THE Manamatu Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1879. THE EDUCATION BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 73, 9 May 1879, Page 2

THE Manamatu Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1879. THE EDUCATION BOARD.

The first annual report of the Wanganui Education Board has been published. It consists of a numbor of tables, reports, &c. A brief synopsis of the more important parts of the report will be interesting. We notice the Boai'd's report is dated February 26, 1878. We presume it should be 1879. The report points out that the Board was elected in March, at which date it found 40 schools in operation, 7 being closed for want of teachers At the date of j the report there were 48 schools under the Board, one only of which was closed for want of a teacher. The average attendance when the Board took office was 1420, whilst the year closes with a gratifying increase of over 50 per C6nt, the number being 2,141. "This result, the Chairman believes, is attributable to two causes ; " first to the activity andinterest displayed by the Committees, secondly to the bringing into opera*, tion in many cases, of the compulsory clauses of the Act. The increase (it is stated) would have been much greater but for the inadequate accommodation in manylarge centres, such as Wanganui, Foxton, Feilding, Marton, Halcombe, and others." Four new schoolhouses have been built, and arrangements were entered into for a similar number, whilst extensive additions were authorised at eight or ten other places. Three teachers' residences have been provided, and arrangements have been made for five others. Seven places are mentioned at which new schools are required, including Otaki and Terrace End (Palmerston). j New residences are required at 13 townships including Foxton. Regarding the teachers, the Chairman says :— " The Board has 71 teachers in its employ. Of these, 37 are male and 34 female. Upon the whole, they are efficient, as well as zealous and active in the discharge of their duties, Great difficulty has been experienced in filling up vacancies in the small schools; the scale of payment being based upon average attendance, the salaries at these schools are necessarily small, and although the Board has endeavored to induce the Committees to supplement them, such a system appears to be precarious, and not by any means universally approved of. It is manifest that the Board caunot pay teachers more than it receives from the Government, and although it has endeavored to mitigate the evil by a carefully graduated scale of salaries, which gives teachers of small schools a greater capitation than those with a larger attendance, the salaries of the former are still very poor, and totally in adequate for the purpose." With reference to the general working of the Act, the Chairman uses the following forcible words : —

" The Board has endeavoured to carry out the spirit of the Act (which may be said to be on its trial) to the best advantage. When it is considered that this is the only new Board which has been constituted in the North Island ; that it is working under a new Act, and with a large

number of small schools to ptf.>vido for, it may fairly claim that its efforts should ba regarded as of a tentative nature, rather than the result of experience, of which other Boards have had the advantage. "Although the Board recognises tile object contemplated by the Act-in a uniform capitation of allowance for the colony, experience proves that the results obtained do not by any means equal the anticipated exjitjc- !

tations.

" The rate of £3 15s may as a whole be sufficient, but this Board is of opinion that an amendment in the Acfc substituting two' rates \Vtiulci be desirable* The Board would| therefore suggest one rate for towns with comparatively large populations, and another for less favoured centres.

'•' It is only by some such equitable distribution of the grant that Boards like this can continue to afford the means of education by small schools in outlying districts. "

In explaining the reasons which necessitated au overdraft df Hearly £600, Mr Watt says :— " 111 the first place we have a large number of schools scattered over an extensive district, and many o? these, instead of leaving a surplus ofi ; e"venue meet contingent expenses, are on t c contrary a great tax upon the Board's resources.

" Further, when the Board came into office, it found a scale of teachers' salaries in excess bf ics income. fc>otne liltle time was unavoidably lost before the Board got into working order, and a new scale could be adjusted. After this was accomplished it was considered necessary to give teachers three months' notice of the proposed change before it could be brought into operation-. It will thus be seen that whilst the capitation grant may be ample for the requirements of established Boards with comparatively few schools and large attendances. Boards like this with a number of small scnools to provide for are unable to meet the demands made upon them."

The difficulties between the Board an'l tlio Loonl OovmvuUp? 1 -' ;uo vofeiTeci to in the 'following turins : —

" It has been found that the duties of the Committees and the Board are not well defined. The powers are divided and indefinite, especially as regards their relations to teachers ; and in this respect the Act does not work altogether smoothly.

| "A spirit of emulation seems to pervade the actions of the Committees in the execution of their duties, and there is evidently an increasing desire to advance the cause of education. The Board is, however, of opinion that if the Act were clearer and more explicit with reference to the respective duties of the two bodies, it would be advantageous to both, and they would beg especially to bring this matter under your notice."