Central School Committee.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7801, 18 April 1905, Page 2

Central School Committee.

A meeting of tho Central School Committee was held at tho Council Chambers on Monday night. There were present : Messrs W. A. Collis (Chairman), P. White, F. W. Okey, T. White, T. Frothy, (!. H. Maunder, Rev. S. S. Osborne, and the secretary (Mr C. T. Mills). —Letter of Thanks.— A letter was received from tho t'ourtenay Street School staff, , thanking the committee for defraying the expense of the gns connections at that school. —Drainage.— It was reported that the Tarnnaki Education Hoard had referred the matter of drainage at the Courtenay .Street School to the architect, and that it had since licen attended to. —lnspectors' Heports.—

lii answer to the committee's complaint as to the brevity of tho inspectors' reports on the'school work," the Education Hoard enclosed a statement from the inspectors, which set out that the amount of detail contained in a report must depend upon circumstances, and while nnxi.nis to give the committees every information oji the state of efficiency of their schools, they thought a report in needless detail valueless. Owing to the gutting of the school by lire, and other circumstances, the earlier closing of the school in view of the exhibition, the classification was left as' far as; possible to the headmaster. They concurred in his classification, and also reported in brief on the quality of the work. As the instruction was carri<>d on for a long time under adverse conditions, a more detailed report might not have done justice lo the teachers.

—School Committees' Powers.— A comprehensive letter was rcceivv ed from the Petono School Commit--0 tee, dealing with tho recent resignation of that body as a protest a- .- gainst the appointment by the Wel- . lington Education Board of a teachs er to its school in the face of the 1 unnnimous protest of the. committee • ami tho community of Petonc. The - difficulty nroso from the absolutely farcical method of consultation with . its school committees which the Wcl- „ lington Education Board adopts. The f Petone Committee submitted a copy of a petition to be signed and prot sented to the Minister. The petition culls attention to the . urgent need for amendment to the t Education Act in the direction of r making more explicit provision for thu proper consultation of school committees by the Education Hoards ■ in the appointment and removal of • teachers. ' ' A motion approving of the prini ciple of amending the Act in the di- ' lection of defining the powvrs ot . committees wqs carried, and the • Chairman was authorised to sign i tho petition on behalf of the con> mittee. —Proposed Association.— The secretary of the Fitzroy School Committee. (Mr A. Weller) wrote pointing out the necessity of a School Committees' Association to take united and effective action in all mutters pertaining to their interests, and he invited tho co-o|>eration of the Central Committee in the movement. The matter was referred to the incoming committee. —Proposed Concert.— The West End School Committee wrote suggesting that a combined concert and entertainment be givon m tho theatre ot an early date toy the two New Plymouth schools and the Fitzroy school, the proceeds to be divided between |he three. This also was referred to tho incoming committee, —Congratulation.— The Chairman, on behalf of the committee, congratulated Mr Maunder on his election to the Education Board. —Central School.— The headmasters report was read. Dealing with attendance, he stated that the average was JUT, and th.e ' roll number 57.1. ' The mat toy oj providing a coal ' shed was referred to the Education ' Board for attention. < H was mentioned that a sewing ' machine had now been provided for the instruction w' the girls in sow- ' iug. ' ! A. simply oi ,90 hooks had been re- ' ceivwt froin the Scripture Gift As- J ; social ion. It was agreed to leuv v ' the matter of providing ncconmioda- ] lion in the teachers' roon.i for the books to the Chairnmu. i