EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 87, 29 August 1912, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

ADJOURNED MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki Education Board resumed its deliberations yesterday morning, all the members being in attendance. TRAINING UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS. Another batch of replies were rea.il in reference, to a resolution by the board recommending the adoption of its scheme for the training of uncertificated teachers. The South Canterbury Board replied that it did not consider a scheme for the training of uncertificated teachers in its district was urgent, as the number of untrained teachers there was very small. The Hawke's Bay Board intimated that it had referred the resolution ita I its inspectors for consideration and report. The secretary of the Wanganui Board wrote in the following strain:—"While my board sympathises with your board's proposal a different method has been adopted in this district, viz., that of sending uncertificated and inexperienced teachers for a time to schools known as observation schools. The board is now about to establish u model country school in connection with the new infant school in Wanganui, which will be conducted chiefly by the organising inspector, and which will he attended by such teachers as may be designated by the inspectors." JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIPS. Tko board's solicitors (Messrs Goyett and Quilliam) advised the board on tht question whether section 5 of "The Education Amendment Act 1010," took from the board the power to prescribe the age for Junior Board Scholarships at less than 13 years. The section provided, remarked the solicitors, that the scholarships must be open to all children who were of the "prescribed" age, being in the case of the scholarships not more than 15 years. The board by regulations of May 27, 1011 (approved by the MinisIter for Education) prescribed the age as 14 years. In their opinion, the "prescribed age" by the board was 14 years, 1 and that being not more than the age { (15 years) prescribed by the Act, the ' board's regulations were valid. | On the motion of Mr Kennedy, it was decided to ask the inspectors to report on the question. THE CLASS-BOOKS. The Education Department wrote to the effect that the question of the free r supply of class-books was under considj eration, and it was probable that grants ' for miscellaneous readers, and possibly other books, would be curtailed or withdrawn, though grants for Bupplemen- • tary continuous readers would be pre- ! \ vided for next year. While it was not J possible to give more definite informaJ tion at present, it was felt that the I boards should at once be made acquaintI ed with the general lines of the proposed ! change in order that care might be ex- j ercised in ordering supplies of books. |

APPOINTMENTS TO SCHOOL COMMITTEES. In pursuance to the recommendations from the committees interested, the folI following appointments to the committees were confirmed: Bell Block, Mr A. G. Orchard in place of Mr Rutherford, resigned; Awatuna, Mr B. Tobin, in place of Mr. S.- Madgewick, resigned; Rowan, Messrs H. Mundy and A.°Chilman in place of Messrs G. S. Thorburn and A. Baird, resigned HEATING STRATFORD SCHOOL. The Stratford school committee -wrote | requesting the removal of the stoves at present installed and the substitution©! a hot water system. In supporting the committee's request, Mr. R. Masters described the store system as a failure, both from the point of view of expense and heating. It cost ' £1 a week to supply them with fuel. I nut it would not, he said, be so bad if j they got any heat out of them, | As bearing out what Mr. Masters hU said, Mr Adlam said that all the teat went up the chimney.. The board decided to instruct the overseer to alter the arrangement of one of the stoves to endeavor to improve the heating of the room. SCHOOL COMMITTEES* REQUIREMENTS. Arising out of applications from school committees, the folowing decisions were arrived at:—That the application of the Rowan school for new desks be referred to the chief inspector with power to act; that the Bell Block committee be granted £ for £ subsidy towards asphalting. the grounds and shed, the board's share not to exceed £8; tliat •the Purangi committee be asked to statewhat quantity of gravel it required for i metalling around the school; that the ' Toko school committee be granted a i subsidy of £Q 14s towards the cost of fencing around the swimming bath; that j the Pihama committee be informed that I the. board does not supply coppers for washhouses; that the Kent committee be supplied with material for asphalting, provided it carried out t'-e work; that application be made to tbe Bepan,ment for extra porch accommodation at Puniho. ' The following matters were referred to the overseer with power to act: — Marco, painting school and supplying two gates; Toko, attending to fire-plac-es; Tuna, report re papering; Radnor, erection of new out-buildings; Tariki, erection of skvlight.s. GENERAL. Mrs Hair's aplication for a household school at Ratapiko was referred to the chairman with power to act. I The Education Department intimated that a grant of £92 had been made for the erection of a new school at Ihaia. After considerable discussion, it was decided that the matter of the amount of the penalty to be deducted from Messrs Boon Bros, and of other matters in dispute in connection with the Stratford school building be referred to the chairman with full power to settle the same on such terms as he thought fit. The chairman's report on the Kur» school grounds was received and referred to Mr Adlam with power to act. The petition received from six settlers I at Kiri asking that a school be erected in their district was referred to the specter for report. The site proposed ig four miles from Kom, 4% miles from Carrington, and 5 -miles from the Upper Mangorei Road. The petitioners between them have 17 children of school age and they undertook to clear the sito and give assistance on the building. Mr H. J. Blanchett was willing to give a site of onp acre, and the local sawmiller offered £2O worth of limber towards the building. Mr. Masters moved a motion, of which he had previously given notice, that the resolution carried at the meeting of the Board, held ou August 51, MOO, "That the monthly meetings of the Board be held on the fourth Wednesday and preceding Tuesday, commencing at 7-30 p.m. on the Tuesday, and at 9.30 a.m. ou the Wednesday, be rescinded, and that the Board meet in future at 1 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday in each month iind sit until the business before the Board is completed. After meeting with some opposili'in, the motion was carried. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. C. H. Moore) reported that at Bell Block two new buildings had heen erected and general repairs nit ended to. The new school had been finished at Bird, and improved ventilation provided in the class-room. A radiator stove had been installed at Radnor School. A start had been made with the new residence at Whangamomona. Rkylighls were put in the Norfolk school, greatly improving the light in the class-rooms. Considerable repairs had been effected to the Central

j- 1 School, and the painting work was well f forward. General repairs had been ef- -, feeted to the Courtenay street infant school, and the ventilation of the building much improved. At Tariki School | he Tecommonded that two double skylights Tie installed in one of the classrooms. The overseer also mentioned that he had authorised repairs at the huiakama school. Small repairs were necessary to the Tututawa school and the residence. Alterations and repairs had been effected to the residences at Koru and Oakura, and the leak at Newall School attended to. As a grant had been made for a small school at Ihaia, he suggested that the Department should be asked to decide about the proposed work at Warea. Both these jobs could be worked more economically together. The report was received.