TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1918, Page 7

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. .;":" The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held at New Plymouth yesterday, when there were present: Messrs R. Masters (chairman), H. Trimble, S. G. Smith, it\ J. H. White, E. Dixon and C. A. Wilkinson, MJP. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported that during the interim he had made the following temporary appointments:—Radnor, Miss Trewin, sole teacher; Omala, Mr. L. A. Mcllardio, headmaster; Eltham, Miss E. Papps, assistant; Maugamingi, Miss U. Granville, solo teacher; Hawera, Miss D. Hill, 14th assistant; Lincoln, Miss H. Drader, head teacher;. Inglewood, Miss A. Bemtsen, Ist assistant; Hurtinoana, Miss H. Fleming, solo teacher; Hillsborough, Mrs Woods, assistant. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL REPORT. The Manual and Technical Committee (Messrs Trimble, Dixon, Smith and Masters) recommended:—That the Fruit Growers' Federation be informed that the Board approves of the proposal to give prizes for essays on the ' Apple Industry. Agricultural Plot at Hawera: That the chairman of the Board and Mr. Trimble be appointed (o meet the committee of the Egmont A. and P. Society with reference to the lease and working of an agricultural plot at Hawera in connection with the Technical High School, and that the Technical Advisory Committee at Hawera be asked to appoint two delegates; that the application for hedge plants from Diaia, Waingongoro and Waitui be referred to the Director of Agriculture, with power to act; that the director be asked to report at <-l -=-\t meeting as to what v<vi!rt have to be made to enable air the r -'rls in the 6th Standard at Hawera to attend cookery classes; that Miss Loveil's salary be raised" to £l2O per annum from Ist August, 1918; that an assistant instructor for general work bo appointed at the New Plymouth Technical College at a salary of £l5O per annum; that a motor bicycle and side-car be purchased at £95; that the committee supports the resolution passed by the Board of Management of the Timaru Technical School asking for an amendment of the regulations with reference to the payments to Technical schools.—Adopted. TECHNICAL REPORT. Mr. A. Gray, Director or Technical Education, reported that at tho principal centres flic classes as previously I'pporled wore continuing satisfactorily. At New Plymouth and Hawera it had I'cf-n necessary to provido heaters in Ihfi buildings rented for tho extra -lasses. At JTm'-pv.i, Mr. J. B. Murdoch hud prespn d the class with a heater which greatly appreciated. The Hawera r-lnsau werc a ' Bo indebted to Mr. Sago for the'gift of a typewriter. At New Plymouth the newly-appoint-ed engineering instructor; appointed by ■the Board had taken up bin duties. At Waifcara a class for instruction in wool-classing had been advertised, but so far there had not been many applicants for admission. TRUANT OFFICER. Mr. Paseoo reported:—l have sent out 203 notices fo parents of children attending primary schools, for irregular fttlendanep, Aiding for very wet days, and sickness, of which there is at present a sood deal in South Taranaki, the attendance at the schools visited is satisfactory. There nro parents who make !■>. habit of keeping their children away \ iVoui school ono and two days ft week. As notices and personal visits make no Improvement, several of these have been i r rved with summonses. | T (ho Eltham Convent School jmi .Tunc 13 and found tho attendance of three families wns bud, and there was mom for improvement in others. I attended to these cases, and visited the school again on July Bth, hut the school had been closed for two weeks' holidays. No returns of irregularity in attendance '•■ave been sent in since. Visited Urenui on July the 18th; the is fair, There are eight i ildren attending who aro over the !.: 'ioo! distance whose attendance is not jgnoil. Also ;.Taovi children who seem, to have no fixed place ot abode, but shift j round from place to place. Two of Hheso havo put in just half time. There are other children that should have been reported, who havo missed days hero and there. It would be better if teachers sent in the nnmes of all children who stayed away and could not give a satis.''nctory reason..

A parent, at Tikorangi has been summoned -Mid fined tlireo time 3 for not Bending his child to school. He is to nppear again on July the 24th. The child, aged twelve years, has never attended a .school; the excuse is delicate health, hut up to date the father has Tailed to procure a doctor's certificate. Technical.—The attendance at night I'lasscs is not too good; some pupils are good attenders, others shirk it all they ran. I have had occasion to summons "hrce youths who neglected to register after repeated warnings. These cases have been heard, and fines imposed. There is a list of some twelve to be dealt with at once in the same manner for irregularity. There has been some delay in bringing these cases forward, through awaiting the return of ner.es--.ary papers from Wellington.—Received. KIN'A SCHOOL. Mr. P. J. H. White reported having visited Kina School. The building was erected by subscription of the settlers in February, 1910, upon land belonging to Mr. Simpson at a cost of £75. Since that time the settlers had built a leanto at a further coat of £25. The board have been paying 5s per week. The average attendance for March quarter, 1018, was 30, that for June 31.2. Another family with five children of school age are taking up an adjacent farm this month. After discussing the position, with the committee, Mr. Simpson made the following offer which I recommend the Board to accept:—That upon the Board undertaking to remodel ■ the building Mr. Simpson will sell the building together with the godwill of two neves upon which it stands for the sum of '£24, the Board to acquire the freehold from the Public Trustee and pay losts of transfer and survey. The committee will plant and improve the site. making a drain all round. The site is centrally situated and above the level of the roadThe offer wa,-. accepted and it was re-F-dvcd that application be made for a grant fnr remodelling the building and acquiring the freehold of the site. KESTOI.VE.3 COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee (Messrs IT. Trimble and R. Masters) reported a" follows:—Manaia Town reserve,—lt was resolved that Mr. C J. llirk'i tender

of £7 per annum for a term of- 7 years 1)0 accepted. S 27, Block XV V Ng'aere.— That Mr. R. G. JoM;j>'s_ tender of £l3 10 3 per annum for n lease, of 10 years bo accepted. The leasees of reserves Hi, Block IV., Njratimaxii (Mr. Hogg) and S IJ, Block Ngatiuiaru (Mr. H. Johnson), are to he informed that the Board will \vaive the cenditiona relating to (ploughing the land and laying down in pastures. Tenders will be advertised for S.. 01), Block 11, Ngaere and Valentine's land Stratford. OVERSEER'S REPORT.

The Overseer's (Mr. C. H. Moore) reported as follows-.—West End.—-Wo have completed the ;ul lition to the west wing with tho execj.-. n of the outside painting- We also improved the ventilation of the corridors and' several class rooms as authorised. Technical College additions—We have made a, start with the foundations for this work and have nearly all tho material on hand for the whole of the work. I expect to be able to start the new class room at Auroa within a few weeks. Maintenance and Repairs at Waitara. —Wo have completed the partition in the infant room as instructed. At Newall—The new shelter shed was completed. The committee are paying half the cost owing to extra facilities being carried put to suit their requirements. I have received continual complaints about tho stovo not drawing at the Oeo School. Tho committee wislhed to have a brick chimney as they considered the stovo hopeless. On investigation we found the top of the iron flue packed with birds' nests and also seven starlings wedged in the flue above. Birds continually build nests in tho cowls and top of the stove flues during tho summer months. It will be necessary to give this attention at once. Central Scliol—The matter of renovating the headmaster's and teacher's room is receiving attention and extra cupboards have been made. Plans and Grants.—l have several plans in hand. Grants were made for a new class room at Auroa and additions to tho West End. Workshop—During the month all the' desks and frames for the Technical College additions were completed. The joinery for Auroa is in hand. Pivot shutter vents and fanlights for West End were completed. School desks were finished, besides a number of tables and clipboards. Considering tho horsepower the plant is working well- It is, however, necessary to keep in view the matter of securing a bigger motor at the first opportunity. General.—There are several small work s I have had to hold over. The weather conditions have been very trying to the men lately. I have disposed of most of the old residence at Oourtenay Street, except the iron and a quantity of fairly sound stuff that will lo for concrete boxing, etc. It will be necessary to consider the matter of levelling tho site and decide on the fencing, especially the bank overlooking Leach street. On tho motion of Messrs Smith and White, it was resolved that the overseer be instructed to provide tho shelter at the West End School as suggested in [ h'i3 report, and that the board bear the [ cost, inviow of tho fact that the school is likely to be removed. It was resolved that the work at Auroa bo proceeded with forthwith. The following matters were referred to tho overseer: —Otakeho, leak in roof and report on lighting of senior class room; Rowan, fireplace; Toko, repairs to large gate; Norfolk Road, gates; dtainage from Central School to Lemon and Gover Streets. TEACHERS' MOVEMENTS. Resignations were accepted from the following teachers:—Mr. N. D. Day, assistant at Central; Miss L. Gibson, probationer, Stanley; Miss D. Morse, assistant, Okaiawa.

Leave of absence was granted to the following assistants:—Mrs- Jl.'Ellis,-Ha, wera; Miss V. 0. Wiilis, Ohura : MissE.' Parli, Kaimata; Mr. D. D. Henderson, Ha wera; Mr, E. G. Johnson, assistant secretary, board's office. TEACHERS' SELECTION COMMITTEE The Teachers' Selection Committee , recommended., the.. following appointments:—Lincoln, head teacher, Mrs Winthrop; Hurimoana, sole teacher, Miss E. M. Stevenson; Mangjmingi, solo teacher, Miss Mary Fleming; Waiongona, sole teacher, Miss Lilian Spence; Radnor, sole teacher, Miss G. M. Woods: Central (war appt), 3rd assistant, Mr. 0. J. Howarth; Hawera D. 11. S., 14tli assistant, Miss D. Robinson; Glen-nui, sole teacher, Miss Duleie Hill. ■ The Taranaki- Educational Institute is to ho informed in answer to its fetter that the Board; lias always dealt with individual appointment? on fclieir merits, and intends to give special considerations to those teachera haying joined the Military Forces. Adopted, subject to the approval-of the committees interested. GENERAL. The Finance Committees recommendsI tion that six cases of hyloplate ,be orI dered by cable from New York was approve':. -I'his includes necessary hyloplate for' the New Plymouth High schools. The committee set up recommended that consideration -of the removal of the, Patua School should be held over until the new board took office. i. 'ln reply to a communication from the Secondary Schools' Conference, it was resolved that the conference be informal that special attention is being given to instruction in grammar by the teachers in this education district. The action of the Mokoia School Committee in closing the school for a week in place of the spring holidays, on account of the illness of a member of the, teacher's family, was confirmed. The overseer is to report on the application for the erection of a school at Parakete Valley, settlers to contribute towards the est. It was resolved that the board cannot see itg way to contribute towards the cost of felling the pine tree 3 oil the Oaonui School grounds. The Mahoe School Committee was granted 38 4-incft pipes for drainage of school grounds, the committee undertaking to provide the necessary labor. The Ivaimiro Committee is to be informed that the board regrets that it cannot make a, grant for the cost of disinfecting the school. Thb Lcpperton Committee's second application for a grant for fence is to be referred to the board's overseer for further inquiries. The ovenseer was instructed to erect, as early as possible, a high-level bridge over the stream between the road and school at To Wakarae. Mrs . Bryant made application for a household school near Awakino—To be informed that as the children live only throe and a-half miles from the Awakino School, the board cannot entertain the application. Mr. Clegg notified that the cheque for the school Yito at Arawhata Road would be handed to the board as soon as a site was selected.—Referred to tho overseer. It was resolved that the Borough Council b« asked to remit the amount paid for building permits in connection with the additions to the Technical College. On the motion of Messrs Masters and Dixon, it was resolved, in reference to the organisation of the staff of the primary department at the Hawera School, that the headmaster be informed that the present arrangement of the staff and classes mav remain until the end of the year, provided the work of the pupil teachers and (probationers is more clearly defined, and that a statement of tho proposed organisation of the school be sub- j mitted to the School Committee and the board early in December.