webb, Saunders, H. J. fancred, A. Duncan, and the Rev C. Fraser. chairman’s action. The action taken by the chairman since the last meeting was approved THE EAST CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL. A deputation, consisting of the Rev. H. C. M, Watson, chairman of the East Christchurch school committee, and Mr Farr, one of tbe members of the same committee, waited on the Board in reference to the master’s house, also to ask that the debt of £ '3. for incidentals, might bo wiped off, and likewise that the Board would grant a sum of money for prizes. The Rev. Mr Watson acted as spokesman, and explained the object of the deputation. He said they had been requested to interview the Board on three points. First, with regard to a house for the head-master. The Chairman said they could do nothing till the Assembly met, as their funds were all forestalled. . The Rev. Mr Watson asked if the plans could be prepared in the meantime. The Chairman said they had no objection to that. They would receive the advice of the committee with regard to the size of the house, &c. The Rev. Mr Watson said the second object of the deputation was to ask for the extinction of the debt of .£93, which was a legacy from their predecessors. The Chairman said tho Board had not power to grant the request. Mr Farr said this would leave the Board without funds. The Chairman said the debt must have been incurred since June last. The Board would like to meet the difficulty if they could, but aa present they had no funds wherewith to do so. Mr Watson said the third point was about the allowance for prizes. The Chairman said that the Board made no special allowance for the purpose. The deputation thanked the Board and with* drew.

THE KAIAPOI BOROUGH SCHOOL. A deputation, consisting of Alessrs Kevell and Coup, two members of the Kaiapoi school com* mittee, next waited on the Board in reference to the school at that place Mr Revell said the Board appeared to have misunderstood the resolution sent down by the committee, which was intended to reduce the head master’s salary .£IOO a year, and to add ,£75 to the assistant master’s. With regard to the certificates for attendance, the committee thought the Board should issue certificates worth looking at. The committee had no incidentals, and consequently could not pay for the certificates out of them. The Chairman said the Board was much in the same position—they had no money. Mr Revell said the committee had no funds even to pay for postage stamps. At tho present time they were in debt to their curator, and the clergyman and others, which was not respectable, to say the least of it. They would also wish the Board to advance them a portion of the money due next month. The Chairman said the Board might help them in this way. Mr Revell said another matter was that of the pupil teacher and the half time teacher. Several other matters in connection with the school were brought before the notice of the Board, including the question of models for teaching drawing. _ The Chairman said this was a matter which the Board had under consideration. Mr Revell asked in the event of the committee resigning whether a new committee would be elected, or whether a commissioner would hs appointed. The Chairman said this was a _ matter the Board would take into consideration when tho committee resigned. Mr Revell said tho school committee was opposed to mixed schools. He was so himself, and so were most of tho people in Kaiapoi. There were none in Caristchurch, There was one, it was true, at Lyttelton. Was there any member of that Board wh i would send his daughters to a mixed school '1 Mr Webb said from his knowledge of such schools he had found them answer very well. Mr Revell repeated that the people of Kaiapoi were opposed to them, and he considered it would be tyranny to compel men to send their daughters to a mixed school, as they would have to do, the compulsory clause having b en brought into operation in Kaiapoi. That system of education was forced upon them in a great me isure, and they claimed that they had as good a right to have a good school as the people of Christchurch. The Chairman said that, in deference to the wishes of the committee, the Board had decided that the school need not be a mixed school. They could continue as they were if they chose to do so, and if they could succeed in making the necessary arrangements. Mr Revell said if they had a second master at a low salary, he would simply use their school as a stepping stone to something better. At one time the Board had allowed an expenditure of a thousand and twenty pounds when the school was not so large as at present. The Chairman said that was one of the compl vints—that the school was the dearest in the place. Mr Revell understood that last year there was .£902 set apart for the school, including salaries, rent, certificates, and all those sort of things. Wiih regard to reducing tho_ head-master's salary, different people had their own ideas on the subject. It seemed strange only to have a master and mistress and pupil teachers in the school. They could not expect to get anything better than a pupil-teacher for >£loo a year. They had got along very well up to the present time, for they had had two young ladies in tho school for the last two years who had passed their examination for certificates, and who were, therefore, a valuable means of education, ihey had now, however, left, and being at the bottom of the ladder they (the school committee) had great difficulties to contend with.

The Chairman observed that, in some cases it was utterly impossible to get teachers, so that in this respect the Kaiapoi people did not stand alone. Mr Revell said that, under the circumstances, it was useless to expect to get teachers. They could not expect such a class of people to work for less than laborers’ wages. The Chairman said they were paying the Kaiapoi school more than if the school had been a mixed one.

Mr Eevell did not see that with regard to mixed schools; if the Boara would show them how they would be benefited by them they would be glad to hear. They did not see it at present. The Chairman aa ; d it would be impossible to carry on the controversy at that Board. Mr KeveH proceeded to tay that, with regard to the singing, a lady might be able to sing and yet not able to teach. The Chairman replied with regard to that, that the Board did not make the regulation, an i the only thing they could do was to let it work as well as possible. No doubt there were numbers of teachers who could sing but who could not teach singing, although the regulations required them to do so. The question of scientific teaching was then brought up as well as the question of incidental expenses. Mr Hevell said that, according to the 47th clause of the act, the Board would find that they had to pay these. The Chairman said that all charges, of whatever description from July last, must be paid out of the incidental fund. After some further discussion, Mr Webb would inform Mr Eevell that even in mixed schools the girls and boys sat separately, although they were together in classes. Mr Eevill taid that if the master had to look after the boys and girls he must be able to see them at the same time. Mr Webb reminded Mr Eevell that the sexes at the Lyttelton school alwa>s sat sep>rate, except when in classes. He thought if Mr Eevell saw the working of that school he would alter his opinion on the subject of mixed schools. Mr Eevell remarked that his old world notions were strong upon him. The Eev. C. Fraser would also recommend Mr Revell to go and see the working of the Lyttelton school. Mr Eevell did not think that anything he conld see or hear would alter his opinion or remove his objection. All the committee wanted was to pay about .£6O more than they did at present. What the/wanted was an assistant master at somewhere between £2130 and £2150 a year. They oid not want a boy to take charge of the school; and instead of a fourth-rate pupil teacher they wanted a young woman to get £260 a year. His own opinion was that the fewer pupil teachers they had in their school the belter. He did not think it right that young people living in the district and brought up at the school should be pupil teachers in it. The Eev. C. Fraser would suggest that the sum of £230 should be taken from the salary of the bead master and placed upon that of the second master, and he would suggest that a memo, to this effect should be sent to the school committee to see what they would say to it. The Chairman said the matter referred to last by Mr Eevell had been already considered by the

Board. The Board, as it was only a matter of .£2O, would grant it. Mr Revell said the committee had not been able to ful up tbe vacancy at tho salary. Mr Stevens—Do I understand, Mr Chairman, that the Kaiapoi people need not have a mixed school unless they think proper to do so ? Tho Chairman—That is so. Mr Revell said there were two ways to compel them to have a mixed school—one was to starve them, and tho other to force them If it was loft to them they would not have such a school. But if the matter was left to the Board, the committee said it was their place to see that education was properly carried out. Mr Coup said there could be no doubt that if tho Kaiapoi school was a mixed one, a great many children would come to the Christchurch schools. Mr Revell was of opinion that there was something radically wrong in tho regulations allowing the children to be carted about the country in the wav they were. On his way down in the train that morning ho had noticed large numbers of children who came from Kaiapoi and Papaum. Ho had no hesitation in saying that children could not be properly educated under such circumstances. The Chairman—'That is not one of the regulations of the Board cither, but of the General Government. . , , Mr Revell —The Board might represent the matter to the Government, and it would very soon be stopped. _ , After some more observations bad been made on the subject, ~ ~ The Chairman said they would consulei tno subject and let the committee know tho result. The deputation then thanked the Board and withdrew. , . Mr Saunders moved — 11 That the Kaiapoi committee be informed that the _ Board are desirous to officer and regulate their schools as far as possible in accordance with their wishes and advice, but that their suggestion can only be complied with by their not exceeding the sum per head at present granted, and beyond which the Board will not be justified in voting the limited funds at th ir disposal.” Mr Tancred seconded tho motion. Mr Duncan moved the following amendment—- “ That tbe Kaiapoi school committee be requested to forward to the Board a schedule of the teaching staff and salaries they consider necessary for the proper working of their school, for the Beard’s consideration.” Seconded by Mr Stevens. On the motion of Mr Montgomery, seconded by Mr Dnncan, the matter was adjourned to a future meeting. CERTIFICATES. The seal of the Board was affixed to a number of certificates. PUPIL TEACHERS. A letter was received, asking tbe Board to give letters of recommendation to certain pupil teachers whom it was proposed to transfer to The Board decided to comply with the request. WAIAU. The appointment of the master at this school was accepted as a temporary one, the master in the meantime to qualify himself for a certificate, which he has hitherto failed to obtain. ASHBURTON. The inspector recommended the appointment of a second master and two pupil teachers at this school. This recommendation wis enclosed in a letter from the committee on the subject. The recommendation was complied with, and it was resolved to give the second master a salary of .£l3O. The committee also asked for certain repairs to be made to the school, new fencing, &c., which it was resolved to grant. IRWELL. Tenders were opened for a new school at Irwell. That of Mr Carter was accepted for .£Blolos. AMBERLEY. The tender of Thompson and Osborno was accepted for additions to this school for .£349 14s 9d. GLOUCESTER STREET SCHOOL. Mr Cane, the architect to the Board, reported on several repairs and improvements required at this school. The Board agreed to have the work done. HALSWELL. A pplication was made for certain repairs to be done at this school. it was resolved that Mr Cane should make a report on the subject. WAINUI, A letter was read from the committee of this school, in which they agreed to accept the re commendation of the Board that for the present the teachers should be employed in the building at present used as a private school. Tho decision of the committee was approved. SALE OF BOOKS. Mr Duncan drew the attention of the Board to the fact that the teachers of the East Christchurch school had requested the children to take money for now books. He thought that any change of books should not be made without the sanction of the school committee. _ The teachers had no right to make private capital out of the sale of books to the children. Letters had been written to the papers, and he therefore thought it was time the matter was brought under the notice of the Board. He would move—“ That the head-master must obtain the sanction of the school committee previous to the introduction of any new books.” Mr Stevens seconded the motion. He certainly was not aware that such a system prevailed. The Board then went into committee, and afterwards adjourned.