EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1921, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki Education Board met yesterday. Present: Messrs. P. J. White (chairman), H. Trimble, R. J. Deare, F. Hoskin, S. G. Smith, M.P., R. Masters, M.P., H. J. Eaves, and A. Lees. TEACHERS’ APPOINTMENTS. The chairman reported that during the interim he had to make the following relieving and temporary appointments : Oakura, Miss N. V. Collier, assistant; Stratford, Mrs. M. R. Holder, assistant; Carrington, Miss H. Dryden, assistant; Central, Miss A Aitken, assistant; Whareroa, Miss L. Walker, assistant; Puniwhakau, Mr.- B. W. Taylor, sole teacher; Okaiawa, Miss M. E. Hodder, assistant. The following resignations were accepted: F .1. Cumberworth, head teacher, Mahoe; M. Bullard, 4th assistant, West End. Leave of absence was approved as follows: B. Anderson, assistant, Hawera, September 14 to October 31 ; R. L. Hancock, pupil teacher, West End, September 28 to October 10; B. Hodge, pupil teacher. West End, September 27 to October 7 ; I. Edwards, head teacher, Te Roti, October 14 to 17; E. Pithcaithly, probationer, West End, "October 17 to M. Thompson, assistant, Te Roti, October. 10 to November C; P. Blandford, 2nd assistant, Okaiawa, October 31 to November 6; I. Taylor, assistant, Stratford, September 26 to November 6; V. Kidd, assistant, Tawhiti, October 3 to 9; A. Wells, assistant, Omata, October 17 to 23; 0. J. Howartt, organising teacher, one day to attend examination; M. Mackie, head teacher, Hulrangi, February 1, 1922 to January 31, 1923 (to exchange position with Canadian teacher).

MANUAL AND TECHNICAL WORK. The following recommendations from the Manual and Technical Committee were adopted : That a grant of £2O be made ton rds the cost of the New Plymouth Technical College prospectus. That a grant of £lO be made towards the cost of sports and school prizes for the New Plymouth Technical College. That the question of the adequacy of instruction at the Eltham technical classes be referred to Mr. Trimble to confer with the senior inspector and take action if necessary. That Mr. Lees and the architect report to the Board on matters concerning the furnishing of the Hawera Technical High School raised by the director in his report. That the thanks of the Board be extended to all those who assisted by donations or help In the opening of the new Tectnlcal High School at Hawera. That Messrs. Trimble and White be appoint; ed a sub-committee with power to act, to frame a statement of claim from this Board to the Agricultural Department for a refund of portion of the expense incurred by the Board in connection with boys’ and girls’ clubs. That the matter of the agricultural instructors’ annual visit to the hackblock schools be referred to Mr. Trimble to confer with Mr. Johnson. That the reference to Koru in Mr. Johnson's report be referred to Mr. White to report on. That the Hawera Advisory Board be informed that on the receipt of the new regulations on this matter, their application will receive full consideration.

ARCHITECT’S REPORT. The architect (Mr. C. H. Moore), reported as follows on the work in hand:— Stratford Technical High School.—This work is going on steadily towards completion. Okato New Residence (in concrete). —We are just about through with the completion of this work. Ngaere New Residence (in wood). —About another fortnight will also see this job finished. Fitzrroy Gymnasium.—We are about ready to start the lining and other improvements. As authorised by the chairman I have put into effect the Idea of putting the new windows in the north-east end of the school and take out the old windows and put them in rho gymnasium. Hawera Technical High School.—The concrete gate posts approaches and new gates are about completed. The school is now held in the new building. The report also dealt with repair work at Tikorangi, Uruti, and Opunake residences. At Eltham he had gone into the question of science benches. He recommended that the science fcpparatus in the cupboards be removed to Stratford and the benches could te taken to pieces and used for other purposes. In the workstop the staff had been busy cn joinery and furniture. A start was to be made shortly with a large quantity of dual deshs.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. The attendance officer (Mr. G. Pascoe) reported: During the month 70' irregular attedance notices have been sent to parents of children attending primary schools. Tile following 23 schools have been visited: Warea, Puniho, Pungarehu, Rahotu, x Opunake, Oeo, Tawhiti, Hawera, Acklapd, Elttam, Omata, Harford, Waitui, Kaamata, Pukeho, Tarata, Purangi, Kent, Albert, Upper and Lower Mangorei, Hawera and Opunake Convents. The attendance of some of the Maoris at Puniho has not been good and I have had to summon two parents. At the Hawera and Opunake Convents the attendance is not as good as I would like, but the attendance at the other schools visited is good. One parent was convicted for his child’s irregular attendance. Technical Night. Classes.—l have visited the Hawera, Eltham, and New Plymouth schools. The attendance at Hawera and Eltham since the term holidays, except in one or two cases, has been satisfactory. In New Plymouth the woodwork classes have been good, but the others are bad, and in consequence I have had to prosecute a number of parents. I have sent out 23 warnings for the mouth.

OTAROA SCHOOL Regarding the application for a school for Otaroa (5% miles from Tikorangi), the senior inspector (Mr. J. A. Valentine) reported: There are eight families concerned, the number of children being 20, of whom 15 are of school age. Of these 15, 8 are children of share-milkers and consequently can hardly be regarded as permanently belonging to the district. If the Board can ascertain with some degree of certainty that these pupils are likely to remain in the district for a time, then it is clear that educational facilities should be provided. Hence, I have to recommend that, provided that, the Board receives some assurance concerning these 8 children, application should be made for a grant for a movable school, such as the Board’s architect has designed. The report was adopted and it was decided to make application to the department for a grant for a movable school. VOGELTOWN SCHOOL. A report was received from the senior inspector with regard to acommodation' at Vogeltown. He said: The conditions obtaining at this school are such that I feel justified in presenting to the board a special report. In one room, the dimensions of which are 27ft. x 21% ft. 580 square ft., the headmaster, assisted by a probationer, teaches four standards, while in the other room two assiisants have to handle at least 75 pupils on- a floor space of 576 square ft., and It is plain that owing to the growth of this part of the town accommodation conditions will next year be even more pressing. Hence, as the department has declined to make a grant for a new room, I have Co recommend that the. board consider the advisability of renting, for the accommodation of the infants, the Sunday School building situated, say, a quarter of u mile from the school. On the resolution of tile chairman and Mr. Deare, it was aecided to apply to the department for a grant to cover the cost of renting the schoolroom as suggested by the inspector. MOVABLE RESIDENCES. Concerning the controversy between the board and the Minister of Education on the question of residences, the Minister wrote contending that he had not authorised the board to proceed with the work, but in view of tire circumstances he was now prepared to consider applications for grants for this purpose ou th«* -Madivlduai merita.

GENERAL. Advice was received from the Education Department that in view of the present circumstances the application for a grant for remodelling the Carrington school could not be entertained. A report on the accommodation at Oeo was made by the senior inspector, who wrote : After consideration of the. position at this school I have to say that as, according to ti e office plan, the floor space is 574 square feet, and as the average attendance for the September quarter was 45,. there ,is as yet ».o hope of securing additional accommodation. i The Tawhiti committee wrote renewing their application for increased accommodation at the school. It was stated that the average. attendance was 205, and the building was built to accommodate LBO pupils.—fl?he secretary was. instructed to inform the committee that owing to the financial conditions it was not possible to secure additional accommodation, and tb ask if it was not possible for some of the children to attend at the Hawera school. A vote of thanks was passed to the Opunake committee for the work they had done in connection with the renovation of the school, and .residence. A report was received from Messrs. Eaves and Lees as to the proposed leasing of s’x acres of the Awatuna school site. They stated. that the school committee contended that as a verjr small rental was derived from leasing the section for grazing purposes, much better use could be made of it by leasing the land to the’public of Awatuna-for a recreation ground and pleasure resort.—lt was decided that the sub-committee be asked to consult the. committee and draft a proposal for submission to the board. Negotiations concerning the purchase of a school site at Whareroa were discussed, and the chairman and Mr. Trimble were delegated to interview the owner of the proposed site and report to next meeting. The Awatuna committee were granted permission to erect a war memorial in the schoa grounds, the site to be approved by the agricultural Instructor.