EDUCATION BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1933, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD

THE .MONTHLY MEETING

CHRISTCHURCH, April 22

The Canterbury Education Board met yesterday, Mr H. J. Bigncll pl;e siding. Also present were: Messrs W. A. Banks, R. Wild, J. W. Preen, C. S. Thompson, G. Bcnstead, S. REvison, S. Baird, J. J. Hurley, S - Smith, W. P. Spencer and G. Armitage.

A deputation from the Teachers’ Institute, consisting of Messrs AY. C* Colee and AY. A. Rumbold (vice-presi-dents), and J. Bowden, waited on the hoard to place before it the institute s views concerning the new intermediate schools.

Members of the board asked a mini her of questions and the deputaation withdrew.

On the motion of Mr Thompson it : was decided that the board should ; obtain full figures and other information about the effect of the intermedi- : ate system at Shirley, where such j a school was to he established, and j at West Christchurch, as well a. s at | the contributing schools (Addington, ’ St. Albans, and Richmond), this in' ; formation to be placed before the j Minister for Education (the Hon. R. ! Masters, M.L.C.) when lie visited Christchurch in May. It was also de' | elded that if the Minister could not attend the regular May meting of the hoard, a special meeting should 1 be called to place tli e information before the Minister.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

The following matters were included in the report of the buildings committee: —Lobum, grant of £2 IDs for drain; Kokatahi, insepotor to report {l n request for increased accommodation ; Grey mouth, decision not to give grant for paintng dental clinicinterior reiterated; Ivakapotahi, woik of removal to Fergusons proceeding. The report of the agricultural, manual, and telicnical committee referred to a demonstration of the value of phosphatic manures as carried out in the school plots at M-ethven. Grati- ■ fixation was expressed at the go°d ! measure of support which non-acad oinie ocurses were receiving at district high schools. It was decided to convey to the com inittees and teachers of the Koiterangi and Moonlight schools the hoard’s ap“ ! preciation of the work done in the school gardens.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS.

It was resolved to support the suggestion of other boards that appointees in genera] take up their new pos'" tions at the beginning of terms. The chairman moved: —“That, on the eve of his retirement from the of' of Director of Education, the board extend to Mr T. B. Strong its hearty congratulations on the splendid record he has achieved as teacher, inspector, and . administrator, during the past 40 years; its appreciation cf the courtesy and consideration always shown by the director in his relations with the board, both officially and unofficially: and its hope that, in his retirement, Mr Strong may enjoy many years of health prosperity and happiness.” The motion was carried unanimously, all the members of the board speaking eulogistically of the way in which Mr Strong had filled the position of director.

■MARRIED WOMEN TEACHERS-.

Mr Banks moved to rescind the previous decision, which was that, except to the .extent provided by the Education Act, it should decline to appoint married women teachers. -Mr Banks and the other members in favour of his motion maintained that the board should retain its power of discretionary action, as cases of distress might arise where the board as a whole might favour the appointment of a married woman teacher.

Mr C. S. Thompson, in seconding the motion, said he thought the pendulum had swung too far, and that the board’s (resolution was unnecessarily harsh. The board might have to deal with a case in which it would be a distinct} hardship and a wrong not to employ a married woman teacher. Strict conditions under which the discretionary power should be exercised might bo drawn up, but it should be left open for the board to exercise that power. “Nothing said to-day has altered my previous attitude,” said Mr R. Wild. “It seems to me that a teachers’ work calls for the whole interest of a man or woman. A married woman must naturally make her school work, subservent to her home. That is the chief reason for my opposition. The board is not a charitable institution. As for what Ims boon said about the power to reconsider an appointment, it has to he remembered that though we can refuse to appoint a, married woman, once an appointment, is made a teacher has the right of appeal against dismissal.”

Mr S. R. Fvison said the main point was that the securing of the best interests of the pupils was the main consideration. He agreed with what Mr Wild said about the division of loyalty in a policies existed to relieve cases of distress, ns when the husband was out of work. “I have .always thought that as soon nr- a woman teacher marries she should retire and make way for young teachers,” vSaid Air W. P. Spencer. Mr Preen agreed with Mr Spencer. Ho believed the board should retain its discretionary power. It would bo