EDUCATION BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16485, 26 February 1914, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. The North Canterbury Education Board met yesterday; present—Mess: H. Boyd (chairman), C. li. Opie, G Rennio, J. Jamiesou, W. H. Collins W. A. Banks and D. H. Andrews. APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE. The Appointments Committee re ported that a temporary opening having presented itself Miss Gee, of th Sumner staff, had been withdraw: from the school and a relieving assist ant master had been engaged. Be garding pupil teachers appointed h was recommended that all matriculat ed candidates should be as of tin third year, with two years' service and that those who had passed th Junior Civil Service or Senior Fret Place examination should be as of the second year, with three years' service. A letter had been received from the Breeze's Road Committee asking that this school might b< opened to all standards. The chairman and Mr Opie had been requested to visit the school and report. A letter had been received from Mr S. P. Askin agreeing to the condition under which the Board war, willing tc resume payment of capitation toward/salary of teacher for aided school. _ It was agreed to approve of the appointment of Miss J. Adams as teacher. The headmaster of the Boys' High School had forwarded the record card of Box Gillon, whose scholarship it war, desired to extend for a third year and the committee had agreed tc grant the extension. A letter ha-'] been received from the director .of the Balclutha District High School, asking that A. H. Webster might be allowed to hold his Junior Scholarship at his school, as his father had teen called to the. neighbouring charge of Sterling. The request had been granted. The Board's Chief Inspector .reported at some length on the matters discussed at the conference of chief inspectors, special reference being made to the need of a dominion scheme of grading. It was stated that the Department would ask the Board for a graded list of its teachers, and if 'so desired the inspectors would be pleased to submit a scheme of grading, based upon the one agreed upon at the conference. After some discussion the committee had dcci iod that the matter should be posto jinvl for further consideration.

The Chief Inspector had drawn attention to the delay and other inconveniences arising from the present method of appointing pupil teachers and expressing the opinion that the appointments should be entirely in the hands of the Board, as in the case of probationers, under which transfers and substitutions could be more readily carried out. Such a change would bo in the interests of education and the better training of teachers, as the Board could readily make such' transfers as would give the best opportunities for professional training. He also suggested that the junior positions in th© service should be filled directly by the Board, a practice already prevailing in some education districts. The committee was in accord with the Inspector's recommendation so far as it concerned the appointment of pupilteachers,- and recommended the Board to give effect to the proposal. Regarding the., appointment to Sumner, Mr Andrews said that there had been some clifficultv in securing the transfer of Miss Gee. That was one reason why the committee had recom-. mended that theso appointments should bo entirely in the bands of the Board. There had been no breach of faith. The renort was adopted. BUILDINGS COMMITTEE.

In its report the Buildings Committee 'stated that advice had been received from the Department that a grant had been authorised for the erection of a school in the Beckenham'" locality. The plans and specifications for Linwood "North, were almost complete, and it had been decided to call for tenders for this addition at once, and that tenders should be called for the new school at Beckenham as soon as practicable. In view of the increased urgency of additional accommodation, it had "decided to at once'.'make;: J an:. application for a grant for additions at Redcliffs, in accordance with the plan previously approved. Arising out of the architect's report the _ following matters had been dealt with. The new tcliool at Akaroa would be ready for occupation at the beginning <, ai March, find the committee had decided to apply to.the Department for a grant to cover the additional cost incurred in having the school _ built in brick instead of wood. Regarding North New Brighton, the chairman had reported that in company with Mr Boyd he had visited North * New Brighton where the erection of a school would certainly be required in the future, and the Board was recommended to secure the site which the residents hoped to obtain from the Rawhiti Domain Board. A letter had been received from the Rev Mother St Basil, asking the Board to simply school appliances at cost price, as was stated to be the practice iu other Education districts. A reply had been sent stating that the Board did not stock appliances except hyloplating, some of which the Board would be glad to supply at cost price. The report was adopted. • THE HORORATA FIRE.

It was reported that arrangements had been made to open a school at Hororata, using n church buildirp; for the purpose. Equipment would be sent up, and school would assemble probably on Monday. Regard ins; the destruction of- the school 'building by. fire on February 13. the members who had inquired into the occurrence had come to the conclusion that tho building was deliberately set'on fire. On the motion of Mr C. H. Onie it was decided to accord a vote of thanks to all who 'had assisted to save the master's house, and to place the matter of the origin .of the fire in the hands of the police for investigation. EAST CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL GROUNDS. The East Christchurch School Committee wroto protesting strongly against the proposal to sell a portion of the school -ground' facing Barbadoes Street, and to devote the proceeds to extending the grounds of the school at Phillipstown. .It combated the idea that any extension of the Phillipstown or North Linwood grounds would reduce the number of children at East Christchurch. Mr C. H. Opie said that, on principle, ho opposed the sale of the Board's land. If tho Board wanted money to buy more land it must get' it in some other way. Ho would move that no further cteps should bo taken in the matter. Tho motion was carried. MISCELLANEOUS.

A report regarding the new boundaries of tho various school districts in the city and suburbs, as arranged at a recent conference, was received and adopted. A letter was received from the New Zealand Dental Association, asking for the Board's co-operation in the matter of distributing a. pamphlet among school children on the matter of the care of the teeth. Mr D. H. Andrews gave notice of motion that he would move the following ' resolution at the next meeting of the Board:— ■" That the question of tho revision of the incidental allowances to i committees be taken into consideration by the Board." ' \