EDUCATION BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 17

EDUCATION BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board on the 19th, was attended by Messrs T. Mackenzie, M.P. (chairman), G. C. Israel, J. Mitohell, A. M'Kerrow, W. Snow, D. Borrie, W. Scott, and the Rev. P. B. Fraaer. An apology for abeenoe was received from the Hon. T. Fergus. IMPROVEMENTS. Grants towards improvements were made to East Taieri, improvements to grounds, £18; Leith Valley, painting inside of shed, £5. The Milburn School Committee asked for the purchase of an additional acre of land for fiie purposes of a cite. — It was pointed out that the present area, of an acre was more than sufficient. — Application declined. The Port Chalmers Committee asked that a bathroom be provided in the janitor's residence. — Granted. FORBTIBY. The Forbury School Committee brought under the board's notice the overcrowded condition of the infant room, and renewed its application for additional accommodation. — The Rev. &J&: Fraser moved that the board send a oopy of the letter to the Minister of Education, with a strong protest against the action of the department in overlooking the urgent claims of the Forbury School for an additional room. — Mr Mitchell seconded the motion, which, after discussion, was agreed to. MAEBEWHEXTJA. Mr Bailey wrote declining to sell three acres of land for new school site purposes. He suggested that the school be removed "back towards the hill. If this course were not suitable, he would be agreeable to sell to the board half an aore of land on the top of the hill. — Received. On the motion of Mr Mitchell it was resolved — " That Mr M'Orandle be written to inquiring if he would agree to let the board have sufficient land for the school, ! and that the Land Board be approached ■upon the gubjeot." TJNIFOBMITY OF SCHOOL BOOKS. The following report on a circular from the Education Department inviting the opinion of boards as to whether the proposal "bo have uniform school books in all the schools of the Dominion was desirable or feasible was received from the board's inspectors: — If, in competition with private firms, the department can produce cheaper books than, and as good as, those in present use in the schools, we see no reason why it should not do so; but it is certain that, unless the cheaper books are in quality equal to the dearer, they will, if their uae is made cqjnpnlsory, work mischief in the schools. It is not for us to say whether the thing is or is not " feasible," " for that is best known ■to the department. For uniformity as such ■we have ao deeire; indeed, we are strenuously ' opposed to the adoption of any course that , would tend to cast in the same mould the . minds of all the ohildren in the Dominion, •and the adoption of the same Headers throughout the Dominion would without doubt strongly tend that way. SUII it is easy to over-estimate the effect of sending the same matter from end to end of the land,for the shaping of the pupils' minds will ever depend much more upon the teacher than upon the tools he uses. At present the department has, and exerciees, -wha-t is in reality power to forbid the use at books ' recommended by local authorities ; and. if it ! published books of its own, it would probably iotbid the use of others, however strongly they might be recommended by local authorities, who ought to be and generally are better judges of the needs of their districts than any central authority oan be The books in present use are the outcome of keen competition among publishers, a competition that will cease to operate in New Zealand -wuen books are published by a St»te department that has the power to impose them, whatever their qua-liy, on every district in the Dominion. We know no books published by a State department that are equal in quality »nd form to those published by private firm*, and we have no reason to j suppose th*t our own would succeed where others h»ve failed. Failure is inevitable in ' the circumstances in which such departments have to work. The Rev. Mr Fraser moved that consideration of the circular be held over, and that a committee of the board formulate an opinion and present it at next meeting of the board. He characterised the proposal to issue a uniform set of school books from one centre as a bigoted attempt to collar the minds of the rising generation in one particular direction. He was glad to see that the North Canterbury Board had protested against the proposal, and he hoped the Otago Board would do the same. Mr Mitohell thought that a definite resolution should be come to at once. There was nothing to be gained by delay, for the ! proposal had been in the air for several j ye&re, and most people who had considered it h*d their minds made up on the sub- ! ject. H« would support a straight-out motion of protest. j Mr Frtser withdrew his previous motion is favour of the following-:— "That the ■

board expresses its earnest and emphatic jproteet against such a proposal as a. uniform set of books being forced upon the 6chools of the Dominion, as being opposed , alike to the best interests of education and , of the freedom of the people of this colony. The board will offer strenuous opposition to any idea to imbue the minds of the I children with one set of ideas from one end of the Dominion to the other." Mr Mitchell seconded the motion. Mr Israel supported tho motion, and . strongly opposed the attempt to mould the minds of all children into one groove. The Chairman, in. supporting the motion, mad© unfavourable comment^ on the last issue of the Education Department's School ' Journal. He further said that we were j now reaching a stage when the burden of I ohildren was beginning to toll very much !on parents. He "was of opinion that the time had arrived when the State should provide school books for the children. If they did that, there would be no cry for a uniform system of school books. It was because of the expense occasioned by acquiring fresh books that the people felt the burden of the cost of _ the present system. Greater consideration must be extended to the parents of children. The motion was agreed to. LECTURES ON BIOLOGY. The Chief Inspector reported that Dr Benham had expressed his "willingness to give a course of lectures on the commoner Forms of animal life in the district, show- ' ing their structure, physiology, ■adaptation j to environment, etc. These lectures would I be for country teachers only, and the* in- { epectore strongly recommended the board. , to accept Dr Behham's services. — Agreed to. MAOBI HILt. The Secretary of the Maori Hill School Committee brought under the notice of the I board the necessity for at once proceeding with the erection of two additional rooms to the Maori Hill School. There were 236 children on the roll, with every likelihood of the attendance increasing.' — Referred to the inspectore to report. GENERAL. Mr G. B. Anderson, head master of the North Taieri S&hool, wrote conveying his thanks for the board's appreciation of his 45 .years' service in the cause of education in Otago. He also thanked the secretary, staff, and inspectors lor their many acts of kindness. The monthy meeting of the Ota-go Education Board was 1 resumed on the 20th inst-, when there were present — Messrs T. Mackenzie, M.P. (chairman), D. Borrie, A. M'Kerrow, N. Scott. G. C. Israel, J. Mitchell, W. Snow, and the Rev. P. B. Fraser. RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations were accepted : — Alice G. Bowljng, female assistant. Mosjriel ; Eliza A. O'Shea, mistress, Kelso ; Wm. A. Service, sole teacher, Maungatua. APPOINTMENTS. The following appointments were made : Violet Crozier. sole teacher. Mount Stuart, vice Nellie Beattie (promoted) ; Margaret Burnside, sole teacher, Tarara, vice Jane C. Scott (promoted) ; Jane (J. Sim, mistress, Strath-Taieri, vice Jane Liddlo (promoted) ; Islay M'Lean, mistress, Bannockburn. vice Eliza Marshall (resigned) ; Win. A. Service, first assistant, Oamaru North -wee Thomas Begg (promoted); Leslie D. Mackav, first assistant, Tokomaiviro, vice Thomas Coutte (promoted); Eleanor Maclusack, junior assistant. Tepanui, new appointment; Helen M. Kenvon, junior assistant, Kaitangata, vice Matilda Dugdale {resigned) ; Isabella Cormack. junior assistant. Lawrenoe. new appointment; Eliza A. O'Shea, junior assistant, Anderson's Bay, new appointment. PUPIL TEACHERS. The following transfers of pupil teachers were made: — Emily Joshn, from George Street to Ca.versham ; Geo. Calder. from Anderson's Bay to Albany Street; Daniel i Hartstonge, from Arthur Street to For- j bury; Alice M'Lav, from Kaikorai to St. ' Chair; James Marwick, from Oamaru Middle to Oamaru North. The following pupil teachers were appointed : — Alex. M. Moslev, Balclutha; Elizabeth M. Macdonald. Clinton; Ruby Louisa Rvan. Albany Street ; Vera Christina Sinclair, High Street ; Emma Jessie Hare, Forbury ; Gabriel Luke. Forbury; Jessie Duncan, Hamnden; Lillian Barker. Macandrew Road : Eileen J. HasletT, Momington ; John S. Prentice. Mo<=giel; Wm. H. Spears, North-East Valley, j TRAINING COLLEGE STUDENTS. ' The following, having matriculated and having otherwise complied with the regulations, were admitted as student* in training: — Isabella Amy Bottinjr, Jeeeie Bradfield. Marion H. Clulee, Jane B. Harris, Emily V. F. Harrison. Margaret G- ' Hughes, Pearl E. Hutton, E. B. Jeans, .' Ivy Annie Marriott, Caroline S. Marshall, . Henrietta Smith, Jean J. Spenoe, Beatrice E. Turner, Helen L. Weir, Elizabeth Wil- !

eon. Robert W. S. Botting, Norman H. Dempster, Colin M'G. Littlejohn, John Sutherland Smart, Charles H. Stewart (Mosgiel), William M. Uttley, David B. Wacklel, Robert Hunter Wade. WINDSOR GLEBE. A sub-committee of the board reported on the matter of additional land for the purposes of a gjebe at Windsor, North Otago, and it was decided to recommend the purchase of five acres under offer at £30 per acre, FINANCIAL. Accounts amounting to £6146 9s 3d were passed for payment. FREE SECONDARY EDUCATION. On the motion of the Chairman, it was resolved — '"That, in the opinion of this board, a.ll children who, under the age of 15 years, obtain proficiency certificates during the year 1908 should be entitled to two years' free secondary education without further examination or restriction, such two years of free education commencing with the opening term of the school year." MANUAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FUNDS. On the mtion of Mr Mitchell, it was agreed to appoint a committee," consisting of Messrs Fraser, Israel. Scott, and Mitchell, to examine into and report upon the earnings and ultimate disposal of all funds accruing from manual and technical education. * TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. The following were reappointed the board.'s representatives on the Boards of Management of the Dunedin and Oamaru Technical Schools: — Dunedin School — Messrs Scott, Israel, the Hon. T. Fergus, and the Rev. P. B. Fraser; Oamaru School — Messrs Mitchell and Aldred. On the suggestion of Mr Scott it was agreed that the committee of the board me9t the Board of Management of the Technical Classes Association in conference on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 18.