EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 261, 27 March 1913, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. | ' The Education Board met yesterday, ] (ho chairman (Mr.- 11. Trimble) presidiurr. Other members present were Messrs. (J. Adlam. .1. Young, >J. itasters, A. M. Bradbury.. W. Rogers, A. 11. llalconibe, A. Morton and \V. L. Kennedy. ! WEST END SCHOOL AUDITIONS. The Chief Inspector tabled a report on the request of the West End School Committee for additions to the school. According to the Department's reguhtions, the lloor space provided accommodation for 404 children, and, therefore, the application made on the ground of lack of floor space must fail. In a school of this size. however, when the floor space was limited, the greatest-, dili'ienlty was experienced in organism;: the classes so as to find sullicient room ■ for several classes, and some of the class-rooms must necessarily be overcrowded. This was the ease with the ' infant department at the West End School. The floor space provided seating accommodation for at the most 106 children, whereas the number at present on the roll of this department was 110, and he could not see how it was possible to relieve the pressure unless an extra room was erected. The congestion in the infant department was likely to be intensified as time went on. as the infant roll last year increased from 120 at the beginning of the year to IR2 at the end. Should the same increase take place this year (and he had no reason to doubt that it would) there would not be room to seat the children. Under the circumstances he recommended that representations he made to the Department for an addition. In making the application it be as well to mention that a petroleum refinery was being erected at Moturoa, and that the borough of New Plymouth had decided to instal an electric tramway system. When both these works were completed there "was certain to be a large increase of population in the West End. The Board adopted the report and decided to apply to the Department for a grant. SCHOOL FOR PITONE ROAD. The Chief Inspector reported that tire Pitone road settlers were' prepared to erect at their own expense a temporary building for a school, provided that the Hoard found a teacher and equipped the building. As a result of a visit to the district, he considered that it would not go ahead to any appreciable extent, and that a temporary building would meet the requirements for some time to come. He therefore recommended that the offer of the settlers be accepted and. that a temporary school'be established. —The report jvas adopted. KAIMATA SCHOOL. The Chief Inspector reported adversely on the Kaimata School Committee's request for additions to the local school. —The report was adopted. OHONOA SCHOOL SITE. Mr. Halcombe submitted a report recommending the purchase of \'/i acres of land from Mr. Sarten, at the rate of £25 an acre, for the new school at Ohonga.—The report was adopted. TECHNICAL COLLEGE EXTENSIONS. The Director of Technical Education (Mr. A. Gray) reported that the day classes at present had a roll of 54, and application had again been made to the Department for recognition as a day technical school. The' art room was still being used as a class-room. In connection with the. proposed new woodwork room, the overseer had prepared a plan of a building 84ft by 34ft., .Some (iflft of the total length would "be occupied by the woodwork room, 12ft by the mechanical engineering' room, and 12ft l)V the laundry. Application should also be made for the proper fitting-up ; of the engineering room. The director recommended tliat when the woodwork Toom was vacated a movable partition should be erected to divide the room into two classrooms—one for the senior division and the other for the junior. He also thought it advisable that the classrooms should be desked with single desks. At Stratford, continuation classes were starting in Latin, and at Tnriki and Waitara technical classes in millinery and dressmaking. OVERSEER'S REPORT.

The overseer (Mr. C. 11. Moore) recommended that the teacher's residence at i Okato be renovated at a; cost of £35. Minor repairs liad been effected at the' Tataraimaka. Hell Block and Lepperton schools-, and to the teachers' residences at the Central and Puna schools. The shelter shed at the Central School was practically complete. General repairs had been effected to the school and residence at Stratford. The erection of the new .school at \\ ai iigonuoi'o would be completed in a week. Mr. Moore also submitted plans for additions to Ihe West End school, a residence at Raupulut and also for a building to house the woodwork, metal-work and laundry classes at the New Plymouth Technical College. HEAT I KG STRATFORD SCHOOL. The Stratford School Committee forwarded a resolution recommending that a hot-water heating service he installed in place of the stoves, which had proved unsatisfactory. ' The effectiveness of the system was not (|uestioned hv members, but some ob- I jection w.is raised on the score of cost, which was roughly estimated at about £lliO, and ultimately the overseer'' was'' asked to report on the whole question. A I'ITZROY ".MATTER. The I'itzrov Committee was granted a ' subsidy of £ for £ up to £35 for the purpose of erecting a large shelter shed and gymnasium combined, to replace the pie.seni shelter shed. The cost of the structure is estimated at £l5O. GENERAL. Mr. Royd Garlick, Director of Physical Education in the schools of the Dominion, notified that as the outcome of a meeting of the Wellington Headmasters' Association, the Wellington city schools had decided to abandon military drill in the future. It was decided to support the nomination S, block S. I'pper Waitara S.D., was the Victoria College Council. Mr. Magi nil y is the sitting member. ■ Jn accordance with the request of the principal, the inspectors were authorised to inspect the Roman Catholic High School at New Plvmouth and to.hold an annual examination of the pupils attending the institution. Mr. E. J. Wilton's application for section 8, block 8, I'pper Waitara S.D., was referred to Mr. Halcombe for report. The Bird School Committee wrote asking that additions should be made to the school, on account of overcrowding. —Referred to the inspector for report. A subsidy of £ for £ was granted to the Pnniho Commitee for"gravelling the school grounds. It was decided to inform the Uruti School Committee that the Board did not make it a practice to supply copper and tubs to school residences, and that the question of painting would receive attention when the overseer considered the time opportune. Application was received for the enlargement of Musker's School; and after

I some discussion the matter was referred I 'to the overseer for report. ! 1 It was decided to subsidise £ for £ | the sum of £4 realised at the Oeo school 1 concert. The money will he expended in ploughing and re-grassing the school grounds. . The Opnnake School Committee was granted the. usual subsidy towards the erection of a shelter shed on the school grounds. Accounts amounting to £2700 were passed for payment.