EDUCATION REPORT.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 222, 26 May 1877, Page 4

EDUCATION REPORT.

The third report of the Patea Education Board, for the period ending 31st March, 1877, in accordance with clause 27 of “ The Education Act, 1876,” was presented to the Board on Monday, the sth May, as follows : In compiling the following report for the information of the Government, the Board have taken into consideration the anxiety the Government have to collect information and data upon which to found a thorough and complete Educational system. And to this end have endeavoured to give as much information as possible, from its formation in June, 1874, until the date required by the Act, viz.: March 31st, 1877. The Board, as at present constituted, consists of seven members, viz.: Thos. Middleinas, Esq., Chairman ; John Milroy, Esq., Win. Dale, jun., Ksq., Donald Contis, Esq., Richard England Mcßae, Esq., Hector Stephen Peacock, Esq., and William Joseph Furlong, Esq. The ordinary meetings take place at the Secretary’s office, at Carlyle, on the first Monday, in each month. Upon taking office, three years ago, it was found that Educational matters throughout the whole district were in the most primitive stage imaginable—the two centres of population only being possessed of the most meagre material in buildings, furniture, and books, for tho work. In Carlyle, an old iron store served as a room, which was of the worst possible description. The master was ill-paid, and everything gave evidence of the most miserable and futile efforts at Education. In Hawera, it was much worse. From the liberality of the Provincial and General Governments, the Board is in a position to report with the utmost confidence of its work, with the consciousness that everything has been expended to tho very best possible advantage ; that Education is placed upon a footing, within the limits of the Board, upon a basis which cannot fail, with judicious management, to become a solid institution in the district. With sufficient funds at its disposal, the Board hope to be able to. establish one School of a very high order within tlie district, to which the children of all classes, who had attained to sufficient excellence, might be drafted, and instructed in the higher brandies of language, art, science, and literature. It is by establishing such a school in the district, and by the emulation it would excite in those of a lower grade, that it hopes to raise the standard of the district to its level with- other parts of the world. Briefly it is endeavoured to show under the headings, as given below, the present aspect of the various schools under the Board. SCHOOLS. Carlyle. —ln building this school the Board considered the means at its disposal, and endeavoured to do as much as possible for the whole district, and built the school to accommodate about fifty children. It is, however, now too small, and will be enlarged as soon as possible. The structure is upon the best principle that could be obtained, and is completely fitted up with seats, desks, maps, and all necessary school furniture. The building is enclosed in five acres of land, securely fenced, and everything is of the most solid and permanent character. A master’s dwelling-house is in course of construction, the design being selected from the most approved plans from other districts, and will be completely finished in about six weeks. As soon as the necessary enlargement is made to the school, it can be classed as a good permanent building, well found and appointed in all respects. The master Holds a first-class certificate, and from the Inspector’s report is found to be doing excellent work. Hawera. —This township gives evidence of rapidly increasing in size and importance. The school is built exactly on the same plan as the one at Carlyle, and equally well found—in fact, tho remarks as applied to Carlyle, express the exact position of the building at Hawera. Here, also, a master’s residence is in course of construction, on the same plan as the one at Carlyle. The-teacher of this school is only temporarily appointed, and holds a third class certificate, but is expected to take his next degree at the examination in July next. Kakaramea.— This is the next place of importance. Here is erected a school and master’s residence, enclosed in six acres of land, and well appointed in all respects. The master is of a very high order; and the school is well attended, and excellent work is done. Manutahi. —At Manutahi a school is built, being a fac-simile of the one at Kakaramea. The teacher’s residence consists at present of but two rooms unlined. The Government have granted the necessary funds for completing the building, which will shortly be accomplished. A reserve of three acres is sot aside, and the whole will be fenced in during the ensuing month. A gentleman, recently arrived from England, has been elected to the mastership, out of numerous applications, and gives promise of possessing unusual ability. The school is well provided in all requisites, but the attendance is limited. This, however, will soon be reversed, as the rapid influx of population will testify. Keiemarae and Normanby. —At present one room of the master’s residence is used for a school. This course was adopted for the sake of economy, but is objectionable in many ways. The necessary means having been granted by the Government, tenders have been called for erecting a proper school in the Township of Normanby. It is anticipated the building will be completed in about two months, when the attendance will be much greater than at present. The master of the school was elected out of about twenty applicants, and is of undoubted ability. Whenuahira. —A schoolroom and cottage have j,ust been completed, and will be enclosed in about four acres of land, properly fitted up, and opened without delay. It is anticipated there will be a good attendance, and a very marked benefit will be conferred upon this portion of the district. The schools as enumerated are distributed in the centres of population throughout the occupied land in the district, and will be all that is required for some time to come, and until the lands of the interior are sold and occupied. Everything has been done in the most substantial manner, with the view of permanency and usefulness. The following are the appointments under tho Board, with their respective salaries per aunum : Secretary and Treasurer, W. Cowern ; £75 Teacher Carlyle School, H. H. Dyer ; £IBO Assistant-teacher do, Miss Williams; £25 Teacher Hawera School, J. Harre ; £l7O Assistant-teacher do, Miss Alexander ; £2O Teacher Kakaramea School, R. T. Brown ; £l5O Teacher Ketemarae School, W. L. Weiss ; £l5O Teacher Manutahi School, Clement Lee ; £l2O Teacher Whenuakura School—not yet appointed The attendance at each school, as per returns ending 31st March, is given below : No. on Average daily School. books. attendance. Carlyle 60 57 Hawera 49 36 Kakaramea 36 28 Ketemarae 22 14 Manutahi 19 11 Whenuakura (not open) A fee of 6s 6d per head is charged per quarter for each pupil up to three Of one family ; all over three, nil. Periodical inspections are made, and have been conducted by Robert Lee, Esq., Inspector, under the Wellington Education Board. The Board

desire to express its thanks to the Wellington Education Board for the ready assistance accorded to it in granting permission to Mr Lee to conduct these inspections, and beg to testify to the undoubted ability of this gentleman, and the success attending the Board is mainly traceab'e to the very valuable suggestions which he was ever ready to give upon all subjects relating to the management and conduct of schools.

The Board have endeavoured, since the time of its constitution, to provide all the ground-work upon which Education would be made lasting, and effectual; and to this end have spared no pains to secure the best sites—buildings, furniture, books, and other equipments, and have made careful selection of masters, so that nothing on its part should be wanting to make Education, within its limits, sound and of the best order, and with the funds now placed at its disposal by the Government, will complete its policy before the expiration of its term of office, that no difficuly may arise in the future. And the Board in offering this icport to the Government, feel assured, that, its services will be approved of, and that the Government will adopt some measure to establish and perpetuate the system it has inaugurated. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (By order) WM. COWERN, Secretary and Treasurer, Patea Education Board. The Honorable the Minister of Justice, (Education Branch), Wellington. [Notk. —Accompanying the report was a list of reserves, and terms on which the same were leased ; as also the Inspector of Schools report, furnished November, 1876. As a list of reserves was lately published, and the gist of the Inspector’s report has previously appeared, they are omitted here.— Ed. P.M.]

BALANCE SHEET. JANUARY 1st, 1876, to MARCH 31st, 1877. Dr. RECEIPTS. £ s. d. To Balance from last return, account current (4 269 5 5 Education rate • G3 0 0 Grants in aid M 1002 13 1 Rents of reserves ,, 391 10 4 School Fees— Carlyle 72 12 0 Ilavvera 66 5 2 Kakarainea ... 26 13 0 Mamitahi 4 6 8 Ketomarao ... 1 2 0 160 18 10 School books M 31 12 10 Dos? tax 32 8 0 Incidental •• 2 14 6 £1954 3 0 Cb. DISBURSEMENTS. £ s. d. By Salaries— £ s. d. Secretary and Treasurer 'J1 5 0 Carlvle Teacher ... 217 10 0 Carlyle Assistant ... 30 8 4 Hawera Teacher ... 231 11 1 Hawera Assistant ... 9 13 5 Kakarainea Teacher ... 205 15 9 Ketomarao Teacher ... 99 16 0 Manntalii Teacher ... 46 13 4 932 12 11 Buildings—Includes repairin, fencing, &c 666 17 8 Furniture, school books, &c. 166 8 1 Inspection 25 0 0 Insurance 16 9 1 Interest on overdraft H 0 8 P Dog Tax collector, (salary) 16 4 0 Incidental, includes— Advertising, printing, schoo* cleaning, &c, ... tf 115 3 7 To Balance Bank of New Zealand •• 4 7 0 £1954 3 0 Audited and found correct, C. A. WRAY 21 61 77