TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 269, 23 March 1911, Page 3

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. Tlie monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was commenced oil Tuesday night, when there were .presentMessrs Jas. Wade (chairman), A. Morton, W. L. Kennedy. G. Rogers, A. H. llaleombe, 11. Trimble, \V. C. Cargill, Young and G. A. Adlam. SKINNER ROAD GRAVEL PIT. With regard to the request of the settlers at the Sikimier road gravel pit for the establishment of the school, the Chief Inspector reported that on making enquiries he found that arrangements could be made with the Public Works Department to bear the cost of the erection of a footbridge over the Patea river to allow of the children attending the Bird school a little over a mile away, provided that a written guarantee could be got from one of the settlers that the children would be allowed to pass through his property. He had written to the Bird School Committee, arid received a reply the settler was amiable to the cfiildi'-eii passing through' his property. If a written guarantee were obtained, he recommended that steps be taken at once to have the bridge erected. The report was received, and the recommendations will be given effect to, provided the bridge is erected without cost to the Board. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. Mr. W. A. Ballantyne, Director of Technical Education, reported that technical classes were opened at New Plymouth and Stratford on the 20th inst., and steps had been taken for opening classes at Inglewood and other centres later on. On Saturday last teachers' classes were started at New Plymouth and Stratford, and tnere was every reason to think they would be well attended. With regard to the question of installing a pelton wheel at the New Plymouth Technical School, the consensus of opinion of the experts he bad consulted was that the best power to instal was an electric motor. He therefore recommended that application be made to the Department for the cost of an electric motor. Mr. F. J. Ileatlev. Technical Organiser, submitted a report on the organising work done during the past month, and the arrangements made by the advisory committees at New Plymouth, Stratford and Inglewood. He further reported that by the co-operation of the dairy secretaries he had issued a circular to each milk supplier re lectures on dairy work, etc. He had visited Stratford weekly for the purpose of giving dairy instruction. Other schools were applying for apparatus, accompanied' hv remittances, and he would visit them as soon as the apparatus came to hand. He further suggested in connection with dairy instruction that it might be worth considering by the Board that the winter holidays be a fortnight and a winter school for teachers be held for instruction in dairy work for ten days. The report was received, aiid it was resolved that the rules adopted by the New Plymouth Technical Advisory Committee meet with the approval of the Board. The Directors' report was also adopted. It .was also decided that the request of' the Inglewood Advisory Committee for requirements at the school be acceded to, with the exception of the fence, ■•which was referred to Mr. Trimble, with power to act. SCHOLARSHIPS. Mr. W. A. Ballantyne, Chief Inspector, reported on the allocation of the scholarship money still in hand. Owing to the acceptance of the Bayly Memorial Scholarship by A. J. Bacon, and the retention by I. W. Weston of the National Scholarship, won in 1910, the sum of £lO had been released, which he recommended to be allocated as follows:—The scholarship of May Isabel Whitaker to be increased from £3 Os 3d to £3; a Junior Board Scholarship of the value of £"> to be awarded to Lawrence Frederick Rudd, and that the surplus of .£3 fis 3d be offered as a Senior Board Scholarship to Marjorie Joyce Bollinger.—Adopted. APPOINTMENTS. The following appointments were confirmed:—Mr. Bocoek, sole teacher, Huiroa; Mr. Templer, sole teacher, Tarata; Miss O'Brien, assistant, West End; Mr. N. Day, sole teacher, Raitpuha; Master Robin Robinson, first year probationer, Waitara; Miss Blanche Hunt, first year pupil teacher, Waitara; and Miss Lorna Williams, first year pupil teacher, Inglewood. Miss B. Black was appointed temporary assistant at Stanley School during Mrs. Richmond's absence for a month on sick leave. THE TARANAKI SCHOLARSHIPS. Regarding the Taranaki Scholarships Act, the inspectors reported that, the only clause they thought it desirable to amend at the present time was clause 70 (d), which read: "No more than one scholarship should be awarded in any one year to any one school." In the Taranaki provincial dictrict at the present time there were only four secondary schools, and it was quite possible that in anv one year all the candidates qualifying might belong to only one of these schools. They therefore recommended that the following words be added to the clause: —"Provided, however, that if it is found that the number of candidates who have qualified under this clause is less than the number of scholarships offered, then the remaining j scholarships shall be awarded in order of merit to the other candidates who have qualified in all other respects."— The report was adopted. SUMMER SCHOOL. Re Major McDonald's suggestion that a summer school be held during the last week in the holidays and llie first school week in the year, to enable cadet officers to get the necessary instruction in physical drill, the Chief Inspector reported that the greater number of teachers who would be likely to attend the school would be young and uncertificated teachers. These us u rule included few, if any, cadet officers, so it would be evident that the summer school would not in itself offer much inducement for the cadet officers to come together. The majority of uncertificated teachers were working up for their teachers' certificates, and as tile examination ivas held in January and extended well on towards the end of the holiday, it would lie hardly fair to expect them to start, with practically no intermission, a. cour-e of study at a summer school. At the same time, ho saw no objection lo leave of absence being granted to cadet officers to attend a school of instruction. —Adopted. MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meet in'.' of the Taranaki Education Hoard was continued Yesterday inorniijg. all the members being present. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee's report was adopted as follows: Waitara. Thai, the matter of enlarging the shelter sheds be left in the hands of Mr Halcombc with power to act. Store-room. The chairman to be empowered to have a storeroom 30ft by -20 ft erected at the back of the Board's office. Uruti .—Blinds are to bo supplied and repairs executed at Uruti.

Midhirst— I Timber for a gate is to ! supplied. | Inglewood.—The application of the In- j glewood school committee for a subsidy [ of £ for £ oil £l7 8s lid raised by the committee for improvements to the ground was referred hack for further information. The matter of the overcrowding of the infant room was referred to- the Chief Inspector for his report.

Ratapiko. —Various repairs were left in the hands of the Chairman with power to act. Tariki.—The application for £2 10s to provide a suitable place to store cadet equipment is to be forwarded to the Commandant of the Defence forces. The Taranaki County Council is to be asked to put in a culvert at the approach to the school. The remarks re the state of the roof have been noted. Kora. —The sum of £8 is to be paid this committee for grubbing gorse, etc., and they are to be asked to submit cost of grubbing their half chain of road. Tongaporutu. The Board will supply material for outhouses if the committee provide the labor. Cardiff—Repair? to be left in Chairpan's hands. The supply of desks WA* referred to the inspectors, and the application for subsidy for improvements to grounds was referred to Mr Rogers. Tarurutangi.—'Two forms to be supplied as requested. Central.—The supply of new blinds and two clock# was referred to the Inspector. The Board will supply the material for the necessary repairs to fence and yard if the committee do the work. Kahui.—Mr. Eatocik to do the repairs asked for. Board's overseer.—The board's overseer is to have an increase of salary to the extent of £25 per annum. This was recommended owing to the many extra duties devolving on the overseer, and the good and faithful services rendered. PROPOSED NEW SCHOOLS. The Waihi School Committee again urged on the Board the imperative necessity of having a new school and residence erected in tlie district, as the present school was totally unfitted for the present and future require: iits of a growing district, and detrii,. ntal alike to the physical and mental development of the children. They further invited the members of the Board to pay a personal visit.—An application is to be made to the Department for a grant for the erection of this school and residence. Mr. W. J. Feeeth waited on the board, on behalf of several settlers in the Pukearuhe district, and asked that a new school be erected in a more central position.—The inspector is to report on the application. . CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. Mr. Wm. E. Richardson, of Inglewood, wrote' to the chairman as follows:—"In further reference to our conversation re the excessive use of corporal punishment in Inglewood School, I shall be obliged if you will kindly lay the matter' before your board. I regret the necessity of doing so, but I believe it to be in the interests of education in this district., Acting on information received, I wrote to the school committee some time last September, drawing their attention to a case of excessive punishment which had taken place, also to the fact that the continued use of the strap as an incentive to diligence was quite contrary to the snirit. and intention of the Education Board's rules. I wrote several letters on the subject, in an endeavor to induce the committee to interest themselves in the matter, but without success, that body apparently resenting any criticism of the management of the school. Since I first wrote to the committee, several cases of excessive punishment have occurred, to some of which I again drew the attention of the committee. One especially severe case took place a week or two ago, in which the punishment was most unreasonably severe. Unfortunately, the father of tlie boy, Mr. Peter Lawson, in an interview with the headmaster, agreed not to take any further action in the matter, and although their attention has been drawn to the case by me the committee declined even to investigate the case, because the parents have taken no action. Now, while I admit that if the case was serious the parents might reasonably be expected to complain, I maintain that any parent of children attending the school should have a right to see that they arc protected from such undue severity, and also to draw attention to any abuse that may exist. I may say 'that in bringing this matter before your board I have no wish to prejudice the board against the head-teaclier, and I consider it should have been unnecessary for my complaint to go further than the school committee, but as I could not induce thajt body to admit my right to ask for an investigation't had no other course open to me but to appeal to your board. I enclose herewith a ) cheque for £5, as I believe it only fair that your board should have a''guarantee against being pmt to the trouble of investigating a frivolous or unfounded complaint." On the motion of Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Trimble, it was resolved to forward a copy of the letter to the Inglewood committee, and return the cheque to Mr. Richardson. IN CAMERA MATTERS, The board went into committee to consider several matters. On resuming in open meeting the following resolutions were reported and adopted: "That Mr. Smart be informed that the board regrets that charges of sharp practices have been imputed against Jiim, and begs to state that this board, has every confidence in him, and desires him to reconsider his intention to resign his position of instructor in plumbing at the New Plymouth Technical School." "That a copy of the letter containing the charges he sent to Mr. Johnston, and that on receipt of his reply an enquiry be held by a committee consisting of Messrs.. Morton and Trimble. This resolution concerned a complaint made in a letter written by Miss M. Riordan, who had been transferred from the Fitzroy School to Waitara. GENERAL. Tt was decided to call the present Tongaporutu school "Ahititi," and the new school wi|] Ijo called ''Tongaporutu." The application of a Uruti road lady, an e\-sc.!ioolmistrcss, for apparatus for a school which she is holding voluntarily on the I ruti load, seven miles from the nearest, school, was referred to the inspector. The Board decided to urge upon the Minister of Public Works the necessity of making a grant for opening lip the Derby IIis:i• 1 i<, . u-ible (lie children to at,!»nd I!:,. Dm!,,,.;, School. lloii>eliol'>!'-' Hirelings are to be called for April 12 m the Lower Mangorci and Aekland siliools fur tlie purpose of dividing the districts an I electing new committee'. With regard to a request from the Taranaki branch of the Teachers' Institute. asking that each school, committee be |;iveti a. tabulated .statement of the receipts and expenditure, in connection with the manual classes at primary schools, the board decided to inform the institute that no good purpose would be served by supplying such statements.