EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 30, 25 June 1914, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday, tfhere were present, Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), A. Morton, E. MaTfell, A. H. Halcombe, W. Rogers, A. M. Bradbury, J. Young, G. A. Adlam. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The chief inspector (Mr W. .A. Ba'Mantyne) reported as follows on matter» referred to liim at last meeting:—

Frankley Additions. —The school provided accommodation for 100 children, forty in the head-teacher's room and sixty in tihe assistant's, the present roll number was 107, and last year's average was 98. It would (be evident that on the grounds of floor space alone there was barely seating accommodation for the dhildren now in attendance. Moreover, organisation of classes suffered. The building of a school at Vogcltown would probably affect the attendance tc 'some extsnt, hut as it might 'be a considerable time before a grant was made by the Department for this purpose, it was not fair that the school should; suffer in the meantime. If tilie accommodation afforded by the gymnasium was to be left out of consideration, he recommended that an application be made to the Department for additions.

Douglas Additions—This se'hool provided, according to the Departments scale, accommodation for 48 puils. Th-e roll number was 60, the highest attendance for any one day being 47. The average attendance for last year was 3!) and for this j-«ar up to- the time of the» inspector's visit, 41. At the presort time he did nor think additions /were warranted. He recommended that a curtain be supplied to this isdhool, and tliat additional lighting be provided for the portion of the room thereby cut off. Makahu Additions.—This school dbould provide accommodation for an average of 38 pupils. The present ro'l | number was only 20, and 1 the average attendance for the present quarter to the 16th in-it. was OTfly 21. As there was no likelihood of increase no recommendation .v is made.«- . Watftara (Additions. —Additions wore ie«omimciided for tlhe following reasons: The headmaster's room in vfliich were t. -ught stan lird V. and standard Vi. w<as built to afford accommodation for an average PUCT.dance of 57. TJie roll rr.mber on tiie date on the inspector's visit was 01 mid tibe -average for the present quarter 58. The desks in this room were -e closely packed togotlie:' that the. passages between tliem average cr.ly a sthade ever one foot. Moreover, the outer rows had to be jaiwbod against the vails. The -stpace between tiie desks- was so small that teacher cml taught J:at! to turn sideways in order to pa<w up or down. Of tfiw tin s') remaining rooms in the school, the one »X<-U])ied by sU I ndard 111. and standard IV. and built to hold -an -average of j0 pupils contains a roll number of 72; the one occupied by standard I. and standard 11. lhad a roll of 80, -although it was built fc.r an aversion of only 83: though the third (the infant worn) vas built for 110 and haid a roll of only 79, from an organisation point of it iwas impossible to utilise it for another standard. As Messrs Borthwiek and Co. were doubling t)h.e capacity .>f flipiv freezing works there was every prospect of a material increase in the attendance.

OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr C. 11. Moore) reported that the residence at Ilaupuha was completed and alterations to the fencing were in progress, lie recommended new outhouses at Huiroa. The alterations at the YVarca residence were well under way, and a start had been made with the Oaonui residence. After an inspection of tfte Pihama school, h j recommended that ventifcting pivot sashes he installed to supplement the present insufficient ventilation. He re- j commended a new entrance gate and posts at Te Kiri. The ventilation of the | plumbing room, in the Technical Oollege had been improved, and the paint- ] inn; of llahotn school and residence had been commenced. He submitted a plan af proposed alterations in the (Stratford infants sAool for converting the present assembly room into a cla-s room, lie pointed out Mat tlie room was badly lighted and ventilated', and Ihu proposed to [put in sky lights. To make a good class-room it would be necessary to rai'e the ceiling, place skylights round three sides of the roof, carry out tlie front wall 10 feet, and form porches on each side. His plan would meet the oast; in the meantime, yet allow for extension* at a later date, lie submitted plans of proposed additions tcr-Pirn-gareim school. The report was adopted.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

1 The director of tlhe Technical College I (Mr A. Gray) reported that the night classes were progressing as usual, except that the attendance m dressmaking ' and cooking mad fallen off. The elocution class was small at present, but he thought it would improve. The attendance at the day classes numbered 79, The coastal oressmaking classes' had been carried as far as G'kato. llheire I was a prospect of a plumbing, class be- | ing established at Stratford. I The report was adopted.

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION. The instructor in agriculture and dairy, science (Mr J. G. W. Ellisi) submitted a table of places visited and subjects lectured; upon while working on section. B of the scheme arranged. In most of the places visited the attendance was fair and interest well maintained. In a few instances, the proposed meeting did not eventuate, twice on account of accident to his motor-cycle, and on other occasions on account of incfement weather. He had also visited schools and farms in the until the. commencement of his duties at tlhe winter classes for Ha ted begun on the "C" section of the work. Farmers had been interested. and gladi to welcome him, and eage r to acquire information. Some of them in particular had been >kjnd, eoiurteou®, and hospitable. He that he had visited various ipriniary schools and given lessons in agricultural science, and 'had made suggestions for the future. He lhad also inspected school gardens, many ol which were most satisfactory. He urged the importance uf developing this phase oi education, and imule suggestions concerning individual schools.

The report was' adopted, and th« sluggestions of tli3 instructor will be forwarded to the schools concerned. OAONUI RESIDENCE.

Sir lE. 0. Gibbes, Secretary for Education, wrote regretting his inability to provide a larger suim for the Oaoruui residence. The Board had appliied' for £515, and understood) that this amount has been granted, but subsequently the sum was cut down to £475. Further representation, through the member for the district, will be made with a view to getting ths larger amount.

>"E\V SCHOOL DISTRICT, Mr A. Morten reported tliat he had attended the meeting of householders, held in the Albert 'SctoOol-ToOHn on .June 8, when an attendance of nine liouseIholders electa! as a committee Messrs A. J. Bailey (chairman), ('. it. Smith, J. Salisbury, It. Pierce and 1 P. Crcan A resolution was unanimiously carried, asking the Board to constitute- a new district, to b3 called the Albert scliood district, and f liis received the support of members of the Kent committee, which was at present controlling the school. He therefore recommended that the district ibe formed. A description of the suggested boundaries was appended. The report was adopted.

GENERAL. It was deckled to advertise second meetings 'of liiom'eholders on July 27 in those districts which failed to elect a committee.

Vacancies on school committees were tilted as follows: Nowall, Mr T. Raven; Oakura, Mr 31. tiower.

The Bell Block committee will be informed that the Hoard cannot provide separate shelter sheds for boys and girls, except in the larger schools.

Tlu; Kina committee was granted 24s for gravelling, and will be in formed that IShe Board cannot see ite way to purchase the school building. The plan of alterations to the Stratford school will be submitted to the committee for inspection.

The Wailii committee will lie informed that the Board does not make grants tcwards the miction of swings, and l tliat the Board will pay for the material for a fence to protect the trees. The qucsition of extra trees was left to Mr Ilaleonilbe.

It was decided to defray tfoe cost of ■hedge plants c.nd .shelter trees, for the Marco school.

'Permission wa's granted to tflie Bell Block committee to curtail tlic luncheon hour by 'half an hour, and close half an hour earlier in winter, provided the teacher does rot object. A bicycle f,hed wiltf be erected at the .Stratford school, and tlhc fireplaces will bo attended to as requested, by the ecnuuittee.

The following Matters were referred to the averse'-r: Beport on enlargement of liaimata residence; attend to reipairs genarally 'Undertaken. 'by tlhe Board at the KJardilT residence; repair lavatories and noof at Albert school; .supply a new tank at Ijepptrton if necessary; erect r.c.w lavatories at) EJuiroa; re] air gates and lavatories at Kina; improve ventilation at Pihama; erect gate and postsi ;«■ Te Kiri, in concrete if possible. The app'.ii!: tion from the Tata.raimak;i committee for the enlargement of its grounds was referred to the inspector to report on. I !'•; Pmrd will .pay for the necessary material for repairing the horse paddock fence at tlhe Albert school, as n*ked for by the Kent committee. The W«rea committee will' l -be informed, that tlhe Board cannot see its wav <1 >■ :ir to make a grant toward* topniiyg ii e pine trees, as asked for, and would i i..-ge-it that the trees should be felled rrd used gradually for firewood.