CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1929, Page 7

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. CHRISTCHURCH, December 21. The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Education Board was held yesterday, when Mr R. Wild presided. Also present were:—Messrs W. A. Banks, •) W. Preen, 0. W. Armitage, C. S. Thompson, J. G. Gow, E. IL. Andrews, W. H. Winsor, W. Johnson, AV. P. Spencer, H. J. Bignoll, and T. Hughes. APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE. A petition was received lor consolidation of the Arahura road School with Hokitika. It was resolved that in view of the fair amount of opposition in the district, the proposal be not proceeded with. Appointments confirmed included the following:— Blackball: Mr A. if. Laing, headmaster. Geraldine: Mi - H. C. Williamson, assistant master. Goldsborough: Mr G. T. Wilson, sole teacher. Gore Bay: Mr F. W. Cutler, sole teacher.

Hokitika: Mr I). W. Anderson, second assistant. Hokitika: Miss E. 1. Hale, assistant mistress. Wainihinihi: Mr H. S. (lore, sole teacher. The resignations accepted included— Runangn, Mrs F. M. Ellery. UNSUITA BLE BUII-Hi NGS. • The necessity of schools being built so tliai tlie children did not have to face the windows was stressed in a discussion which took place. The matte <■ arose when proposed alterations to the Alt. Pleasant School were under discussion.

Mr C. S. Thompson said that one of. the biggest nuisances at this particular school was tin 1 reflection of light from the waters of the estuary. This interferred with the children’s work frequently and made conditions very unpleasant for the teachers. Mr Yt r . H. Winsor supported what Mr Thompson had said. He added that the Board should never have children looking into a window at any rate. In some types of open-air schools known to sll the members there were windows on all sides. That was very wrong. The children should ho able to face a blank wall, and in building schools this fact should never be lost sight of.

Mr R. Wild : This is certainly a very serious matter, and one which needs .instant attention. What steps have been taken to remedy the fault? Mr Thompson : A recommendation lias been sent to the Department to have the building altered. It is expected that this will be done. Ml Nil STEP'S VISIT. “1 consider that the Minister for Education deserves every credit for bringing round a body of men who are directly responsible for the educational legislation,” stated Mr R. Wild, chairman, referring to the Parliamentary Select Committee of Education which visited Christchurch on its recent tour. The chairman added that the Minister for Education was to he thanked for his work in connection with the recent Commission. It was a benefit to education when the men responsible for the country’s legislation endeavoured to obtain a knowledge of existing conditions, whether that knowledge was superficial or not. The Commission had, at any rate, collected over 1000 typewritten sheets of evidence and had worked early and late to collect its facts. Air C. S- Thompson praised the energetic work of Air Atmorc as head of the Commission. He had listened sympathetically to s all requests and showed that he had a thorough grip of educational matters. He had quickly seen the reasonableness of requests, and in several instances representations had borne fruits already. It had been reported that “Mr Atmoro was running the Commission.” He thought that the Board should contradict that. AfV W. H. Winsor said that the committee had done a great deal of work but of course, as usual, the Board “would have to wait.” It did not seem for instance, that much progress had been made in regard to the Junior High Schools’ proposition, but the chairman of the Board was to he congratulated on the manner in which he had put Canterbury’s propositions before the committee.