EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1921, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki Education Board met yesterday. Present: Messrs. P. J. White (chairman), S. G. Smith, M.P., H. Trimble, R. Masters, M.P., H. J. Eaves, A. Lees, R. J. Deare, and F. Hoskin. TEACHERS’ APPOINTMENT, ETC. The chairman reported that during the interim he had to make the following relieving appointments :—Huiakama, head teacher, Miss A. Droragool; Tawhitl, assistant, Miss S. E. Farquhar; Ackland, sole teacher, Miss I. Therkleson; Hawera, assistant, Mrs. H. Wilson ; Tongaporutu, sole teacher, Mr. F. A. Bruce; Oakura, sole teacher, Miss N. V. Collier; Te Kiri, assistant. Miss K. Horner; Lepperton, assistant, Miss M. Parli; Puke* aruhe, sole teacher, Miss M. Hodder; Opatu, sole teacher, Miss D. Old; Strtftford, assistant secondary department, Miss I. Boon; Rahotu, assistant, Miss A. Murray; Central, assistant, Miss M. K. Spence.

The teachers’ selection committee recommended : “That after considering the senior irispettor’b remarks the following appointments be made:—Marokopa, sole teacher, Mr. W. F. Faulkner; Pukearuhe, sole teacher, re-advertise; Ackland, sole teacher, Miss M. Dempster; Oakura, sole teacher, Mr. A Mahon; Lepperton, assistant, Miss M. Parli; Te Kiri, assistant, Miss L. L. Mason; Opunake, head teacher, Mr. W. Cron; Tawhiti, assistant, Miss E. M. Burgess. Ttat advertisements fci vacancies on the teaching staff be inserted in one Taranaki paper, and one Wellington paper on the third Saturday of each month, and that the teachers also be notified hy circular. That in accord with the senior inspector’s recommendation for the staffing of the Stratford District High School, Miss Cathie be appointed to the vacancy made by tte resignation of Miss Colquoun, and that Miss Gernhoefer be appointed fourth assistant and Miss Knight fifth assistant.

Resignations were accepted as follows: —A. Wilkes, first assi- '.nt, Vogeltown; L. Mason, pupil teacher, Kaponga. Leave of absence was granted as under:— D. R. Hall, probationer, Norfolk; M. I. Kurth, pupil teacher, Hawera; D. D. Henderson, third assistant, Hawera; M. J. Hunt, assistant, Matlere; A. Rawlinson, first assistant, Otakeho; W. Jameson, assistant, Central; M. Lamplougli, head teacher, Huiakama; S. Wyllie, head teacher, Waitara; B. Earl, cookery instructress, Hawera; M. Riordan, assistant, Inglewood. ARCHITECT’S REPORT. The architect (Mr. C. H. Mioore), reported as under:— Stratford Technical High School.—Good progress has been made during the past month, in spite of the weather. The tilers are getting on with the roof, and the work of laying down the floor is receiving attention. When this is. completed the plasterers will make a start. Manala New School.—This school is well on towards completion and will be ready for the official opening on August 11. In conjunction with Mr. Eaves I met the school committee and went into the matter of improved front entrance. A pair of large gates as well as wing gates were asked for; the committee agreed to pay the extra cost amounting to £3O. This work was put in hand and will also be completed. Tokaora, Latrines and Septic Tank.—This wbrk is well in hand. Okato Residence in Concrete.—We have made a start with the new residence. Ngaere Residence.—Most of the timber is on the site and a start will be made with this work as soon as possible. The report also referred to repair work In connection with Huirangi, Kaimata, Oakura, and Warea (new shelter shed). Plans for tte additions to the Motunui and Okato < schools ifFere complete, and application had been made for a grant to cover the cost of 1 lining the Fitzroy gymnasium. ATTENDANCE INSPECTION. The attendance officer (Mr. S. Pascoe) reported :—During the month of July, 61 irregular attendance notices have been sent to parents of children attending primary schools. The following schools have been visited: Arawhata, Awatuna, Egmont Village, Eltham, Fitzroy, Hillsborough, Hurford, Mangahume, Newall, Oaonul, Okato, Pungarehu, Rahotu, Te Kip, Tataraimaka, Te Roti, and Waitara Convent. The attendances are satisfactory except at Te Kiri, where heavy colds are affecting the attendance and at Pungarehu where a tangi was the cause of the Maori children’s absence. This is the first time in two years that the Maori children have stayed away at a tangi in Pungarehu. A warning has been sent to the parents. Six parents have been summoned and fined for their children’s irregular attendance, and two convicted and warned. There has been an improvement in the attendance at the night classes. Eight parents have been summoned and fined. GENERAL. The question of closing schools in various towns during the exhibition of war trophies was referred to the members for the respective wards. The chairman and Mr. Trimble reported having made enquiries regarding the sale of the present horse paddock at Omata, and the purchase of another site. They recommended that no action be taken, and the report was received. A report was received from Mr. Smith recommending that additional playground accommodation be provided at Lepperton.—lt was decided that Messrs. Smith and Hoskin make enquiries and report to the board on this matter.

Regarding the proposed additions to Motunui School, Messrs. Trimble, Smith and White reported having visited the school and discussed the whole position with the committee. They stated: In view of the fact that the floor space provides on a 12ft. basis for 7?. pupils, and that the average attendance has closely approached this figure, despite exemptions during the seven preceding quarters on account of epidemics, we agreed to recommend the board to ask for an extension of lift, to the existing school, subject to the senior inspector being favorable, after a re-* view of the position, the householders to find half the cost. On submitting the proposal to the senior inspector, he promised favorable consideration, and a plan has been prepared of the proposed extension, and forwarded to the committee in order that it should secure authority from the donors to apply the money subscribed towards the altered proposal. Messrs. Lees and Eaves presented a report on a conference held with the Hawera School Committee on the proposed scheme of grounds improvement. After reviewing the details they stated: In undertaking the proposed improvements, the committee are taking on a proposition that will entail a vast amount of work and expense. Judging by the keenness and interest shown, however, and the fact that the committee has already adopted a scheme for raising the necessary money required, we have every reason to believe that the result of their efforts will be a ground that will be a credit to themselves and the school.

The senior inspector reported: I have fully discussed with my colleagues, who have been at Turoto Road, the position as regards the erection of a school there, and I am of opinion that the educational needs of the district will for the present lie met by the provision of a movable school building. I have to point out that the attendance at the school places it in grade 0, though the committee states that there are ten children of school rge in the distnet. The settlers are prepared to level the site and to supply tl’t 1 fencing required, and to do anything else they can to help on matters.