ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 203, 17 January 1873, Page 4

ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The annual statutory public meeting of the householders and others resident at Is aseby took place in the school-room on Monday evening last. .The attendance was. good, and a considerable amount of interest was taken in the proceedings. Mr. G-. F. Eowlatfc, being called "to the chair, made a few prefatory remarks, and called upon the Clerk (Mr. J. Stewart;) to read the report of the retiring Committee for the past year

s ' REPORT OF THE MOUNT IDA DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE, FOR THE YEAR, ENDIS<3- DEC., 1872. The Committee, in tendering their resignation, have the honor to report - as follows for the past year:— 1. When we accepted office, we found the School numbered thirty-seven boys and lifteen girls. These had previously been all taught by the master, Mr. John Petchell; but with the new year began the services of the schoolmistress, Mrs. Clarke, who had been elected by the Committee for the preceding year. The Committee desire to express their great satisfaction with Mrs. Clarke's department. Under her care and tuition the girls have shown a marked improvement. 2. At first, arrangements were made for the accommodation of Mrs. Clarke and the girls' classes in the Union Church; but no time was lost in making other and more suitable provision, by the removal of the School Building from its then position to the education reserve, and the addition of a separate department as a girls' schoolroom. For this object the Government had granted a sum of £l5O to the previous Committee, and we were thereby enabled to accomplish the work in a satisfactory manner. The particulars of the expenditure will be shown in the financial statement.

3. Early in the year an arrangement was made with the master and mistress that the school fees should—after payment of some incidental expenses—be divided between them, in the proportion of two-thirds to the master and one-third to the mistress. It was calculated that, with the Government subsidies of £IOO for master and £SO for mistress, this would make the emoluments amount to £IBO and £9O respectively . This plan has been adhered to, and the payments of fees up to date have been—to the master, £79 125.; to the mistress, £39 16s. The actual receipts were £134 18s. 6d., but out of this £ls lis. was paid away for expenses. The Committee have asked the master to inform them what fees remain unpaid,; but he has declined to furnish the information. From the quarterly returns, however, they find that the total-fees for the year amount to £162 ss. 6d. Deducting from .this sum the amount paid by Mr. Petchell to the Clerk, there appears a balance of £27 7s. to be accounted for.

4. The Committee, having unfortunately been unable to work harmoniously with the master, referred their complaint to the Edu* cation Board, and Mr. Hislop, Inspector of Schools, came to Naseby to enquire into the matter of dispute. He examined the school; and subsequently, at a meeting held in the school-room, Mr. Petchell tendered his resignation, which was accepted. It was arranged that Mr. Petchell's term of office should expire on March 31st, 1873 . 5. The Committee, after accepting Mr. Petchell's resignation, advertised, inviting applications for the appointment of master? Twelve applications were i-eceived, and that of Mr. George Menzies was accepted. The Committee have informed Mr. Menzies that he has been elected, and that his appointment will date from Ist April, 1873. 6. The average attendance of scholars for the year was—boys, thirty-six; girls, thirtyeight. ' 7. The Committee would beg to state that it was their intention to fence in the School Reserve, as soon as they could find means available for that purpose. If the reserve were i fenced, it would not only make the School more quiet and retired, but the enclosure would be very useful as a play-ground for children

After a good deal of discussion concern-

ing several matters contained in the report, and particularly the "words "to be accounted for," at the conclusion of clause 3^ —which, it was alleged, conveyed an insinuation as to the honesty of the schoolmaster —the report was, on the motion of Mr. If. Wilson, seconded by Mr. J. M'Donald, amended, and the words "due to the Committee" were substituted instead ofr" to be accounted for." ' The motion was put to the meeting and carried.

The following gentlemen were elected members of Committee for the current year, namely Messrs. E. T. George, W. Inder, IT. Wilson, G-. F. Rowlatt, J\ Stewart, D. Stewart, J. Dillon, M. Brookes, and E. C. Smith. This concluded the business.