School Committee Election.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 47, 27 January 1885, Page 2

School Committee Election.

Tiio annual election of a school committee lor tiio school district of Palmerston North took plaeo m tho schoolhouso last evening. There wore about fifty housohoHcrs present. Mr Leary as chairman of tho outgoing committee read the notice calling, on tho house-, holders to elect a committee, and after making tho necessary explanations re the same, Mr Wright read tho following report : — ANNUAL REPOBT. To the householders of Palmerston North, Gentlemen — Your committee have pleasure m submitting to you the following report of tho working of the schools under their charge during tho year ending January 26, .1885. On account of tho Over-crowding m the jpublic school your committee applied to the Education Board m February ifor a school at Terrace End, and the Board agreed to opon a school if a suitable building could be obtained. Your comr mittee secured the Church of England Sunday school-room for a time. Another school was opened m March -with Mrs Harvey as mistross, the Board agreeing, to koep the school open if an .average attendance of .40 could be -main-, tamed. . ■ •...,. CENTRAL SCHOOL. Your committee have to report! that the teaching staff of this school consists of head master, one' male assistant, one female assistant,. one" ihale pupil teacher, and three female pupil teachers. The number on the roll is 31*2, the avierage .attending 221,- against a, roll number for 1883 of 887, with an average attendance of 312. This falling off is due to some, extent to the opening of the school at Terrace End, but your committee are aware 'that a large number of children of school age are not attending school and they have taken steps to secure their attendance. The bad weather has been against; a high average, but your com - mittee are of opinion that the apathy of parents has a good deal to do with the low average — only about two-thirds of the roll number. During the year two assistants resigned,. Miss Mackin, .through ill health, and Miss Blair s who had received an appointment m New Plymouth. Your conunitteo were sorry to lose the services of two excellent teachers. One pupil teacher, Mr Strachan was removed to Wanganui. Miss Patersoh was appointed assistant mistress, and Miss Keeble pupil . teacher. Owing to the falling off, hi attendance another assistant was hot appointed. At present tho teaching staff is for ah average' of 250, as against an actual average of 221. The number of passes at the Inspector's examination was 57 per cent., but the low average is accounted for by the fact that all who have attended half time have to bo presented hi their . standards whether the masterthought them fit to pass or not. The school building and grounds are m good order with the exception of the master's residence which was damaged by lightning on New Year's Eve. The chairman has takei} steps to have it repaired. Your conimitfcee tried to secure a piece of land for a play-ground adjoining the school property, but as yet have not succeeded. Your committee have every, reason to be gratified , With the way hi which the teaching staff perform their duties,' and no complaint whatever has been lodged with the committee against a teacher. . TERRACE END SCHOOL. This school was opened m March m the Church of England Sunday schoolroom, but after a trial -of three weeks it was found to be too small, and the school was removed to Deard's - Hall. Here the attendance so increased that Mrs Harvey was allowed two pupil teachers, Miss Astbury and Mr Matheson. The teaching staff consists of head mistress, one male and one female pupil teachers. Tiio roll number is 121 and the average attendance 81. Here, as at the Central school, the.same apathy is shown by parents, the average at-, tendance being about two-thirds the 1 roll number. The building used as a school is very unsuitable for the purpose' and your committeo have applied to' the Board to have a school erected on a section m \ Terrace-street granted by the Government and the application is to be considered at; the Board's meeting ; this, month. At Mi's Harvey's request the .Inspector s examination was deferred till after the Opening of the school on 2nd February. Your committee regret that parents and guardians do not send their children more regularly and so have found; it necessary to appoint a Truant Inspector; Mr Thomas Jordan. Mr Jordan has beQn appointed , clerk of committee to give him a legal standing and he nieans to proceed against those who persist inH keeping- their children away iron! school;' In addition, each member of the committee is.ex offioio a Truant .Inspector, , and may proceed against defaulters. Your committee, however hope ;that after this warning no case will need to J be taken into Court. The balance sheet was read whioh showed that the committee commenced the year with a debit balance of lover i'l4 and ended with an actual credit, balance 'of i'l 23 6d. A unanimous vote of thanks was passed to the- outgoing, cpmmittee when Mr. Leary was Voted chairman of the meeting andthe election of a new committee was proceeded with, ; with the following result : — '. Hawkins, 71721111447724212142, 61. Stewart, 1711722172121772, 51. Woodroofe, 1 21217225121272173, 45.. Wright, 21174317477, 44. Hoskins* 711721722237, 42/ . . • ; Leary, 123112111343342214, 36. '■ Walton, 1121433233213, 29. Park, 3141214211, 20. Walkley, 113231, 11. Hamilton, 1131,. 6. •-.';■ Heatoii, 112, 4. . : The 1 -fo'stk'seven were therefore duly elected. ■ COMMITTEE MEETING. " : . At a meeting of the newly elected committee held afterwards Mr Leary was unanimously elected chairman, Mr Hawkins as Treasurer, artd Mr Wright as Secretary. This was aty the business transacted.