EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 82, 27 September 1911, Page 8

EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MKKTIXG. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Hoard was held last night. There were present: Messrs. IT. Trimble (chairman), 0. A. Adlaui, .1. Young, W. C. Oargill, 0. W. Rogers, and A. Morton, and Rev. J. McArlhur. Messrs. Kennedy and Ilalcombe were granted leave of absence. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported as follows on matters dealt with since last meeting: Pohokura.—Miss Townsend having declined to take up the position as teaoher Mr. Ritchie was requested to remain in charge until further notice. Okoke. The committee forwarded copies of letters from parents of children lattending tlu> school, complaining of excessive punishment of their children by the teacher. The committee was informed that as the teacher was leaving, no good purpose would be served by an enquiry.

Douglas.—As you will remember, it was agreed to purchase three acres of land from Mr. Rao at Douglas for the school site, and Mr. Robinson was instructed accordingly, but when he completed the survey the site was found to contain four and a half acres. Mr. Robinson and Mr. Kennedy were communicated with, and after full investigation I was satisfied that owing to the configuration of the land the Board would have to take the four and a half acres. Application lias been made to the Department for a grant for the school and residence, and for half the cost of the site.

Hillsborough.—The committee having made an application for hedge plants, and as the spason was so lar advanced, I granted pel-mission for their purchase. Huiakama.—Application having been received from the committee for grass seed for the purpose of sowing down a portion of the school site that had been broken up, I requested Mr. Kennedy to supply the seed, knowing that it was time it was sown.

Dominion Day.—A circular memorandum having been received from the Department requesting that Monday, the 25th inst., should be observed by the schools, I directed that a circular tie forwarded to all head teachers. And the Department was notified that owing to the schools being closed from the 22nd inst. to the 2nd October, for the spring holidays, only a very few of them would be able to comply with the request. Stratford.—The school being the first one in Taranaki to be erected in brick, the committee wrote, expressing a wish that the foundation stone should be laid with a ceremony. I granted this permission, and accepted the committee's offer to make all arrangements. Den'bigh. Punilio, Hillsborough. Pembroke, Ilahntu.—The committees having written stating that, owing to their schools having been closed so long on account of epidemics in their districts, and requesting permission to keep their schools open during the time set apart for the spring holidays, permission has been granted, subject- to the consent of the teachers interested.

The following temporary appointments have been made:—Okoke. Mr, L. Buchler; Opua, Hiss I. Jones; Mohakau, Miss A. Smith.

Stratford.—Owing to representations from the Stratford School Committee and headmaster with regard to the average attendance, I granted permission for the school to be kept open to the end of this month, and for the week's holiday to be taken at. the beginning of October.

Technical School.—l have accepted a tender from the New Plymouth Sash and Door Company to supply pedestals for the art models that have just come to hand.—Adopted. FITZROY. Mr. A. Catbro, secretary to the Fitzroy Committee, wrote:—Owing to the extraordinary condition which "exists at our school, we respectfully urge upon r your Board, the necessity of substituting an assistant for the two pupil teachers engaged here. At present a second year pupil teacher has charge, of Standard If. (17 pupils), in a room by .herself. The headmaster's room, built to accommodate 50 pupils, has in it Standards 111, J.N.. \. and Vr„ consisting of "5 scholars. in our opinion, far too many to be taught efficiently. In the infant room, bmlt_ to accommodate 50 pupils, there are. 73 scholars. Although we have an- [ other pupil teacher, she has had no \ experience of teaching, and so cannot be j expected to take charge of a class unless under the direct supervision of one of the adult teachers. If an assistant be appointed, arrangements can be made to relieve the congestion of the two rooms referred to.—The committee to be informed that the Board will endeavor to comply with the request when malciii™ appointments of pupil teachers at the beginning of the vear. KAIMIRO SCHOOLfiIiOUND. I . M CSSI ' S - Trimble and Morton reported having visited Kaimiro in connection | with .the suggested additions to the schoolgrounds. and had made enquiries into the matter. Two gentlemen owning property adjoining or in. close proxinfjti to the school had been interviewed but neither was willing to sell any land' to the Board. Outsid,. of these properics there was no land tliat the membeis thougnt wouhl be in auv way suitable for Ihe purpose required bv the committee. They had, therefore 'no recommendation to make.—A copy' of the report is to be forwarded to the com- ' in it toe. TRCriNTCAL KDUCATIOX. Mr. W. A. Ballantvne, director of technical education, reported- - "The antique statuary, the classic'orders of architecture, etc., ordered some months ago in connection with the art classes have come to hand, and the art room' is now fairly well equipped and up to date. With the chairman's consent I nave given an order for seven stands for the full size models. The cost of these latter w,n be .about £B. The sum ot .1- 10s has been received from the Department as the initiid grant in aid of the agricultural classes carried on at the la rata School. Some time ago application was made to the Department T«W 6 T?1" >n , lh ° Xuw P'.vmouth 1 ethnical School of a. room that could oe used for woodwork, ■metal-work and engineering classes, and a reply i las leceived that the matter has been deterred pending a report on the school trom Mr. Isaac. Inspector of Technical liducation. Mr. I 1 J. Heatlcy. technical organiser reported on technical instruction for the month as follows: Stratford, _Tlie dessniaking class at. • tiatford is closing, ), n |; ; , <.| aits at Tjii-iki has been organised, and promises to be successful. The drawing class is <'oiif.» on. Inglewood.—There are no night classes sufficient students not having come for' ward to form classes in book-keeping or dressmaking for a second term. Quo would think that there should be at least, a minimum number for a dressmaking class in Inglewood. Mr. F. Gordon i, to lecture in Inglewood with the object of forming a class in poultry ■farming. •

New Plymouth.—-Trio seccmi? tmn oF the. clnssM k drawing to a ol« so , most ot Ui,. Hiks,.- linishinir ||ii.s nmntli. The ">[ Aleuts in atte»,ranee has j ow " il " »"|>rove.mcnt. there beinfr some !" »"»•" enUrnt tlian i„ the first *e«--non. A (Imire has l>een evinced (m t| lfl part Of the dressmaking students to

carry on a third term. This will be done if sufficient join. A class for instruction in tho care, etc., of poultry for profit, lias been organised under Mr. F. (iordon of Waitara, and .has proved very popular, some eighteen having joined. Pending the grant for equipment the mechanical engineering class has not been gone oil with, but it is hoped to have it on a good footing for next session.

I have 'been invited to deliver lectures on matters of i:i„erest to dairy farmers at Okato and York Road. During the month 1 have visited the schools at Toko, Raupuha, lluiakama, Midhirst, Tuna, York Road, Norfolk Road, Inglewood and Lincoln Road. With regard to i the agriculture taken up in the primary school at Stratford and New Plymouth, it may be worth while to go iiito the matter of rural or agricultural scholarships, where one of the subjects for examination would be agriculture. With regard to the further agricultural instruction of pupils it might be well to consider the possibility of a small model farm in the district, where a number of senior boys (10 to 18 years), who had put in a two or three years' course in the rural divisions of our secondary schools, might, under a practical agriculturist (who should be also competent in teaching), receive instruction in farming on a sufficient scale to be of use when they go back to the land. The brighter of the students might, after two or three years on the model farm; go to Lincoln College, where they might qualify as instructors. Tho report was adopted. Mr. Heatlcy will be asked to supply details of the working of the proposed model farm school. NEW SCHOOLS. Tho Cliief Inspector reported, with re-' gard to the application of the settlers for the establishment of a school on the Ihaia Road, that there were at present fourteen children of school age in the district. Four of these lived over three miles, four over four miles, one over five miles, and live oevr six miles from the Opunake School. Some of the children concerned could, however, in fine weather, could travel across country to the scho«l on the Opua Road, but in bad weather the creeks were impassable., Tho inspector understood that, at a very small cost, a footbridge could bo erected across the worst streams, and that tho school on the Ihaia Road could < be worked as a half-time school in conjunction with Opua. Ho therefore recommended that the offer of the settlers oil the Ihaia Roud to erect a building be accepted, and that a half-time school bo established.—Adopted. The Chief Inspector reported that on September . r > he visited the Mimi district, ami met a deputation of settlers with regard to their request for the establishment of a school at the Mimi. After fully explaining tho position ho left with the understanding that the forms of application which had been received 'by the settlers prior to his visit were to be filled in and posted in a day or two to the Board's secretary. As these forms had not as yet reached the office he recommended that the question of the establishment of a school be deferred pending their receipt.—-Adopted. GENERAL. In answer to the letter from the VVaihi School Committee, a copy of the teacher's reply to the Hoard will be forwarded to the committee. Mr. Young reported on the matter of the Oeo School site, and the Board decided to endeavor to obtain a transfer of the present site at Oeo from the owner to the. Board.

Messrs. -Sanderson and Griffiths, the Board's architects, reported that sufficient of the material for the rebuilding of the Stratford District High School was on the ground to enable the contractor to make a start this week.

Mr. Morton reported regarding the protest against the election of Mr. Locke to the Hillsborough School Committee, and the Hoard decided that Mr. Locke was a householder, and qualified for election.

The action of various committees in closing the schools, on account of epidemics, was confirmed.

The following appointments on school committees were confirmed: Lincoln, Mr. Metcalf, vice Mr. A. Nisbct, resigned; Rahotti, Mr. T. Phillijs, vice Mr. Cooper, resigned; Uniti, Mr. Rea, vice Mr..Muster, resigned; and Ratapiko, Mr. J. Asliton, vice Mr. J. Roguski, resigned.

Miss Rogers' resignation as sewing teacher of the I'liuiho School was accepted.

Leave of absence, on account of illness, was granted to teachers as under: Mohakau, Miss Watkiiis; Oeo, Mrs ISrcrcton; I* itzrov, Miss lvirton: Inglewood. Mr. Oow.

A letter was received from Messrs. Govett and Quilliam, the Board's solicitors, in reference to the acquisition of )i new school at Waihi, and a formal resolution was carried authorising that the necessary steps bo taken in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Act, 1!K)8.

The application of the settlers on the Radnor Road for the establishment of a new school was referred to the Chief Inspector for his report.