TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 23 January 1907, Page 3

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

The Education Board met on Tuesday evening, present: Messrs dames Made (chairman), G. A. Adlain, G. Tisch. J. VV. jl orison, w. Jjonkhouse, 11. Trimble, W. McL. Kennedy, 11. l'au/1, and A. Morton. AUC'IUTKCT'S REPORT. The avehiteet reported having visit ed high-wool twice. Jlhlhirst. twice, envadord twice, and'('ai'dill once. Ai iuglew.Mul the painting was proceeding suti-luclorilv. ami'would he completed in 11 few da vs. Good progress was being mad,, with lii- ilidhirsl school nil.■rations. Painting at Wai (a 111 was completed. 'Tenders had been ca led ami accepted for addition to (lie residence at Frankley road, and the work would lie proceeded with at mice. Tainting of the Central school residence was completed, and the contractors would complete the asphalting of the scboolground in a, few days. All addition (0 ilie Carditl' re sidencc. witii a washhnuse. the whole estimated cost being £!Ki. The school also required some repairs, the spouting downpipes and boarding needing ettenth.ii. besides which the building needed painting: 'estimated cost £±i.

"I was somewhat surprised," wrote Hie architect, "that (In- cliimnev is still a nuisance." although i! had been rebuilt. As the work of creeling the New Plymouth technical school was Hearing completion, it might be as well In Irv ■.-.onie means of having the earth removed rivnu the fiont of the building. Plans had been prepared

and lenders called for a new residence at Fgmont Village, and the new Kacae school was in course of con struction. In regard to (he bathroom at Midhirsl. the best place for it .was in the washhoiise, which is attached to the bouse at the back.

The architect; was instructed to advertise that tine Hoard has several hundred yards of spoil earth to dispose of at the New Plymouth technical school site/"

The tarring and sanding at the Stratford school is 'to be completed at once.

'The architect's report as amended was adopted.

• CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. Tlio Chairman reported that Mrs Greenwood had been appointed tcaefrior of the Pohokura school, and Miss Cassic would op™ the temporary Nowall jj-dridi schcil on 4tli, Febi-uary. Other appointments wore: Stratford n.11.5.. assistant, Miss E. Urquhart; West End, Mr M. Meovnborg; I'niti. leacher. Miss E. Bielie'no. The District Knginecr at Auckland had reported that the erection of the Mangnpapa school was lioinpf carried onf, ami would probahly be ready for opening on February 4th. Arrangements had been made for 'the use of a house as a school at Aria, and correspondence was being carried on with regard to the erection 'of a school building at Tatu. The School Commissioners had set aside 2*/ 3 ' acres as an addition to the Tarilci school ground, and the Board would be caled on to pay for the survey. Mr Trimble IconsiiroftyT itiio BeJaril had been treated with scant courtesy by the School Commissioners in ]»■- gard to the Tarilci site. The Board had asked for five acres, in a certain position, but the Commissioners had merely cut off 2y., adres in another position without consulting the Board. The Commissioners hail, in his opinion, taken the narrowest possible view ■of t'ii'eir duties. They seemed to hare considered only the aspect of getting revenue from their reserves. In ail .country schools, where it cou] r ] be done without great expense, there should be good playgrounds—an acre or so was of no use, for this was not. even sufficient for the modern meOiods of teaching. Children, by means of nature study, had to learn by observation more than from books. The Commissioners had relet th'e re'evve, so that now the Board could only vainly protest. Was the paltry saving of £8 a year or thereabouls worth considering, when the colony was spending three quarters of a mil lion a year on education? It was also necessary in country places—in towns it was impossible—to get people interested in upkeep of sites, and this could only be done by having sufficient space for playing football and other games that adults were interested in. II" considered the Commissioners bad made a great mistake and taken a narrow \iew of i\wr duties, and Inoß t.;i:- opjiuriunitv of enterimr hi- nrotcsl.

Mr Fa nil said that Mr Jamieson, of Tiiriki. had wrilten to the Board for laud "for a district football and cricket ground." That was not the School Commissioners' business.

Mr Wade said lie was surprised to bear such remarks as had fallen from Mr Trimble, for tire School Commissioners in Taranaki had done more more for education than any other similar body in the colony. It was one -of tiie poorest, and one of Ihe smallest, vet ils operations had caused people'in other disrtiets to ask tiie Minister how the work was done. He reminded the Hoard that the Commissioners were perfectly at liberty to grant a sile or not. The Commission ers wen- a board of trust, arid would they be doing their duty if they gave to people other than educational authorities land for a sports ground? Mr Trimble had said the Commissioners set aside the small area without consulting ihe Board. That was not so. Mr Monkhouse asked if the position was irivlrievahle. The Chairman answered in lira affirmative. The reserve, less the 2'/j acres, had been leased sinee. In answer to Mr Morison. the Chairman said the Commissioners had thought two acres sufficient. Mr Morison agreed with Mr Trimble, arid thought the Commissioners should have informed this Board that only 2 1 /. acres would be granted, instead of pegging it oil' right away. Tariki people thought they were hardly treated. Mr'Fa nil said the Commissioners, of eour.-c. set aside what they considered necessary. It was quite evident I hat the site was nut wanted as a school site at all. " ■'«--'

Mr Morison reiterated the Commissioners had showed scant courtesy to this Board.

Mr Monkhouse. whilst sympathsiing with Mi- Trimble in his protest, said that ihe Commissioner had always treated this Hoard with every courtesy and consideration, though there seemed on this occasion to have been some slight unintentional discourtesy and an error of judgment in not making the sclioolground large enough for cricket and football.

SELECTION COMMITTED The Teachers' Selection Committee reported thai applications had been received fur positions as follows: Lincoln road 7. Stratford D.H.S. 3, West End 5. Makahu •",. Ononui 3, Pibaina 3. Piuiiwli-ikaii 1, Talioni 1, and \ria eel K'aeaee 1. The cuiiimitiee rccn-.miciide.l that the following names be forwarded to the committees interest ah—Lincoln road: \V. A. Brown. W.; L. Bieheno. El, J. T. Yevscv I'd: and Mrs M. Kennedy, !>■■*" siraiiord 1).U.5.: P. C. Bowler part C: D. O. McKenzie. West End: Misses M. Potts, E4; L. M»nerfy. licensed-, M. Hutcheson, licensed- Miss \. Crawford, licensed; Miss M ' Bernstein, licensed. Makahu: Mrs \l Keiinedv. 1)3: Miss K. Williams. n-M.niii- Mis- M. McNicol, Miss J. C-,uiei-oii Pihaiiiii: Miss J. C-amer- ,„, ■„„! Mi-s M. McNicol. Pmiwhakair. M. 11. ISuiley. Tabora : Miss V, Mailman. Aria and lvacaeu: Miss U. A. McMillan.

MA NT AT, AND TECHNICAL. Mr Silencer. Director of Technica Hueelion. repotted mat the relun ,-,„. ( „ llUl ,'ion for all ela-ses dunm i.uif, had been forwarded 1-. Hie Ac ;.,„„.„,, ||,.. (etal claim amountm; ,', e- r ,-, i.is Id. The Dtparln.ere !, ,„..,.,:,.,| Hi.- sum of £270 for ( j I,; w.iedwnvk room at Stratford nu. !, „i'.-,tional sum <»f £lsl I"r J'""'-' up f'U" pre-cnt woodwork room as i cookery room.