TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 53, 29 October 1914, Page 3

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held yesterday, there being present: Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), Adlam, Young. Masters, Bradbury, Mackay, Marfell, Morton. Leave of absence was granted to Mr Halcombe. INSPECTORS’ REPORT ON BOOKS. The Inspectors reported:— On account of the alteration of the syllabus, the arithmetic book at present in use (Southern Cross series) is more or less out of date. Two sets of arithmetics, (the Pacific and the Dominion) have been lately published to meet the requirements.

The inspectors have gone carefully through both series and find them suitable. The Teachers’ Institute has also considered the question, and has expressed an opinion in favor of the “Dominion.”

The Inspectors would, therefore, recommend the Board to adopt this series in this district.

In every oilier Education district, to meet the spirit of the regulations, a supplementary as well as a miscellaneous reader has been introduced. O'ne of the most suitable sets for this purpose is the A.L. Welcome Readers, published by Arnold and Sons, and we should like to see this series adopted. The Miscellaneous Readers npw in use have proved themselves unduly difficult, and we would, therefore, recommend that the “Alexandra Readers” bo substituted for them.

In reply to a question, Mr Ballantyne stated that the readers recommended were the only graded series in existence. No supplementary readers had been stocked. The schools received a grant for supplementary readers, and though it probably did not cover the cost, it went a good way towards doing so.

x Mr Acllarn deprecated constantly getting new books, and asked if it could not be avoided, as it came hard on the parents.

The Inspector pointed out that the new arithmetic books were necessary in order to comply with the requirements of the new -syllabus. Mr Marfell urged that the matter should stand over for a while to see if the books were adopted throughout the Dominion.

Mr Masters pointed out the hardship on stationers and busines people in ' frequently having books left on their hands, and the result of this was that they would refuse to stock the books. He advocated that no change should be made without sufficient notice being given.

The Inspector stated that the Wanganui Board was using the Alexandra readers with the greatest satisfaction, and the Auckland Board was throwing out the Pacific readers. The books had been submitted to the teachers while in camp, and they were all favorably impressed with the readers. There was no reason why the new reader should be issued immediately,

and the matter had been brought up now so as to give time to import tho new readers. I Mr Halcombe favored the adoption of tho inspectors’ recommendations. ; It .was eventually decided to adlipt

the report, the arithmetic hooks to

be brought into use as soon as possible, but the readers nut to come into use until the year 1916, Mr Marfell voting against the motion. Payments to sewing teachers, as recommended by the inspectors, were a uthorisod.—“News.”