Wanganui Education Board.

Patea Mail, 2 July 1881, Page 3

Wanganui Education Board.

The monthly meeting of the above Board was held' in Wanganui on Wednesday. Present—‘Messrs W. H. Watt (chairman'), Rev.; J.;Ross, H. Sanson, -D. “Coutts, ;J« M-X Baker, Snelson, J. Notman, and Ged.S. Bridge. On taking the chair, Mr W. H. -Watt returned thanks for his re-election, and said tho pleasure was enhanced by the cordial manner in which the members worked together for the objects fm-, which they .were,elected. _ ;i ~ .; j To fill the vacancy in,the Hawera school, on the suggestion of the Inspector, it was resolved that Miss McDonald be appointed. Miss Verdon, ;of Wellington, was recommended as teacher for the Kohi school! ' ’ , ; Leave of absence was granted to Sir Win. Pox during the sitting of Parliament. Maxwell.— Representations from the committee that the old school house was in such a state of dilapidation as to be dangerous to the scholars, led to remarks on the indifference df the committee in respect of the Board’s property, as a little expenditure by the committee would have enabled the. old building to have been converted into a good saddle shed. It was resolved that.the connnittee ; be empowered to dispose of the old building, and to. use the proceeds in erecting a proper shed for saddles, &c. Building Fund.— The deputation who waited on the Minister. for Education in Wellington, reported the’ result, which wa4 embodied in a letter from the Education, Department, to the effect that the Government were prepared to make good a sum of £IOOO, for building purposes. - Waverley.— Tenders for the ceiling of the Waverley School were considered, and that of Messrs-Swinbourne & McFarlane, at £24 10s, was deferred to the Building Committee. A memorial froth parents of children-attending the Waverley school, expressing regret" that the Board had not appointed an assistant mistress, was laid upon the table ; also a memorial, signed by 43 parents,.asking : tliat the Board’s decision in the matter of the assistant mistress' should be held over until after :,the annual, examination, fin order that the present pupil-teacher system should have a fair trial. The Board being of opinion that ds the assistant mistress, if,appointed, would only take the Ist and 2nd standards, at present .taken by pupil-teachers, there was no reason why they should reconsider their decision, and a motion to that effect was carried. Correspondence referring to certain charges against the master was' considered by a committee of the Whole Board. Wanganui High School.— The resignation of Mr Fearnley of the position of head master of the High School brought out opinions of the Board as to future action. Mr Sanson moved that a teacher be obtained at the same salary as that paid ■ to Mr Pearnley, £460. Mr Watt thought a good teacher could be obtained for £4OO, and pointed out the disproportion of the salaries paid to the head and under master.; Mr Ross said the duties of a head master required a man’ thoroughly qualified, and one who had passed through a course of training. He thought every care should be taken that the prestige bf the school should not be lost. Mr Notman was in favor of the head master’s salary remaining as it was. The salary did not cost the ; Board £460 per annum, as there was/he , Rees bequest of £240, which went towards the head master’s salary. Mr Bridge was in accord with Mr Notman bn this matter, and thought the. risk of getting an inferior master, by reducing the salary by £6O, was too great. The Wanganui High School” was likely to, be the High.Schoo! of the district, and , the tone of it should be kept up. Mr Baker thought with the chairman that a good master could bes got for £4OO a year. If the tonb of the school was only worth £6O a year, it was not worth much. He thought a man of Mr Fearnley’s high classical attainments ' was not what was most wanted in Wanganui. A man who could impart knowledge qf 4, less exalted character would suit the requirements of the district and town quite ias well. One thing was certain—if the Board did not pay £460 per year, Mr Pearnley received it ; and it should be the endeavor to economise the public money as much as possible. Mr Sanson’s, motion to advertise} for a head master at - the present rate of salary, was finally!carried. It was, also resolved that the Board has much regret at losing his services, and 'expresses its appreciation of the work he has performed. - :

j WAITOT4IIA.—Li iCy;qj-nppJ.icalion forTuiids Tor Yhe'orcttiiii)'t.r a fence aiql a small shed for saddl-s, the sCcrctaiy was instructed to lequcst the cbnuuittee to send in a statement of the alterations which would be|i'e;qnired. Letter from the; Waitotara Highway Board being read to ,tbe effect jth^t: Jhqy icbbll not: form the footpath to the school unless assisted by, a grant from the Education Board, it \yas resolved that the Highway Board he informed that the Education Board would contribute, £fi, if ,the, ? work was at once earried out. ‘ " ! Manutahi. Letter stating that the chimneys required re-building, as vhe rain p4iqe, dow,n th.Qm and\coyered the floor of the school, was referred to Mr Coutts, with , power to have, the necessary work done. Wellington Board was read as follows—“ I am directed to inform you that Government having allowed-a‘number of scholarships to be given for the purpose of assisting students in'*training- a’s teachers' in the Normal School, Wellington, which is now in operation, this Board has set apart two vacancies of the value of £4O each, and maintenance allowance for three students at £2O each, to be given to candidates selected in the; Wanganui district. The Wellington Board invite the Wanganui .Board . to .advertise f,\ competition for these scholarships in yobr district, and to niake by in the subjects bf Standard I YI a selection of suitable trainees. I enclose copies of the Normal School Regulaliens, which will afford you further-particulars. You will be good enough to advise me on the selection-made' by-your Board by the Idt day of August next. After that date the Wellington Board will proceed to fill up ; vacancies.”: Oii the niotioil of Mr Sanson, seconded by Mr Coutts, it was resolved v that th^lnspbctor'communicate* with'thje pupil teachers in the Wanganui district, with the view of ascertaining the number of such 'teachers Willing tb compete for the bursaries offered by the Wellington Board in accordance with the p,f the Nonmil Schools/: as’fOrwafdiil i.tb' this office.

Secondary Education. —The committee, appointed last meeting to consider a circular letter from.Hie,.South Canterbury Board, brought up a report which was read ■ and adopted. The committee desired tin? ‘ secretary to forward to the South; Canterbury Board a copy of the resolutions passed by the Wanganui Board in 1878) as'showing that the subject had received attention. They would approve of teacherb giving instruction in the higher branches of education where desired by the parents, outside of school hours, and upon such terms as may be agreed upon between the teachers and the parents, the scholars so instructed to be examined from time to time ■' when convenient at the nearest District High ’School. Respecting the 1 raising of extra' funds 5 from non-allotted reserves, your committee would point out; that this Board has not any such reserves! at command. r |

The £I,OOO Grant for Buildings.— A! deputation of the Wanganui School committee waited npon the Board asking for; the grounds of the, Girjs’ High School to" be improved ; that now the Board was in, funds the proposed Infant School, as peri •plans approved by the Board, should be], built; and that assistance in money should; be given to the Wanganui committee, the, present reduced capitation allowance! being insufficient to pay working expenses., Discussion followed! each request, -;; To improve the school grounds it was resolved! to apply for prison labor. In respect of : the Infant School it was resolved, That; the further consideration of the riiatter be; held over until the' Board' had moi’e inf or-! mation regarding the building grant, and ; that in the meantime the proposal of the ‘ Committee to subscribe half or even onethird the cost of the new building would ; receive the fullest consideration -from the’] Boar.d. !'Thp. matter of increasing) the: capitation allowance was, referred to the Finance Committee. . ~