EDUCATION BOARD

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10286, 22 May 1919, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD

THE NORMAL SCHOOL. SECONDARY' DEPARTMENT TO BE CLOSED. At yesterday’s monthly meeting of the Education Board, the members present were: Messrs T. Forsyth (cnairman). W. H. Field, M.P., E. McCollum, M.P., B. A. Wright, M.P., A. W. Hogg, <3. Loudon, Darkness, Penny, J. J. Clarke, T. Moss, and E. P. Bishworth. On the suggestion of the, secretary, Monday, June 9fch, was appointed as the date for the election of the remaining committees. The statement of finances showed that the receipts since the last meeting totalled £19,753 3s 7d, -while the payments authorised-amounted to £13,170 6s 7d. The cash in the bank on April 30th was £3638 9s Bd, and on May lith £5221 13s 6d. There was, besides, a deposit and in War Loan certificates £II,OOO, while the Government grants now due totalled £77i6 14s Id. was decided to forward 'o the Education Department, without comment, a number of motions (already published) passed by the Ngaio householders’ meeting. The board approved, subject to the approval of the instructor in agriculture, of a proposal to provide trees for f >.anting in (he echool grounds. The secretary said that not many trees would be required this year. The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken was appointed assessor for the hoard in connection with compensation proceedings now pending. “USEFULNESS OUTLIVED.*' The chairman stated that the secondary department at the Normal School had outlived its usefulness, and the board decided that it should be closed. The department, it _ was pointed out, had not bepn established for the benefit of the children, bub for the training of teacher-students, as a result of the preference shown for colleges and high schools, tho attendance at the Normal School secondary department was .too small to be of any use,for the training of teachers. The pupils would he placed in other secondary schools, and for the present teachers, who had done good work, a suitable position .would be found. Mr Harkness objected that bo understood that the secondary schools in the city were already overcrowded, but the chairman stated that that was not the case.

HEK3HLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP.

Tho Public Trustee, it was announced, had offered to administer free of all commission charges the funds connected with the Hocmer Memorial Scholarship. The offer, said tho secretary, was equivalent, of a contribution to the funds of. £43 10s per annum.—Tho board accepted tho offer with thanks.