Timaru School Committee.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7062, 7 February 1893, Page 2

Timaru School Committee.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Timaru School Committee was held last evening at the Boardroom, Main school. Present—Mr A. Mills (chairman), Messrs Keith, Mcßride, Grandi, Hill, Burford, Storrier, and Harris (bon secretary), Mr Grand! apologised for the nonattendance of Mr Warburton, who had another meeting to go to. Oh the minutes being read Mr Burford ashed if the committee could enter into other business other than that specified on the “ notice” calling the meeting. The chairman said that he could find nothing in the Act to guide them. As Mr Burford seemed to refer to the meeting on the 29th December called to consider “ concert accounts,” when other business bad been taken, he might add that no member of the committee had any object in doing business in any other than a correct and legal way. Mr Burford said that he must protest against business being done in that way, and the chairman said that at the meeting on the 29th December, he was entirely in the hands of members and'they had unanimously agreed to take “ ordinary ” business. Mr Keith said that Mr Burford ought certainly to have had due notice of the meeting, and Mr Grand! said it seemed to him a question, had Mr Burford got his notice ? Mr Harris (the hon. secretary) said that he had sent it all right. Of course he had no means of knowing if Mr Burford bad received it. Mr Burford said that be had not got it, it was the only notice be had missed getting for some time. He hinted that that was not the first time he had got no notice of important business; a remark which called forth a protest on the part of other members. Mr Keith looked up the Act, and read out the clause wherein it was stated that all business to come before the committee must be set out on the notice. Mr Burford : Was this done when calling the last meeting P The chairman said “No and Mr Harris added “ Concert business ” was the written remark on the card. Mr Burford : I maintain then that everything done at last meeting was illegal; including the appointment of the pupil teachers. Mr Hill was very sorry to differ with Mr Burford. Mr Hill said that the notice to bo given under the Act referred to superior teachers only. What they had acted upon at last meeting was the recommendation and report of the headmaster, and the Act did not refer to the pupil teachers at all—not to routine business. If they looked back they would find that members had never been given notice of the appointment of pupil teachers ; and the committee bad done | quite right in acting on the recommendation of the headmaster, Mr Hill added that Mr Barford was stretching a point, and if the matter was referred to the Board, be was sure that they would bear the committee out in what they had done. The secretary had sent the notice, and it appeared to be the fault of the post office that Mr Burford had not received it. The minutes were then confirmed, the chairman giving as his opinion that Mr Burford could bring the matter up later on. The headmaster reported that the roll number was 427 boys and 439 girls ; present that day—374 boys and 388 girls. Sixtynine new pupils bad been admitted, and several of the old pupils had not yet returned from the holidays. Mr Meagher and Miss Straohan had not returned to duty, being ill. Miss howley had also been ill, but was now at her post. He was glad to say that the six candidates for scholarships had passed, and that two of them beaded the list of candidates sent from all the South Canterbury schools. He mentioned that some slight repairs were needed.

The Side School returns were—Average, 62 boys and 67 girls ; roll number, 71 boys and 83 girls. A letter was received from Mr Meagher stating that he had sent in his resignation to the Board. His health unfortunately was in a very unsatisfactory state. He thanked the committee for their kindness at all times. Mr Hill bore out the remark that Mr Meagher was very ill. He moved—“ That in compliance with the headmaster’s recommendation, the Board of Education be respectfully requested to appoint a loam tenons at once in place of Mr M. J. Meagher, who is unable to attend to his duties through illness ” Seconded by Mr Grand! and carried. Mr Moss Jonas forwarded a cheque for £2 2s, being a donation towards, the school prizes, or any other purpose that the committee thought best.—Received with thanks. The Board forwarded a note stating that £3O Ss had been paid to the committee's credit for incidentals. The chairman said that repairs were needed to windows, and Mr Grand! thought the visitors had seen to this. Mr Hill said that »o windows were broken. To put in fresh glass for all cracked panes was too big a job; it would swallow up all their funds j they would have to go to the Board for the money necessary.

Messrs Storrier and Mcßride were appointed visitors for the month, and authorised to effect certain small repairs that were needed. Mr Mcßride thanked the members for their very bind letter of condolence sent him a few days ago.

The concert balanco-sbeet was laid on the table. It showed that the takings for the two nights had been £65 15s 66 ; that the expenses bad been £25 6s 6d, leaving the net proceeds £4O 9s, Out of this sum £23 I6s 7d bad been expended in prizes, and there was a balance left to credit of £l6 12s sd. On the motion of Mr 3-randi, seconded by Mr Keith, the statement as presented by the chairman was adopted. In reply to a question the secretary said that the voting papers had not been received calling on the committee to record its vote for members of the Board. The nomination parjer had been sent, but as the committee had not met, no nominations had been returned by them. As the headmaster (Mr Wake) was present at the meeting a lively discussion on the recent appointments of pupil teachers took place. Mr Mcßride thought the system pursued was very unfair, and that candidates whose names had been three years on the list ought to be allowed to get to the front. He thought that the candidates ought to be examined by the headmaster and the inspector, and that those candidates not likely to be qualified to become teachers ought to be told so. It was simply wasting a boy’s and girl’s time to keep, their names on the list, and when appointments came to be made, to put candidates whose names had only been 12 months on the list, over those whose names had been on two or three years. Such a course was unjust. In reply to Mr SToßride, the headmaster stated the reasons of the appointments. In reply to a particular question referring to the boy pupil teacher, he said that he had more aptitude for teaching than another boy named had. Mr Keith also thought that some change was needed. He thought it very strange that a boy or girl whose names had been two or three years on the list shoul 1 be passed over for candidates whoso names had only been on a few months. He thought that the sooner parents were told that tbair children would not make teachers the better. They should not keep “ stringing them on.” The chairman objected to this remark. The committee were stringing nobody on ; it was the parents’ wish that the names should be on the list, Mr Keith added that a change in the matter of appointment was needed, so that it could be placed beyond suspicion of favoritism.

Mr Hill also thought a change desirable, and suggested that in future the inspector, headmaster, and the teacher under whom the candidate worked should furnisb a report to the committee and the appointments be made accordingly. He objected to priority of application being considered in such cases ; the headmaster should be given the best of the candidates, for on this his reputation and that of the school depended. Mr Storrier opposed this view. He was in favour of the appointments being made on seniority of application. The committee had the interests of the children at heart; he pointed out that the candidates were specially tried before their names were put on the list; and added that it was not altogether fair that a boy or girl who had shown exceptional ability, should be placed over the heads of others whose applications were of longer standing. Candidates should simply wait their turn. Thera might be a little friction over this, but he thought this system would altogether outweigh the advantages of the other side. In concluding he expressed the opinion that the power of making appoint* ments should be altogether out of the hands of the committee and headmaster.

In reply to Mr Burford Mr Harris here gave the names of two candidates who had been on the list for three years, and of several others who had been on two years and one year. Mr Burford, who had “no axe to grind,” then asked why a girl whose name had been on the list for three years, had not the remotest show of getting an appointment. The chairman said that they were not keeping her from getting one. Mr Burford said that a headmaster of any school who kept a girl’s name three years on the list was doing a thing which was very wrong.

The chairman: No headmaster does keep them. The candidates remain voluntarily and o£ their own accord.

Mr Burford : I am with you my friend. I say nine out of ten teachers appointed here are appointed through favouritism. I tell you that’s so, and if you want to drag it out I can tell you. Mr Keith rose to a point of order. Did Mr Burford mean to reflect on the whole committee ? Mr Burford: Not all.

The chairman said that he had been on the committee for years and in his selection of candidates had been always guided by the reports of the headmaster or inspector Mr Burford replied that in one case Mr Mills had not done this, a case that happened four years ago, but on the minutes being looked up, it was found that Mr Mills bad not voted for the teacher named when she got an appointment. The subject then abruptly dropped, and as Mr Keith remarked, a calm succeeded the breeze.

The bank returns as presented by Mr Keith showed that there was in the bank at the end of last year the sum of £lO2 18s 4d ; interest to the amount of £3 3s had been received, making the total to credit £lO6 Is 4d. The bank had not yet been re opened, and as the committee had only two months more of office, Mr Keith suggested that they should appoint an auditor, and leave everything fair and square for their successors in office. It was unanimously agreed to ask Major Bamfiold to audit the savings bank accounts. Accounts amounting to £8 4s lOd were passed for payment; and the meeting closed at 10 25 p.m.