EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1921, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. •r - t The monthly meeting of the Taranaki Education Board was held at New Plymouth yesterday. Present.- Messrs. P. J. H. White (chairman), H. Trim We, A. Lees, E. Hoskin, R. J. Deare, R. Masters, M.P., and S. G. Smith, M.P. TEACHERS.’ MOVEMENTS. The chairman reported that he had made the following relieving appointments during the interim : Central, assistant, M. K. Spence; Vogeltown, assistant, M. K. Spence; Otakeho, assistant, H. Dryden; Toklrima, sole teacher, E. Nite; Rahotu, assistant, A. Murray; Oakura, soie teacher, N. V. Collier; Otunul, sole teacher, D. Shearson; Opatu, sole teacher, D. Old; Te Kiri, assistant, K. Horner; Lepperton, assistant, M. Parli; Pukearuhe, sole teacher. M. E. Hodder; Kapuni, assistant, L. Walker. The teachers' selection committee reported that, after considering the Senior Inspector's remarks, the following appointments be made: Opatu, sole teacher, Mr. G. W. Graham; Pukearuhe, sole teacher, Mrs. M. R. Bush; Ongarue, assistant, re-advertise; Urenui, assistant, Miss C. H. Musker; Vogeltown, Ist assistant, Miss M. Kirton; Normanby, 2nd assistant, held over pending enquiries concerning one of the applicants; Prankiey, pupilteacher, Mr. ,T. A. Jennings; Rahotu, assistant, re-advertise. The following resignations and applications for leave of absence were received:— Resignation.—H. W. Hunt, probationer, Eltham. Leave of Absence (£n account of Illness). — M. R. Bush, assistant, Midhirst, September 13Octobcr 31; S. Wyllie, head teacher, Waitara, September 13-October 12; B. Earl, cookery Instructress, Hawera, September 20-January 31; K. Anthony, assistant, West End, September 13-October 8; H. V. Ransbottom, sole teacher, Mahoenui, Ist-August 7; L. H. Bolsen, sole teacher, Waitaanga, June 21-July 2; A. Wilkes, assistant Vogeltown, 18tb-August 31; I E. Lewis, assistant Kapuni, Ist-August 18; W. F. Faulkner, sole teacher, Marakopa, September 1-October ; C. L. Bayly, solo teacher, Otunui, August 18-October 31; D. Hill, sole teacher, Albert, October 1-November 30 (to study for examination). ARCHITECT'S REPORT. The architect (Mr. C. H. Moore), reported as follows: Stratford Technical High School. —This work has still made good progress during the past month. The only drawback will be the plastering work. I am expecting to see more progress made with this branch from now on. Manaia New School.—The whole of the building is now finished and occupied. We still have more new desks to replace the old ones. Fifty small chairs and tables were made and sent for the Infant's room and other desks will be made later on.

Okato New Residence.—Good progress has been made with this work. Practically all tht concrete work is completed and the roof on, The plasterers have the building in hand al present.

Ngaere New Residence.—-We have made a start with tl’.e now residence at Ngaere. •Stratford Technical Furniture.—The question of fittings and furniture for the general class rooms should receive attention. We have already the layout and particulars of fittings required for the science and physical laboratories. I would suggest a committee be set up and go into the matter. ■Carrington School.—-As Instructed I have gone into the matter of making improvements to this school. The building is badly designed and antiquated. The porch is on the wrong side and the lighting is bad. The building was added to more with the intention of making a social hall than a school and the children hare had to suffer. The best way to make the present building anything like suitable for 2 class rooms would be to build a porch on the road side of the building using what material we could from the present porch and put In a partition dividing the* class rooms (probably a folding partition) and alter and improve the lighting generally. This would cost along with general painting about £l7O. Owing to the present financial stringency this may be too big an undertaking. 1 would suggest otherwise the committee be asked to cut the trees on the road boundary so as to let more light in and we paint the building inside and out. Personally my own opinion is that the building is not suitable and never was for a grade 3 school. Plans. —Plans have been prepared for a school at Moturoa in accordance with the Department’s suggestion, also applications made for grants for additions to the Okato and Motunul schools. Plans for a moveable building at Toroto were also prepared. This was held over owing to the settlers erecting a building of their own

A grant has come through for fittings and furniture for the Hawera Technical High School. Scene of the fittings are completed and the rest will be put in hand when possible. If there had been more continuity in connection with the building and a grant for the furniture and fittings, the latter could have been finished.

Plans have been received from the Depart- ' moot for a moveable type of school, j Lar’e quantities of furniture and hyloplate boards wore completed and sent out to various ’ schools. The joinery for the Okato residence was also completed and the joinery for the Ngaere residence is In hand. Maintenance had been carried out at the ’ Hawera primary school, Riverlea, and Matapu, and painting had been done at Matau, Purangi, and Pukeho. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL. The manual and technical committee te- ■ ported:— That uncertified teachers who are able to fi.tend teachers’ classes be notified that their : failure to so attend will be taken Into con- - siderat’on when appointments are being made. That the raatter of advertising the positions> I grant for sc'ence equipment at Inglewood be/ • referred to the chairman to confer with the secretary and draft a letter to the Depart-| ment. That the architect be instructed to provide! a suitable cupboard for science apparatus at Inglewood, That the matter of advertising the positions at the Stratford Technical High School be re- • ferred to Messrs. Trimble, Valentine, and ; Tyrer, and that the applications close on . November 4 That the instructors of the Stratford Dis- | triet High School be notified by an explicit ! covering that owing to the disestablishment of that school their services will not bo required at that school- at a date to coincide with the completion of the summer holidays. That Miss R. Calverley be appointed temporary Domestic Science Instructress at the Hawera Technical High School. That the application of the Advisory Board of the New Plymouth Technical School be acknowledged and that they be informed that as new regulations for the appointment of

boards and managers are now under consideration and tl:at therefore the application must hold over till those regulations come, to That the matter of the rent, of the New Plymouth Technical Hostel be referred to Mr. White and Mr. Trimble with power to act. The chairman intimated that the Department had'given half a year’s grant (.nmounting to £125) towards the hostel and it was hoped to secure a grant for the whole year. TRUANT OFFICER'S REPORT. The truant officer (Mr. G. Pascoe) reported that during the month 5G Irregular attendance notices had been sent to parents of children attending primary schools. He had visited the following schools and found the. attendances very good:— Albert. Bird. Douglas, Dudley, Durham, Inglewood, Kahui, Kaliniro, Rapuni, Korito, Lincoln, Makaka, Mata, Oeo, Okaiawa, Otakeho. Pukengabu, Puniwhakan, Piham.i, Bowan, Stanley, Tarurutangi, Tuna, Tututawa, Waiongona, York, and Manala Convent. Except for a few cases of sickness the monthly returns show 7 very little irregularity. Four parents were summoned and fined during the month for the irregular attendance rt tiwir children

Night Classes.—l 7 irregular attendance notices have been sent to parents. There has been an impikivement in the attendance at, these classes. PROPOSED GLEN ROAD SCHOOL. The chairman reported in regard to school’ accommodation at Glen Road:— We were interviewed by several representative settlers from this locality at Manaia on August 11. This is one of the most closely settled parts of Taranaki, and it would appear that the central point of this road is some 4% miles distant from Manaia, Kapuni, and Otakeho schools, there being 23 children of school age attending one or other of these schools. Of these children the nearest is resident at least 3 miles from any school and the attendance is naturally very irregular. In addition there are 20 children of school age not attending aynwhere. If these figures and. distances are found to bo correct, wo are of opinion that the matter should be referred to the senior inspector and application made to provide a movable school. In the event of the Department acceding to our request we recommend that the offer of Mr. J. Robinson to donate 1 acre of land as a school site be accepted with thanks.

TAWHITI AND MERE MERE SCHOOLS. The senior inspector (Mr. T. A. Valentine) reported on the proposal for increased accommodation at Tawhlti as under:— The roll number for the school is 194 and the total floor space is 1826 sq. feet. In normal times the only conclusion to be arrived at is that the school is over-crowded and that additions are needed. But the school, a new one, is so planned that the only form which addition can take is that of a complete room, say 24ft. by 24ft, and the overcrowding is not yet so acute as to make such a room absolutely necessary. Hence I am compelled reluctantly to recommend that the committee's application for further accommodation be held over for the present.

Reporting in regard to the Mere Mere school Mr. Valentine stated: lam as yet unable ti recommend that an addition be applied for even though I am persuaded that the existing working conditions are extremely unsatisfactory for the teachers and not helpful t< the pupils.

The chairman intimated that the committee in» charge of the new school at Manaia had offered to pay £3O, being the architect’s estimate ef added cost in order to provide fitting entrance gates to the grounds, and these we found erected in position. The building contains some features introduced for the first time into the construction of schools in the Taranaki district, notably the arrangement of tanks concealed betwen the walls, and the board desired to place on record their appreciation of the results obtained by the architect.

The chairman further reported that a visit had been paid to the Riverlea school on August 11 and an interview had been held with the school committee in regard to the matter of new desks and the frosting of the windows on the south side, to improve the lighting, both of which (matters are to receive the architect’s urgent attention. The ploughing of the playing area was also mentioned, but no hope of monetary assistance at the present time was held out. Board members were pleased to note the great improvement effected to the school grounds since the last official visit.

Mr. H. Trimble advised that the gold medal presented by Mrs. Cuthbert should bo offered for competition among tho children of the Pembroke school district for plots at their own homes.

An application was received from Mr. T. J. Allen regarding the establishment of a new school at Hunter Road, and it was decided to reply stating that the board regretted the applicants had not made out a base, which would warrant the request being forwarded on to the department.

Plans were received from the Education Department of movable and extensible buildings designed by their architect, and these were referred to the board's architect for a report.

In view of the contemplated resignation of two teachers of long service, it was decided to write to the department asking that the work of these two gentlemen be recognised by a grant to each of three months’ salary.

Alternate applications are to be made to the department for additions to the present building or provision for a movable residence nt Lepperton. It. was decided to communicate with tho department asking for a definite reply as to the position at Waitara.

The question of providing an additional playing areA at Oeo was referred to Messrs. Lees and Eaves.

The architect was instructed to remove a partition in the Kaponga School, as requested by the committee.

The Toklrima committee applied for a movable residence, but it was decided to defer ictlon pending the appointment of a permalent teacher.

Permission was given to the New Zealand Alliance to conduct essay competitions on a pamphlet based on instruction concerning "Alcohol in Relation to the Human Body." The New Zealand Educational Institute wrote emphasising the importance of character in a teacher and the necessity for enquiries being made as to fitness and character before any strangers were employed.—lt was reported that the Institute had been informed that the practice of the board was to make the strictest enquiries in this respect.