CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1923, Page 4

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

'Hie monthly meeting of the Canterbury education Board was held on Wednesday at Christchurch. Present —Messrs H. J. Bignell (chairman), W. I'. Spencer, T. Hughes, It. Wild, A. l'cverili. (’. S. Thompson, E. H. Andrews, J. C. Cow, W. H. Winsor, It. Aioutage, .J. Maze and W. A. Banks. Mr R. B. o«en. for the Music in Schools Association, wrote offering to give a practical demonstration of the value of the gramophone in school work, with the view of obtaining tlx? support of the Board in securing a Government subsidy on moneys raised for the purchase of gramophones. The offer was accepted. RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY. Very high compliments were paid to Mr 11. C. Lane, secretary of the Board, when his resignation was received. Every member of the Board spoke in the highest tonus of Mr Lane's woik during the tliirty-one years he had been in the Board’s services, TIIE NEW .SECRETARY. It was deckled, in consequence of the resignation of Mr H. ('. Lane, as secretary, to appoint .Mr 0. R. Kirk, v, 11u is now lil’ing the position ot assistant secretary to the higher post. .Mr Kirk lias had thirty years' service as an educational ultii. r, having been appointed as a clerk to the late Westland Education Board in December. IS’JfL Ou the amalgamation of districts in 1910. Mr Kirk was transferred to the office in Christchurch, where lie has .since occupied the positions of chief eld k. act ouniant and assistant secrete rv. A ITOIXTMiiXTS COMMITTEE. Appointments made included:—Cobden, Mr A. •!. Shaw (assistant master) ; Kgahere. Miss AL E. Wilson (assistant mistress). Resignations received and accepted included--Stafford. .Mrs M. M. Thomson, sole teacher; Haast, Miss 1. X. Cron, sole teacher; Taylorvillc, Miss C. Boiirke, assistant teacher. It was decided to express the Board’s appreciation for the services rendered by M s Thomson. VISITING THE SCHOOLS.

Mr T. Hughes reported on a lour of investigation into the needs of At st bools on the West Coast.

Air Thompson said that members of the Board should go round to various schools and find out what was needed at each one. He moved that the Board should recommend Board members to go round to each school and see what was needed.

Mr Banks said the idea, was much better in theory than in practice, lie referred to a lour by members of the .Appointments Committee from Springfield to Christchurch and said that they could not possibly grant all the requests they leceivod, n.s the finances would not he sufficient.

Mr Thompson explained Unit his idea was. Hint tin- School Committee should see that the Board mouthers wore takin' an interest in the affairs of the selu nls. ami would thus pain further (onluhtee in the Board. Mr Armitnge moved an nnnonlniont that special committees he set up to visit different districts. Mr Andrews seconded the amendment which was carried. m i.sct; i.i.Ax Kors. A letter was received from the North Canterbury Hospital Board, asking that a teacher might lie appointed to instruvt, about thirty children in the fresh air home, Cashmere Hills, the establishment of the class was agreed 10, subject to the Department’s approval. (since received). The Department wrote, proposing to <•:.tend the system of instruction by correspondence to cases where then are up to eight children concerned.— ]]•■- ailed and i OUlvUls notedA circular wiu, ■■•-u.-ived Iron: tint I Itepartrue ut, uitimaimg, among other tiaiisfcrs of senior inspectors lot three I luoiul 1 :.-. that of Mr W. .BrOclr, from | Canterbury to Wellington. The Department wrote, authorising idle Board to aicept a certificate from a local medicnl practitioner in cases where uncertilicated ieaelier.s would have to travel a long distance to the school medical officer. The Department wrote, intimating that, as sis days’ consecutive whole-day 1 smiles were now rcrpiirod of Territorials. haivc of absence for a week on full pay would now he granted to ibe young male teachers concerned. A letter was received from the Depaitmenl approving of the Board’s pioposaK regarding vacations, provided the number of half-days on which primary i-.huols are open is not less than 100. Mr Andrews reported having dealt with a number of applications for variation in the holidays proposed by the Board, all of which had been approved, except where the committees to lengthen the summer holidays by a week, provided a similar period is taken off the May holidays. With legat'd to the consolidation of schools. Mr Andrews moved and Air Hughes seconded, thnt the -Appoint-

merits Committee consider the whole iiuestii,n of consolidation and conveyance of children, with a view to repotliue to A tie KdiioaLicn Department. I lie motion was carried. T.‘ie resignation of .Miss Alice C'ederman as dress-making in.struclress av Hokitika was received and accepted, and appreciation of services recorded. Idle Principal of the .Normal School reported that '-22 applications for admission to the training college had been received, and unless temporary accommodation could he found only lot) could he taken. It was resolved to appoint a committee of .Messrs Andrewes, Banks, (tow, I’everill and Wild to report, and a resolution by Air Wild that the Principal he requested to limit the admission to the accommodation now provided lapsed for want of support'.

In response to on application i'o; the consolidation of Aliaura, Slate; Creek and Moonlight Seliools ii was resolved that this could only he consulL . ered on the request ol' a substantial t majority of the l residents. A report was received from the 1 Board's solicitor that legal proi.‘ erodings had heen taken against a female 1 parent for disturbing a school 1 (in Canterbury), and she was lined ids and costs £5 10s. BriLDIXGfy COMMITTKE. Bine Spur.—The Department having agreed to the condemnation of the , teacher’s cottage, il was resolved to invite tenders for ttip purchase of the Building for removal. (ioldshorongli.—An application from the Committee for repair and flooring of, shelter shed was referred to the Foreman with power to act. flreymonli.—Air .Maze reported that on the occasion of the visit of members to the AVest Coast the sum of £lO had been granted to the Committee for repairs to fence. Hokitika.—An application for small repairs at the teacher's residence was referred to the Foreman for attention. Jack's Alii!.—A report from the Health Officer regarding water supply was referred to the Foreman for recommendation. Odra.—A report was presented by Afr Bignell regarding the proposed school site. It was resolved to accept a lease of the reserve set apart, the Architect to report and prepare .specifications for removal and remodelling of the present school building. Kuril.—An application for rebuilding of the school was referred to the Foreman for report.

Upper Koiterangi.—lt was resolved to state, in reply to the Department’s enquiry, that the £SO offered by the residents represented money raised lo-

caUv by the Callaghan’s people who

had not shifted to the Koiterangi district. Wallis Siding, Inchbonnie.—An application was made for a school at Wallis Siding, there being 11 children of school age. It was resolved to make application to the Department, provided the senior inspector's report should be favourable. GENERA L. Electric Light.—Letters were received from the Department pointing out that grants were made for installing lights sufficient for cleaning purposes only. It was resolved to suggest that the subsidy he more generous as schools were much used for raising, funds for school purposes and that electric light was safer than kerosene or other methods of illumination. FIRE PREVENTION. Circulars were received from the Department regarding protection ol school property. It was resolved that a circular he sent to Committees drawing attention to the points raised by by the Department and particularly to the necessity for removing any long grass growing in the vicinity of the buildings. New residences.—A circular was received from the Department to tne effect that it is impossible to make grants during the current financial year. Plans of Buildings.—A circular was received from the -Department* regarding employment of outside Architects to prepare plans for post priniarv buildings. It. was resolved that while the -proposal did not affect the Board very materially the Board considered that the Department’s policy was inadvisable, and would have, a detrimental effect on school architecture. Architects’ Conference.* —A letter was received from the Wellington Board covering copies ol Architects report and asking what action this Board is taking regarding recommendations made. It was resolved that members of the Board ho supplied with the report and copies of the Department’s proposals.