EDUCATION BOARD

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2151, 11 February 1880, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD

The ordinary meeting of the above Hoard was held to-day. Present —Eev. G. Barclay (in the chair),Messrs Postlethwaite, Goldsmith, Gray, and Bowker. AVASHDVKK SCHOOL. Mr Postlethwaite asked why Mr Kirby had received notice of dismissal from the School. The Secretary stated that the commission appointed to inquire into the charges brought by the Committee at the Washdyke, against Mr Kirby,found that they were not borne out, but for the peace of the School they deemed it advisable that Mr Kirby should retire from the school, and take steps to find another appointment. This was three months ago, and inasmuch as Mr Kirby had apparently taken no decisive steps to comply with the suggestion of the Committee, it was considered advisible by the Board, at its last meeting to give him six months’ notice that his services would be discontinued. Mr Postlethwaite contended that Mr Kirby had hardly been fairly dealt with, in being sent away from his school, although no fault was found against him. The Secretary and Chairman explained that the course taken was not in consequence of any fault on the part of Mr Kirby, but in the interests of the School, and with the view of preserving harmony between teacher and committee. QUESTIONS. 13y Mr Barclay : That, if hitherto no register of correspondence inwards and outwards lias been kept in the ollice, such register for the future be kept, the record to contain the following columns : —-1. Name of writer, 2. Date of receipt. 3. When, if at all, submitted to the Board or Chairman. 4. When, if at all, acknowledged or referred to. b. Short heading showing main subject, And that, if possible, a similar register be compiled for the past. The Secretary stated that between the last meeting and the present he had received considerably over 400 letters. With respect to Burke’s Pass school

building's, what sort of steps .were originally specified for the master’s house ? With regard to Fairlie Creek building, was spouting in the original specifications and contract ? With regard to a communication from Gapes’ Valley, dated about the last day of October, when was an answer returned ? Is there any recent correspondence from Waihi Hush respecting chimney and gutters of the new school-house ? Has the school-house at Timaru been let; if so, at what price, to whom, and was it advertised to let ? Has the Orari School received its incidental vote to March 31, and the £G grant for improvements and the auditor’s fee ? By Mr Goldsmith—Has any application been received from Makikihi, near railway station, asking to be formed into a separate school district? By .Mr Postlcthwaite—What has been done in regard to the completion of the sale of the old school and master’s house at Doodbury ? Mr Barclay’s motion re keeping a register of correspondence was carried, with the following addition: —“And that a standing register of inspections examinations, &c., he kept and submitted to the Board at its meetings.” ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES. The secretary reported that in several instances, owing to the inclemency of the weather, no election of school committees had taken place on the day appointed for the purpose. In the case of the Hunter and Opihi school districts, committees were elected on the day following that appointed. It was resolved to publicly convene meetings for the election of committees in the cases referred to on the first Monday in March. grants to schools. In reply to the Chairman, the Secretary stated that the Board had £7OO available for grants to schools up to the end of June. The following grants were voted :—lnfants’ department, Wairnate school, £6O ; well at Burke’s Pass, £lO ; repairs at Fairlie Creek school, £1 ; furniture, Geraldine school, £G 18s 4d. RESIGNATIONS. The resignations of Miss E. Young (Temuka school), Miss Griffin (Timaru), and Mr and Mrs Henry (Pleasant Point), were accepted, and steps were ordered to be taken to supply the vacancies. DEAF AND DUMI! INSTITUTION, A letter was read from the Education Department, intimating that an institution for deaf and dumb mutes had been established at Sumner, Canterbury, and woidd be ready for the reception of pupil boerders on March Ist. CORRESPONDENCE. A lengthy discussion took place in reference to certain letters addressed by School Committees to the Board, and it was resolved that in future such communications should be acknowledged as soon as possible. The Architect’s report was read on the work in hand in the various schools in the district. Some discussion then took place respecting the chimney of the Waihi bush school, and it was resolved that the chimney be lowered two feet, in order to make it more safe, cost of doing so not to exceed £2.

A number of applications were opened from candidates for the various scholastic appointments, and the rest of the business was of a routine character.