TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1919, Page 3

TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Tara-' naki Education Board was held yesterday. Mr R. Masters (chairman* presided, and there were also present: Messrs H. Trimble, P. J. White, S. G. Smith, M.P., and H. H. Grayling. Messrs G A. Wilkinson, MJ?., H. J. Eaves, and T. Buchanan were granted leave of absence from the meeting. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported having visited Wellington during January and in conjunction with Mr Wilkinson interviewed the Minister and Department on the following matters, viz., disestablishment of the Hawera D. H. School, election of a new Technical High School at Stratford, more up-to-date sanitary system at Normanby, new school for Tawhiti, and improvements in the sanitary arrangements at Hawera. The report was approved. TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS. The chairman reported having made the following temporary appointments since lost meeting:— Huirangi, Miss M. Mackic, sole teacher; Puniwhakau, Mr W. J. Oatanack, sole teacher; Awakino, Miss W. Chapman, sole teacher; Mangahume, Miss M. Sanderson, sole teacher; Ohura, Miss Willis, head teacher, Miss M. Trewin, assistant; Tokaora, Miss M. Thompson, assistant; Tahora, Mibs G. Blandford, assistant; Finnerty, Miss C. Allen, assistant; Puniho, Miss E. Warren, assistant; Frankley, Miss D. Brown, second assistant; Central, Miss E Campbell, tenth assistant; Hawera, Miss E. Parrott, thirteenth assistant; Stratford, Miss J. McLean, eighth assistant; Otangiwai, Miss Dromgool, head teacher; TJremii, Miss Dempster, head teacher, Miss E. Morris, assistant; piko, Miss I. Hodder, assistant; Pihama, • Miss A. Longley, assistant;' Stratford, Mrs Tyrer, Mr G. Saunders, Mr A. Anderson, assistants; Okaiawa, Miss R. Surgenor, first assistant; Tokirima, Miss K. M. Seerup, sole teacher; lnglewood, Miss M. Eodgers, assistant; Waitara, Miss J. Merron, assistant; Central, Miss Prideaux, sixth assistant; Rahotu, Mr H. W. Jackßon, head teacher; Hawera, Mrs M, Jones, assistant. RESIGNATIONS. The following resignations of teachers were accepted:—Miss R. Surgenor (Hawera), Miss M. Hansen (Te Roti), Miss G. M. Woods (Radnor), Miss E. Branley (Tarurutangi), and Mrs F. W. Simpson (Tututawa). LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave absence was granted to the following teachers:—Mrs J. Harrison, Rahotu (one month), Mr H. H. Pope, Urenui (one month), Mr A. Huse, Tokixima (two weeks), Mr S. W. Dyson, Stratford (one month), Miss A. B. Stitt, , Pihama (two weeks), Miss W. Jemison, Vogeltown, Miss M. Riordan, Inglewood (one month), Mrs B. Anderson, Hawera : (one month), and Miss L. Handscomb, Xgaere (one week). TEACHERS' SELECTION COMMITTEE. The Teaehers' Selection Committee < recommended the following appoint- ' ments:—That the Senior Inspector's recommendations for the appointment of ; junior teachers and probationers be < adopted by the committee and the board he recommended to make the appointments subject to the regulations. That : the superintendents of the New Ply- i mouth, Hawera a>nd Stratford hospitals be appointed Medical Officers for the examination of junior teachers and pro- ■ bationers. That Miss W. A. Cathie be appointed fourth assistant in the secondary department of the Stratford D. ' IH. School That the names of Mibs R. ' E. Plimsoll and Miss J. S. Dunn be forwarded to the Stratford Committee, for the position of sixth assistant in the secondary department of the school. Central.—That Miss G. Doile be pro- ' |moted to tenth assistant, Mrs F. Morti- ; more bo appointed eleventh assistant, ' and Mr W. J. Catanach twelfth assist- | ant. I That after consulting the Senior Inspector's recommendations, the committee recommends the following appoint- ' ents: — ' Finnerty, assistant, Mrs L. Don; Frankley, assistant, Miss E. Warren; Hawera, thirteenth assistant, Miss E. M Parrott; Ongarue, assistant, Miss D. ' Simpson; Stratford, eightli assistant, Miss A- Kelkher; York, assistant, Miss ! A. Mace; Mangalrame, sole teacher, Miss E. A. Evans; Ohura, head teacher (war appt.), Mr H. JaTratt; Huirangi, sole teacher, Miss M. Tokaora, assistant, Mrs M. St. Paul; Puniho, as- . sistant, Mibb K. Taylor; Tahora, as- ' sistftnt, Miss G Blandford; Awakino, I ?ole teacher, Miss W. Chapman; Waitaanga, sole teacher, Miss D. Newton. ' That Miss M. Prentice's resignation of ' her position in the Waitara School he ] accepted provided she returns the salary ' paid her for the month of January. The report was adopted. RESERVES COMMITTEE REPORT. • The Reserves Committee made the following recommendations:—That the ap- ' plication for additional land for the ' Stanley Doad horse paddock be referred ' to the chairman of the Board; that the ' rent of the portion of the Waitui School grounds he paid to the School Committee conditionally on the rent being spent : on improvements to the school grounds, and that the director of agriculture be instructed to see that the conditions of the lease are being carried out; that Mr A. R. Davies having waived his interest in the- leas© of the reserve, Messrs Lambert and Moody be granted a lease on the same lines as offered to Mr Da vies; that Mr F. C. Jarrett's tender of £3 10s per annum for the lease of sections 1-4 Opunake for a term of 10 years be accepted The report was adoptedOVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. C. H. Moore) reported as follows:New work.—Noranby School: This work is well on and should be finished within six weeks. In the meantime the children are well catered for in the town hall. In respect to the old school I would suggest calling for tenders to purchase the whole of the material left except the shelter shed; the latter would do well for a saddle shed for the children's horses. Fitzroy additions: This work is just about completed. The classroom will be ready for occupation within a fow days. Vogeltown school: A start will be made this week. We have been delayed longer than I expected in starting this work. General.—Opunake: This school was totally destroyed by firo (except most of the furniture) between the 30th and 31st i of January. All arrangements were made | to paint the inside of the building. The school is being held in the town hall—necessary accommodation was partly attended to at once. We have sent along

t . two sash-frames, extra byJopJate boards, and easels, and two folding taWes, besides sundries. I propose to move up one of the 400-gallon tanks from the school site and have the whole of thin temporary accommodation completed this week. Waitara.—ln connection with the . proposed new work here Mr. Bell, of the . Education Department, visited this school and was very favorably impressed , with the general state of the present building. In view of the board's instructions to report on all the old schools in . this district I paid particular attention to Mr. Bell's views as representing the .Department. I would suggest that, if the Department stipulates that school [ buildings are not to be replaced until . worn-out, an extra grant should be made . to improve some of the class-rooms of , the larger schools. ; It was decided to call tenders for the : purchase of the surplus material (with the exception of the shelter shed) a| , the Normanby school, in its pres«nt condition. The overseer was authorised to prepare plans for the re-building of the Opunake school, and submit the same at the next meeting of the board. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT. 1 In a supplementary report the overseer stated:—As instructed, I have gone into the matter of old schools in this i district, and submit a list of buildings that should be renewed or done away with and centralised, on the grounds principally of being obsolete and unsuitable as class-rooms for present requirements, and in many cases not worth the cost of keeping in repair. In submitting, this list I would respectfully point out' that in all cases where small schools were erected in the country districts years ago the buildings were erected to suit the conditions prevailing at that ) time, and arc all more or less crude in design and lacking in proper lighting and ventilation, and no matter how much money is spent in repairs the general arrangement remains the same. In our larger schools built in our towns more moiiey per child accommodation was spent, and what was considered to be the best facilities were adopted both in design and equipment. Some of these, schools have been condemned by the public, committees, and medical men, but as long as the policy of the Department and Board is to keep these buildings in a good state oi repair, as an official of the,board carrying out this work I am unable to condemn these buildings on the grounds of being worn out, and can only state the buildings are obsolete and not suitable for present requirements. Following is the list:—Koru, 40 years; Mangorei Lower, 42 years; Mangorei Upper, 42 years; Albert, 42 years; Kori- ' to, 40 years; Egmont Village, 42 years (first part); 'Tarurutangi, 39 years: ; Kent, 45 years. The schools in the list are among the ' worst of what are termed permanent \ schools. Leaving out temporary build- i ings there are none in any other part of the district as bad as these. In the lesser i degree I would mention Whakamara, ' 20 years; Tuna, 25 years; and Pern- I broke, 26 years. There are two school : residences that should be replaced, and ] these are Ngaere (33 years) and Okato * (37). Neither of these are worth re- i pairing. ( General matters.—Fitzxoy school: In rearranging the classes the infants will 1 occupy the present headmaster's room, j I would recommend that the present , platforms be removed and a level floor | put in, and the platforms also taken out ; of the weßt wing. Pembroke: I had ] the inside of this school painted towards ; the end of the holidays. Okato: I would . respectfully ask the board to renew the application for a grant towards the cost ] of practically renewing this building, | and therefore saving the Department ) considerable expense. Vogeltown school ) site: The slope facing the river is cov- . cred with furze and rubbish, and [ would j respectfully recommend that tenders be j called to clear the whole place. As it is , at present there will be a danger from , fires sweeping up the side of the hill. A ( most important matter in connection , with this site is to have tho short piece of road closed. I would suggest making i application to the borough and have this ; done if possible. I propose to make a c trijj to the Kin? Country and go into j various matters in that district, leaving j towards the end of the month. 1 It was decided to renew the board's ; application for a grant towards the amount spent in practically re-building i the Okato school. c The matter of clearing the furze from } the Vogeltown Bchool site was left to 7 tho overseer. ± A grant of £5 was authorised towards j the cost of metalling the roadway up to the Newall Road school. TAWHTH SCHOOL SITE. A deputation consisting of Mcsdames a Hay ward and Tonks waited on the board * in reference to the application for the erection of a school at Tawhiti, Hawera. ( The deputation pointed out the great in- t convenience to the children at present a on account of the distance to the Ha- ; wera school. They admitted there was a a school nearer, but it was in such a a dilapidated condition that no one cared ( to send their children to it. At present, „ also, the fact of children having to otosh the railway line just at about the time r the mail train was due was a. matter of „ concern to parents. There would be " about 250 children on the Tawhiti side of the railway line who would attend the r school. i The chairman pointed out tint the board was unable to act until the form j furnishing all particulars as to the namber of fdiolars and their ages was received from the residents. The matter ( at present rested with the residents i themselves. They could be satisfied that f the board would not delay matters. In reply to a further question, Mr. f Masters stated that the school, when ' established, would take children up oo ' the highest standards. GENERAL. It was decided to forward a copy of the ' report of the enquiry into the destruc- i tion of the Opunake School by fire on I the night of January 315, to the Depart- i ment. ' In reference to the application for the * establishment of a school at Wharevoa 1 it was decided to forward to the residents the forms necessary to be filled in in order to make the application. It was derided to inform the headmaster of the 'Hawcra District High School that the Board had no objection to the proposed organisation of the school, as indicated in the Senior Inspector's ceportAppointments were made to school committees as follows: Makakd, Messrs I, W. Johns and C. A. Voullaire; Manaia, Mr A. Andrews; Awatuna, Mr Lind The Otnnui Committee was given permission to use a portion of the commit- ; tee's funds for ploughing ami sowing part of the grounds, to provide winter feed for the horse;: of the school chil- | dren. '' The chairman was appointed tic Bonrd's representative to the townplanning conference, to be held in Wei- j ' linjrton in May. '

The suggestion of tt»'Weßijigtoit*te'< eatfe» Soaxd that the \ education boards -toe faebt «- •taae'titactf was approved. it was decided to defer consideraiba M the application for a new selwot at Manaaa, until a report be made on tie condition of the school by the overseer, m accordance with a luolafom passed' on January 6. Mr H. H. Grayihig was appointed to represent the Board on the New Ply* mouth Peace Celebrations Committee. The matter of the apportionment aft the school grounds at Kaim&ta was re-' ferred to Mr Trimble for a report A formal resolution was- passed m connection with the taking of land under the Puhlie Works Act for the Arawb&U school Bite.

It was decided to inform tie Depart - , ment that the hoard is of opinion t*at the time has arrived for the appointment of an additional permanent inspector. ,The board decided to subsidise the-erec-, tion at the Douglas school of a girls*' shelter shed and a concrete floor forthej boys' shelter-shed, on the basis of £f for £1 up to £2O. A similar deeiiSow was made in regard to the erection of an additional shelter-shed at the Makaka school, and also to provide the* cement for the floor of the present shed. The application for additions to the: Tokaora school were referred to the* senior inspector for a report. In reply to the Okaiawa Committee, the chairman expressed an opinion that the proposed new building would pro-, vide ample accommodation for prrseat requirements. Accounts amounting to-£WB6 16V241 i were passed for payment. I " !' ,',■■!., Ml