Wanganui Education Board.

Patea Mail, 30 June 1882, Page 3

Wanganui Education Board.

’At the Education" Board meeting in Wanganui on Tuesday, there were present, H. Sanson (in the chair), J. W. Baker, J. Notman, 0. S. Bridge, D. Coutts, arid Rev. J. Ross. : f

The following items are from reports in Wanganui journals :

MANUTAHI. Letter notifying that Messrs J. Hamilton, J. Christie, H. S. Peacock, E. B. Hamilton, E. J. Morgan, D. McGregor, arid Peter Campbell had been duly elected members of School Committee, Mr R. B. Hamilton chairman. The appointment committeee agreed to accept Miss Hay’s offer to remain in charge of the Manutahi school for three irionths, or to leave whenever the hoard might appoint her successor. In reply to a cominunication from the chairman of the committee, and a petition from the householders of Manutahi, it was agreed to leave the matter in the hands of the inspector to send a certificated male teacher after the pppil teachers’ examination, and in the event of one not being obtained, to ask Miss Hay to remain until such appointment should be made, and to thank her for the services which she bad rendered to the board.

NGAIRE. .1 Applications were received from Messrs Everest, Canterbury ; J. C. Hill, Crofton ; T. Halliwell, R. W. Bowson, J. Youngson, and F. W. Connell for appointment. The appointment Committee having left the selection of a teacher to be decided by the Board, ! the Chairman suggested that the applications be forwarded to the committee, omitting the name of Mr Bowson. He thought Mr Everest was the best Mr Bridge moved, That the applications of Messrs Everest, Youngson, Connell, and Hill he forwarded to the committee. Mr Ross Would prefer patting the name of Mr Hill after that of Mr Everest, as Mr Hill was, already in the employ of the Board, Mr Notman seconded Mr Bridge’s motion, which was carried.

, .MANAIA,

Letter from School Committee speaking in terms of approval of the new building; and asking whether anything; further had ■ been done with regard to the appointment of Mr Wilks. Mr Notman read aletter from Mr York, one of the School Committee, pointing out that the teacher was a married man, and that there was no accommodation for him save in a hotel. He (Mr Notman) had seen Mr Watt while in Wellington, and it had been agreed by the Building . Committee that tenders should ; be .called, for : the erection of a residence. Tenders had been called for; and a number received, : and a.lender.considered satisfactory was accepted. . : School Examinations. Mr Bridge, in moving the motion standing' in his name, cited cases to show how unfairly the present system operated with regard to different schools. It would appear, on glancing at the‘returns, that certain schools succeeded in passing. a ; much higher percentage of scholars than others, whereas it frequently happened that the very schools which, under the present system, gained apparently the percentage, were really very much inferior to the average school.: He was not alone in taking this view, because he found that the inspectors of. both the, fOtago amd Wellington schools referred, to the same matter. He moved “That the inspector be instructed to strike his averages of'passes at the annual examination, making, full allowance for oil owing, which, are' to bo port, viz. ; infants who than two years at school have been absent from cause for a long time ; for presentation on accountflßßprcal or mental weakness.” \ Mr Notman .seconded the-jnotion, and remarked that he did not need to say much in favor of It. He rather preferred,

however, the suggestion of theWellingtpn inspector, Mr Lee, that the whale of the scholars should present themselves at first, deductiohs to be afterwards if found necessary. He did hot quite agree with Mr Bridge’s exclusion of infants under two years of schooling., Mr Baker thought children should not be sent up for Standard I. until they had been two years at school. : The Chairman said they must he careful not to pass a resolution which would be ultra vires. He thought the better plan would be .to pass a resolution similar to that of Mr Bridge, and to memorialise the central.department for the adoption of it. He thought they would find that the teachers might refuse to carry out this resolution. He read paragraphs'from an Order] ib,;Council with which ; he thought this resolution might clash”

i Mr Ross strongly supported the motion, blit thought it undesirable to do anything that'might'he contrary to the Orders in Council.

Mr Bridge said the Order in Council did not in any way prevent the carrying of this resolution.

At the request of Mr Notman, the Secretary produced a memoranda from Mr Habens, Inspector-General of Schools, in which the Inspector expressed an opinion as to the meaning of the Orders in Council which was contrary to the spirit of the resolution.

;Mr Notman pointed out, that it was expressly stated that the opinion so expressed was no part of the Order, in Council; It was the case that the 1 practice of the different hoards was very various, and ilie, Auckland board, as well as others, were moving in the.same-direction; > > • Mr Bridge again urged the unfair operation of the present system. " The motion was put and carried.

Examiners, The Chairman referred to the appointment of .gentlemen to conduct examinations on different subjects at the annual examinations. He noticed that there Were a number of fresh subjects included in the papers, and he supposed that the number was likely to increase. He understood that it was hot a very easy matter to get gentlemen willing to undertake the preparation of papers and condudtingth& examination, and he ; thought there should be some provision made for the payment of examiners. The gentlemen who had acted formerly were Messrs Betts, Fitzherbert, and Barnicoat; Mr Notman suggested that the papers should be prepared in Wellington, and forwarded to the inspector for distribution among the children, and then to be collected, sealed up and forwarded: to the gentlemen who prepared the papers, for their examination and report.

Messrs Bridge, and Boss also supported this view;

Mr Notraan moved, That the secretary communicate with the Inspector-General, with'a view to the employment of one or more gentlemen in the preparation of papers in the extra subjects for the Scholarship examination, and to; examine and award marks for the same. The motion was carried., , ■ : : , . - : Wanganui High School Reserve. The Board of Governors of the. Wanganui High School held a meeting after the usual Board business was concluded. The members present were, same as at Board meeting. Messrs Yt. H. Watt, John Notman, and H. Sanson had been appointed a sub-committee to inspect the High School Reserve on the Piko Piko Block, which is approached by the Upokongaro Valley. The block was inspected oh the 6th April, and the committee reported “They are of opinion that immediate steps should be taken to place the block in the market on the terms herein mentioned :—That the existin g sectional survey be adhered to, the committee, however, retaining the power of offering such sections as can bo advantageously, joined, in one block as may be found necessary for purposes of sale. The terms to be cash, the purchasers to have the option of allowing a proportion, not exceeding two-thirds of the purchase Money, to remain on mortgage for a period of seven years at the rate of 6 per cent per annum.” Mr.Notman, who had drawn up the report, moved its adoption, jfcd suggested that the committee be empowered to take steps to dispose of the block in terms of the report. He thought that there was no doubt that action would have at once to be taken towards providing a High School proper, and with the revenue derived from the secondary reserves,and from the sale of the reserve,funds would, he thought, be forthcoming. Of

course there was the matter of the building, but he thought they could ask the Government to provide the building if they had the funds for the maintenance of the school.

; Mr Bridge .seconded the motion

Mr Ross supported the motion,/which was then put and carried. .