EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 182, 19 December 1912, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki Education Hoard met yesterday,, the chairman (111'. H. Trimble) presiding. Other members present were: Messrs I?. Masters, A. M. Bradbury, G. A. Adlam, W. L. Kennedy, A. Morton. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. A. H. llalcombe and Mr. W. Rogers. SCHOLARSHIP REGULATIONS ALTERED. The inspectors reported that, .after carefully considering the question of the revision of the scholarship regulations referred to them by the Board, they would recommend that clause 2 be amended to read as follows: "The annual examination for competitors for junior scholarships shall be the examination for Junior National SciTolarships, and the annual examination of competitors for Senior Scholarships shall be the Civil .Service Junior examination." The inspectors added that they had also considered the question of raising the age of candidates for the junior scholarships, but had no recommendations to make in that direction. The report was adopted. A NEW READER. The chief inspector (Mr. W. A. Ballantyne) reported that the committee set up by the Board to consider the question "of adopting a new miscellaneous reader, recommended that the "Pacific Reader" be used in place of the "Imperial Reader." In answer to the chairman, the inspector said that local booksellers' stoeks of the "Imperial Reader" had become depleted, and they complained that they could not replenish them . The book was out of d:>te and out of print. The suggested new reader was, according to kis own knowledge, in use in more than half the education districts in the Dominion. The recommendation was adopted. CENTRAL SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS. A deputation from the Central School Committee, headed by Mr. F. P. Corkill, waited on the Board in support of several requests for improvements to the school grounds. Mr. Corkill explained' that the Committee wished to avail itself of a former offer of the Board to supply the material for re-asphalting the Central School grounds, contingent on the committee finding the labor. A new shelter shed was, added the speaker, urgently required for the boys. - Tlie cost was estimated at £OO, and the Committe would find half the money' if the Board would find the. balance. Further, it would keep the children dry underfoot in wot weather, if a lortion of the Courtenay Street School playground was asphalted. The Committee would find the labor if the Board provided the material. He also solicited a grant, for , the purpose of putting the swings in repair.—Realising the value of helping those who help themselves, the Board decided to grant the material required for the asphalting at both schools, and to make a grant of £ for £ up to £3O for the shelter shed. It.was 1 also decided to instruct the foreman to repair the locks and cupboards in.the Central School. PUKEIIO SCHOOL.

Reporting to the Board, Mr. R. J. Whetter, inspector, recommended that application bo made to the Department for .additional accommodation at t.ie Pukeho School—On the motioh' o£ jir. J. Masters, .seconded by Mr. A; Morton, it, was decided to apply for a grant for additions to the school and for a resiflpTlPP PROBATIONERS, '; ' ■ ' Notification was received from the Inspector-General of Schools that it was proposed to amend immediately the regulations relating to probationers in such a way as to provide for the appointment of one probationer for each eight hundred or part of eight hundred pupils in yearly average attendance in the district, in lieu of one probationer for each twelve hundred or part of twelve hundred as at present. The Board will be at liberty, accordingly, to arrange appointments for the coining year on the amended basis. DAY TECHNICAL SCHOOL. In reply to a communication from the Board regarding the- establishment of it day technical school, the InspectorGeneral of Schools stated that the Department was not aware that the Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School, had in. contemplation the establishment of technical classes. The courses would; it was understood, form part of the regular curriculum of tlie school, and would not include acy subject that might not be propeMy regarded as belonging to the secondary stage of education. The Department hoped to hear that an understanding, as the result of a conference or otherwise, had been arrived at between the Education Board and the Board of Governors with the view of avoiding unnecessary duplication. TEACHERS' RESIDENCES. , The Secretary for Education conveyed the regret of the Minister that iu view of the pressure on the vote for school buildings he had had to postpone for six months consideration of applications for I lie improvement of teachers' residences. VARIOUS MATTERS. The matter of leasing jbjie horsepaddock at the Puniwhakau School was left in Mr. Watchonvs hands, with power to act.—'Die question of the disposal of the temporary building at Oeo, lately used for school purposes, was left in the hands of Mr. Young, with power to act. Following on its application for an extra room, it was decided to inform the Pihama Committee that the Department had already refused to make grants for improvements to teachers' residence. —It was decided to grant the West End School Committee a £-for-£ subsidy towards the strengthening and lining of their shelter-shed,' the Board's share not to exceed £5. —The matter of the repairs to the Central School residence, and windows for the Waihi School were referred to the overseer to attend to.

GEXEKAL. Tlic rns|N'i'tor-(<cncr;U of Schools notified that a grant not exceeding .-(J2(H) Would lie I! V:ii 1 ;l 1 >1 <• fur [he year ending March :!I. I!i|-I, for ilu; I,milling of micrrl'ilie;lll• <L teachers on crLain Jinn?. Ihe Education Department intimated that the Department of Agriculture was prepared to entertain a[)]>iica(ions jYoiii Education Hoards for a, supply of a limited number of buds and "rafts to schools at wliieh a special feature was made of nursery work, under the supervision and direction of an itinerant instructor in agriculture. ill's. V\ inthrop, head teacher at .\fatau, was granted leave to remain at that school, instead of transferring to Tahora. 'J he Ackland School Committee applied for a grant of .£2 10s for fencing purposes, and at the same time complained that next year it was anticipated that there would he twenty-three scholars at the school, and the building could not accommodate that number with safety.—The request for a grant was agreed to, hut no action was taken with regard to the other matter. TECHNICAL COLLEGE. In his monthly report, the technical director (Mr. A. Gray) stated that the classes had now finished, and in 'many cases the students had signified thai.

appreciation of the work done, and their intention to become pupils again next year. Miss Colson, a pupil in tlic millinery class, had done some very good work, which entitled her to the collega certificate in that branch. The day j technical classes closed with a roll number of twenty-one. STcxt year he proposed to have the courses arranged more definitely, so that students would fee able to five more time to practical work.. Also he was trying to arrange for a mechanical engineering'course. The best thanks of the College were due to those gentlemen who had allowed the commercial class pupils to visit their offices on one day a week, in order to obtain practical knowledge of office work. Also he had to thank Mr. Whitcombe and the Board's office staff for help in the same direction. He recommended that the usual bonuses be voted to Mr. Tyrer (superintendent of techni- ! eal classes at Stratford), and Mr. .Sandford (supervisor at Xew Plymouth), and that the caretaker receive an increase in salary.—The report and recommendations were adopted. OVERSEER'S REPORT.

The overseer (Mr. Chas. 11. Moore) reported that the Oeo new school was now completed, with the exception of the radiator. He valued the old building at £6O. General repairs and other work had been put in hand at Opunake, while at Warea'a start had been made with painting the residence. The matter of installing folding doors in the Norfolk School would be attended to during the holidays, along with the painting of both the school and the residence/