EDUCATION BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 97, 24 April 1912, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEET!XG

■The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki ‘Education Hoard was held last night, when there were present: -Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), A. -Morton, \\ . McL. Kennedy, G. Rogers, it. .Masters, J. Young, and G. A. Adlum. -Mr A. H. Holcombe was granted leave of absence. Chairman's Report. The Chairman reported that the Government audit inspector had been through the board’s accounts, and was now availing a tew outstanding vouchers before completing the audit. Only 09 out of the 9T committees’ accounts arrived at the office in time to be audited by the 22nd fust.

On the 9th inst. } he had intorviewed the Prime Minister with reference to ’ tll “ Oeo sdiool site, when lie expressed the opinion that it would he possible for the Public Trustee to give the hoard a lease of the land at a merely nominal rent, which should satisfy the Education Department. The Prime Minister promised to attend to the matter on hia return to Wellington, hut so far he has had no further information. The committee of the Wailii school .'!.sk(>d if the partition in the new school could be made moveable, offering i pay the cost. It was, however, found that the structural alterations- would he too expensive, and it: war; suggested that they should ho satis/iocf with ■folding- doors between the chimney and the wall of the porch, which would leave an opening about 17ft. wide. T| m committee was partly satisfied tvith this, hut wished to know if the other part of the partition could he dealt with in the same, way, hut after again consulting the overseer, the chairman could not recommend the application. The opening of the Stratford Dis ti-ict High School was celebrated on Thursday, the 18th inst., when a ver\ successful social gathering was held m l 0 school. Unfortunately the Mia istor for Education was not able to he present. Temporary Appointments. ihe chairman reported that tiie following temporary appointments had hejm made; Mrs Morgan, temporary assistant at Stratford in place of Miss j-atlei ; Miss .Ho by had been transferred from Huiakama to Fitr.roy, 'and alias Bollinger from Fitzroy to'.Huiakama. Technical Dirooter’s Report. Mr Pallantyno, superinteudont of the Technical Oollego, reported that during the past mouth grants amounting to £lO5 Is had been received from the Department. Mr Sullivan had, owing to ill-health, been compelled to resign his position as instructor and ■superintendent of the Technical College, and Jig would like to place on record ins conscientious manner in which he had discharged ike duties assigned to him. In order to bring th.o Xew Plymouth school into line with Stratford and Inglewood, he recommended that Mr Heat ley should ho .appointed superintendent at tiie New Plymouth Technical College, and Mat Mr k. V/. Sandford ho appointed to supervise when Mr Heal ley was away in the country. An application had been forwarded to the Department for a grant of £2O towards the cost of an extension to the plumbing room, in which the forges used in coin neclion with the metal-work classes may bo place,’. Application had also been made to iho electric light department of the borough for the installation of electric power iy the woodwork room, for the purpose of working a circular saw and' a woodtuvning lift he.—Adopted:. Technical Organiser's Report. Mr F. J. Heathy, technical organiser, reported that the number of students on the rolls of the various classes, inclusive of the technical day classes, was as follows:—Commercial English 27, commercial arithmetic 27, Mathematics 20, shorthand 20, commercial geography 21, typing 11, Standard V!. proficiency 11, I.afin G, book-weeping 29, correspondence and precis 1-1, dressmaking 20, plumbing 0, cookery 11, woodwork Pi, milliner;, |] ; machine and building construction (i, freehand and mode! drawing, etc.. 2G. painting and art PS, elocution ,T, chemistry 21, physiology and first aid 21, hygiene 0, physics 21. 1 he day classes were a substantial increase to the numbers and had created interest in the college. The gu-is of the secondary deparPaumt of the Com.enf laid taken advantage of tlm physiology class under Dr. Poor;as. Through tin. kindness of some of the leading business men of the town, the member? of the y commercial class would be enabled to spend some time before assembling at the red lege in the va.ri ous officein turn to see the practical side o 7 office v.-fu-I:. recommended to act as instructor in place of Mr Suliivan, who, acting under medical instruction, had resigned from, night work. The rural classes ha:! t-ommcin d, ami niaild shortly be in full roving. At Inglewood, cookery ami woodwork 'classes wore being carried on. a (Irsl aid class war; in course of formation. and it was homed during the winter months to have a course lor the younger farmers. At Strafford e, -Milium; firm <P. ;scs in arithmetic and Ee.giisi' had been finned. A dressmaking class had also been form'd, and he had been endeavouring to arrange for millinery (-hisses in the viesdiy oi Si raPord. A class had been formed at Tariki, and others wo dd iio taken up if suitable arrangements amid he made at Cardiff, \gaore, and Midhirst, During the month lie had visited the various schools taking up agriculture and dairy work. Several schools had taken up the work for the first time ti.ds year. On In’s visits lie had pointed out tiro opportunities afforded

to the children by the hom'd y;ieill agricult urn. 1 scholarships.—Adopted. Stratford School Ground-.

Messrs 11. Masters ami \V. .Rogers reported' that tlioy hail, in conjunction with two imnnhors of the Stratford School Committee, inspected the Stratford School grounds, and found that various work was required. Until the horse paddock and school fencer required repairs. Various improvements were, also required in the school yard. The estimated cost of the whole would he '£-50, of which the School Committee was prepared to pay £2O. The report was adopted, and it was resolved,to ask die committee to undertake the work under the supervision of Mr Masters, the Board’s -share of the expense not to exceed £3O.

Mr 11. Masters also referred to the ! congested playing area, pointing out that fo.r over 700 children there war about half an acre available. The children, therefore, had to run on the streets or the park. He suggested that the schoolmaster’s residence adjoining, which was old and inconvenient, should be removed and a new residence built on the school reserve in Broadway south. The ground at present occupied by the residence could be thrown into the playground. On the motion of Mr Masters, it was resolved to make application to the Department for a grant to erect a new residence on the site suggested. StraHorcl Staffing. The Stratford School Committee wrote, asking that a qualified female assistant should be appointed to take charge of the infant classes in place of the uucertilicated teacher.—Alter some discussion it was resolved that ✓the Board saw no reason at present to re-open the question of staffing the school. General. The application by the Egmont Village School Committee for an additional tank was refused, Mr Morton having reported that the tank at the school was sufficient for present needs, j .Messrs Sanderson and (Griffiths (ar- 1 chitects) notified that the recently built Stratford school had been taken j over on Monday, -list inst., and. school was now being carried on in Die building. There were • still a few small items, which would be attended to during the month’s maintenance. The letter from the Opna School | Committee was referred to the teacher for explanation. Truant Officer’s Report. Mr A. Hooker (truant officer) reported that during the quarter ending March .'ll lie had issued 79 final notices for irregular attendance, and had also personally visited a number of parents. He had also prepared a number, of summonses for the Opu- 1 nakc, Stratford, Inglewood, Waitara, and New Plymouth courts against parents who persistently kept their children, away from school. He also drew the Board’s attention to the necessity for more care being taken by the teachers in making up the monthly returns of absence, as in one case where 50 names had been reported, on careful analysis these bad boon reduced to four. —“News.”