EDUCATION BOARD

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2255, 20 May 1881, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD

The ordinary meeting of the Educat, on Board for the district of North Canterbury was held yesterday afternoon. Ft , Inglis (chairman), the Bev. Charles Fra ß er, Messrs Tanored, Cunningham, Peryman, Booth, Webb and Montgomery. The statement of business dona by the chairman since last meeting was read and approved. Tho Chairman also repor.ed that it was agreed to giro Professor Cook £3O for scholarship examination, as in former years. The Chairman said ho had been requested to apologise for tho absence of Mr 0. C. A circular from the Government was read to the effect that in future no capitation would bo allowed for ohildren attending Government schools under Ave years of age. The seal of the Board was attaohed_ to soveral contracts entered into at last meeting. Bydenhstn school, for pointing, left to tho chairman to decido. Lincoln road school (painting), Mr Jones, £47 10s. The Chairman intimated that the tender or Mr Lloyd for the Bupply of fuel to the Normal School had boen accepted on the following terms: —37 a per ton for coal and 40a per ton for wood. Tho purchase of a oi!e for the erection of a school at Wukanui was agreed upon. With regard to an nppliciition from the •Green Park school committee re a site which the committee desired to acquire, the Board (by whom the matter had been previously considered), decided to grant £3O towards tho purchase money. An application from the same source, tor permission to erect a second chimney ia the master's house, was declined. Some disciwion of a conversational character took place in reference to the appointment of a master to Bast Chriotchurch School. It appeared that out of several applicants tho school committoe had selected Mr Wright, who was in Melbourne, but possessed no certificate.

On the motion of Mr Montgomery, it was resolved thot tho Biard could not agreo to the appointment of Mr Wright, he having no certificate from the Board, and other fully qualified men having applied for the situation. Tho Board then proceeded to consider the question of the examining of pupil teachers, &.C., postponed from last meeting. Mr Cunningham resumed the debate, and remarked on the faot that in some of the leading schools the pupil teachers failed to pats. Eur various reasons he did not think this was attributable to want of capacity in the pupil teachers, but rather to neglect of proper instruction. He would not, however, move in tho matter at present. The Be*. O. Eraser then moved in accordance with notice—" That for the future payments to teachers for the instruction of pupil teachers shall be partially by rosults; that one-half of the present Bum shall be paid quarterly, and the payment of the other half shall be cntingent upon the pupil toaohers passing the annual examination satisfactorily." Mr Peryman moved as an amendment—"'That circulars be sent to tho masters of the schools in the North Canterbury education district, drawing their attention to the large per-centage of pupil teachers who failed to pass their examination last year, and requesting greater diligence in teaching them and more caution in selecting or reoommending scholars for pupil teachers in the future." Seconded by Mr Webb. In moving tho above amendment Mr Peryman remarked that it had come to his knowledge that the motion given notice of by Mr ITraßer was considered objectionable by a large number of teachers.

After some discussion the question was put to tho Beard, with the result that Mr Peryman's amendment was lost, and the Rev. Mr Frasor's motion was carried.

Tho Bev. Ches. Eraser then gavo notice of motion as follows :—"That tho inspectors bo instructed, in the examination of schools, to examine specially, and report on the condition and promise of pupil teachers, and tho amount of instruction given them in general education and matters of teaching." A petition from residents of the Kaikoura was deferred for enquiry. The remainder of the business was done in committee.