TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1917, Page 6

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING Tin' ordinary meeting of the Tarunaki Education Hoard was held yesterday, when there were present: Messrs 1!. Masters (chairman). 11. Trimble. P. J. (I. 'White, C. A. Wilkinson.

CHAIRMAN'S RETORT. Tlie chairman rt-jmrloil that during tlie int»riin iic tiail made tlie following temporary appointments: AVaiiii, Mrs. Evans, head teacher. Aliititi, Miss Fenton, solo teacher: Central, Mr. A. BulliaiiF. first Oliangai, Miss M. Death, assistant: Waitara. Mr. ]■'. Hullcr, lica.il teacher; J-'rankley side, iliss Denvera.

INSPECTOR'S REPORT. 'Mr. A. J. Morion, chief inspector, reported thrr :'fi candidates sat at New Plymouth, -iratford, and Ilawera, of v.'horn 31 '•htained proficiency certificates and one a. < ompetency certificate for Standard VI. Criticism lessons for pupil teachers ajid probationers were held for 0110 day at Inglewood, and for two days each at llaiwera, Stratford, and New Plymouth. The total number of teachers present was 4u. In addition to tlie junior teachers., several bead teacher.s were present, also several inexperienced teachers, who were able to arrange for attendance. The lessons and criticisms were given with interest and judgment, and thr; benefit of the course was very evident. Ouing to the difficulty of travel in the northern part of the district, it is necessary to visit the schools early and late in the year, and it was therefore not possible always to place the two visits to other schools as far apart as the inspector's desire. Committees and teachers should, however, understand tlLat at the annua! meeting only the work actually covered is tested, and there is therefo/e no need for requests for the postponement of the date of such visit on account of special conditions.

OVERSEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. 11. Moore (overseer) reported.r Jiie ii"vv school at Pu!<tngahu was completed and opened on Julv 0. The Otukeho additions and enlargements and renewals of outbuildings have been completed. We have made a start witli the Finnerty school; the work will proceed according to the labor available. The new shelter shed at Douglas was completed with the exception of the floor. Sundry other repairs were attended to including the revolving cowl on the chimney. In respect to the floor of the new shelter -nr.] I would that tho committee find the labor and flfrangc about getting matcri.il for ;i cmoreic floor. A shelter slied was also erected at Puniwhakau. The committee have agreed to concrete tlie floor later on. J found tho whole of the soliool fire place* undermined hy rata and mice, and we Itad ip renew the same with a prnncr concrete foundation. Tho general and pamtinir repairs are in progress at both tlu- Muiiau school and residence. I propose later on to recommend improvements the infant*' class-room and aUo girls' new outoiliees. At pre- , sent this work may well be held over, iAs mslructr i I met members of the I I'embroke -rhool committee and went into the matter of proposed improvej menf-s. Tho committee ask to have an !out>ii!e doorivay leading from a small separate porch. and turn this into a girl's poreh. J think .request is jvu-onable and would recommend thN be carried out with the understanding that the work musL stand over until wu liave work on hand completed. Another matter was a separate shelter .-.hed for the pirls. 1 would nvommend this far favorable consideration. Mrs. t'uthbert. chairwoman of the committee, has undertaken to raise their share of the cost. The pre-ent old shelter shed will <lo for the boys. I noted a sum 11 jrencrul repairs to be attended to at the same time.

A worn nut tank was renewed at the Kapuni school and a ventilating pivot window wan also placec In one of the class rooms. <■

Several small repairs liave received attention at the Central and Fitzroy schools.

We have the benches and general iittings of the engineering workshop in hand.

Owing to the high price asked for tlie seasoned timber required I am only placing orders as required for immediate use. 1 would ask permission to order another lot of sawn timber —we require about Id.OOO feet.

General.—J hauj a number of plans in hand, but owing to pressure of other work I have been unable .to complete same. A considerable amount of furniture aim general work lias been completed in our own workshop. It will be remembered that during an epidemic that prevailed around the district about eighteen months ago the health ollieer practically condemned the sanitary arrangements existing in schools in genera!. To enable a better sy.-teni to be adopted it .was decided to import special pedistal Hushing pans. *1 iic-e have now come to hand, but owing to the great rise in freight the caU is much higher than anticipated. However, w'e are now in a position to eater for any new schools where a water supply is obtainable. There are several schools where hi trine accommodation is not adequate. Amongst, these I would mention (lie lxiys' latrines at the New Plvnioiith Technical College, and v<jth a view to rectify this I would suggest that a gri'i.l .be applied for for a detached bovs' outoiTiec.

IniTi'ii-vd class room.—Afteommodati.m r <"iuirt'-l at the New Plymouth Technical Collet"'.---Mr. Isaac, technical insiii'i-ior. agreed tlrat this was necessarv. am! would recommend same. TTe s'.it!L'i ,a tt'il tlr.it a temporary building lie put Oil to tlie present- art room, and the art room be divided hv a folding partition. 1 went into this matter with Mr. Orav. and "it'.'.vas decided to submit, alternative ].lan- for a temporary ifnd per•mwnt 'ti-i'iture. Personally I am ablins! temporary places of this .'t - it means a waste of iahor 1 material in the end W.-iown school. —We have tlie neces•l|Y work to make the Westown hull -uitahle for a temporary school well in T" r school opened on .Tuly jv/iih an attendance of "S. I -pi.,, overseer's report was received and adopted, with the exception of the clau-r- to timlier supplies and increase] cla-s rooms, which have been dealt with by the finance and technical committees respectively. The following matters are to bere-fCri-..i' if '.he overseer: Warea and l*itzr.,v iai!-c ill residence; Otansawai, j Dpilnak" and Kltham, fencing; Manga--1 i;!-n. „ut offices.

I'IXAXCE committee. [ , Finance Committee (Messrs R. I ..v and P. J. H. White) recom-;a..-:.Jed that grants lie. mado up to £1

Ids towards the lodging expenses of the pupil teachers and probationers iwho attended the recent teachers' agricultural classes, and that teachers from Oh lira bo granted half their travelling expenses. Other recommendations were also made regarding fender; for supplies. The report was received, and aflev tenders bad been considered in committee, the report was adopted.

AGRICULTURAL LXSTK'UCTTON. Mr. R. Brown, director of agricultural instruction, reported en work for the past three weeks as follows: The work outlined in last report i :< continued with vigor, especially the sections of farmers' classes and horticulture. Extremely broken weather lias continued and has greatly interfered with attendance at all classes, School classes:—The following schools were visited; Kaimiro (2), Lower Man-go-el, Tpper Mangorei. Kent. Korito, F.gmont Village, Tnglewood. Koru. Hnrfovd,'. Carrincton. Bird, Albert, Rnt.apiko, V'area. Newall, Tarata. Pukeho. T!aho(u, Opunalce, lhaia, Oaonui, Lincoln, Dudley. Waiongona. Leppcrton and TCaimnta (Mr. Sergei) : Araratn. Mere Mere. Oh align i (31. Toknora (•!). Okaiawa, Matami (.1), Whakamara. Te Tioti. Normanln'. Cardiff. Eraser T!oad. and Mnkoia (Mr. .Tohnson): Central. Rahotu. Wares. Man£rntoki. ElHiam, Tarnrutnnoi, Carrington. Frankley. Tnglewood. Upper Mangorei. Lower Mangorei, Kent and E'»mont Village (ißrowne). TTawcra She",v wcek somewhat, interfered with visits in the southern end. and there also 'extra visits were paid to several schools on account of prunning operations. Increasing keenness is noted by all instructors in practically all schools visited.

Farmers' classps.—'Mr. Johnson held classes at. Tariki. Lowgnrth. Matapu. and Cardiff: Mr. Sergei at Bird road. Carrinpton, Fmnont Village. Maketawa, Wor«i. Newall, Tarata, Isina, Oaomil, and T.epperton: myself at Rahotu. Anroa. Mangatoki an<l Ngacre. Attend - ances at tlice classes showed an improvement, especially in th'e northern end of the district. Several teachers take fjreat pains in letting parents know of these classes. Orchard classes:—These average in attendance as follows: A'ogeltown 12, Central 17. Fitirov 7. Stratford G, Inglewood 8 and Waitara, 4. It has been found necessary to-drop Waitara in the meantime. Miss Turton reports steady work, and increasing interest at all centres. Mr Johnson anil Myself have handled classes at Inglewood (3), Frank- ■ leijrli .Park. Miss Tnrton taking the remainder. There is no doubt that even greater interest will he taken in those classes in the second year.

Regular instructional work.—This has continued at New Plymouth and Ha.wera Technical Oolites by Messrs Sergei and Johnson respectively, by Mr. Johnson at Ha'vera d 111.5., and by all instructors at Stratford.

Teachers" Saturday class.—A small class for teachers is taken by Mr. Sergei at Xcw Plymouth. This will shortly be discontinued unless there is ail increase in the roll number.

Improvement to school grounds.—! am endeavoring to visit all school grounds not as yet inspected, with the idea of defining the main lines of future developmental work. It would he well if the Hoard stipulated that in all cases where shrubs and suitable hedic plants wen 1 granted, lhta propagation of these must be undertaken bv the children for future requirements in the same line.

■Mr. C. A. Wilkinson favored the idea of propairatioii of shrubs, etc., so as to encourage children to grow trees for beautifying purposes, for tlie country was being rapidly denuded of timber. He tlioiijrlit that a committee should lie set up later to deal with the <|UC.stion. Mr. K. Dixon thought that an experimental school might be established in connection with agriculture, at which children with .special aptitude in the matter could attend, as was done, with iihservation schools. Some teachers ivcre enthusiastic in agricultural matters. and so /were the children they taught. The report was adopted.

THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE. Hi". P. .T. If. White moved that in view of the fact that much of the Manual and Technical Committee work relates to education iw>" •« in the North Ward, it is desirab'i- 1 one of the members in that wa appointed to the committee, and '.... . Mr. Smith be appointeil to the committee. This was seconded bv Mr. Dixon and carried.

AHITITI AND TONGAPORUTU. Eleven householders, representing at children of the Alii Lit i and Tongaporutu district, petitioned the Board, to re-open the Tongaporutu hall school as a halftime school in connection with the Aliititi school.

It was resolved to open the schools as iiill-time schools.

SCHOOL RESIDENCES. Tlie secretary of the Mata Committee applied for tho erection of a teacher's residence, as the one rented in the past was not noi'.v available. —The committee to be informed that the Department will not make grants towards tlie. erection of school resiliences at the present time. The Durham school feather. Miss K. E. Smith, asked for house allowance until such time as a suitable residence was provided in place of the school residence known as "the match-box." Mr, J. B. Simpson, chairman of the committee, wrote in .support.—A similar reply as to Mata to be given.

KAPONGA SCHOOL. The Kaponga School Committee asked that the school should be enlarged. The roll number in June was 152, and since then it had increased by 24, due to the fact that single men employed by dairy factories had been called to the colors, and were replaced by married men, and that a large estate was being cut up for returned soldiers, and if any were married the committee would be at their wits' end for accommodation. At present they were teaching a class in the play shed.—Referred to the senior inspector to report on.

j TITF. WELLINGTON DEPUTATION. I The chairman reported on various matters that the deputation of (Board i members had brought before the Depart- ' rnent when in Wellington, in addition to that of the Hawcra High School. The /matters touched on were: Awakino (school, a grant for which had just been | made: Westown school, which had been i established. With regard to Taliora ! school they ha-d received an assurance [ that, an application would be submitted J to Cabinet for a building grant for this pchool. As to the purchase of the Tawhiti school site, it. was arranged that the Taranaki Board should again apply for this as a new matter altogether, , submitting lithograph plan of section, etc. (The matter was brought forward , three years ago by the Wanganui ) Hoard.) lit was also arranged that the i Jioard should submit a plan of the Stratford Technical High School.

| AA'EST END AND SPOTSAA'OOD. j Mr. S. G. Smith referred to the que.stion of West I'.nd and Spotswood, which lie understood was to have been plated before the Milliliter by the deputation which went to Wellington. For years I lie West J"nd Committee had been pressing on the department to acquire a»ldi- : tional land for the school ground. The residents did not press this matter iwhen the Minister visited New Plymouth, be- ! cause of the proposal to move the school to a new site at Cutlield Road. • As this had been turned down, they should again press 011 the Department the urgent need of obtaining the land offered alongside the school, and enlarging the school to relieve the congestion. 1 Mr. White considered that the establ lishinent of a school at Spotswood would lake SO children from 'West Knd and would relieve the congestion. He thought the offer of Mr. Wilkinson to place the mat lev before the authorities should be accepted.

i In reply to Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. Smith : said the establishment of a side school

at Spotswood, together with the Weatown school, would relieve the congestion for a few months, but it must not 'be forgotten that the district was a growing one. Oil the motion of Messrs Smith and White it was resolved that the Board urge on the Department the necessity of establishing » side school at, Spotswood; also, in view of the limited playing area at West End school, the Deli;!!- ;it be urged to acquire an acre 1 a'djoining the school, and that '.yilkinson be asked to make representations to the Minister on behalf of the Board.

GENERAL. The action of the Haparua, Niho Niho, Ohura and Ngaere committees in closing their schools on account of diphtheria, and Raupuha on account of measles, were approved. The York Committee was granted £2 18s towards improving their school grounds. The following teachers were granted leave of absence: Mr. S. Wyllie, headmaster Wailara: Misses A. K. Warren, Central; Ida O'Brien, West End; H. Hall, Midhirst; R. Taylor, cookery instructress, Technical School, and Mrs. Ashton, Mata. The Jlarakopa committee asked for a grant of £3 towards cost of repairing the school boat. This was a boat which had been purchased by the Auckland Board to enable the children to get to school—Application granted. The Department notified that an additional grant of £BO had been made for Maticre school, and that a grant had been made for the erection of the Awakino school.

The matter of school site at Marakopa was referred to the department, and it was resolved to ask the department to secure the site as early as possible.

■ It was resolved to supply the new duplicate desks to schools of grade 4 and over at the discretion of the board. It ivas resolved to inform the committee thai the board was not prepared to fell the bush on the Wailaanga school site. It was also resolved to state that the hoard would let the site on an improvement basis. The matter of the carriage of children from Inaha to Manaia was referred to the, overseer to report on. It was resolved to forward copy of the Health Department's circular relative to diphtheria, to school teachers. A report was received from the district health officer relative to the sanitary arrangements at the Nolantown school. Ifawera, and suggesting various improvements. Referred to the overseer to report on. . It was resolved to meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month.