EDUCATION BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1922, Page 7

EDUCATION BOARD.

monthly MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki Education Board waa held yesterday, when there were present: Messrs. P. J. H. White (chairman), EL Trimble, H. J. Eaves, A. Lees, F. Hoskin, and K. J. Deare. Messrs. R. Masters and S. G. Smith, M’s.P.» were granted leave of absence. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. The chairman reported that during the month he had made the following temporary appointments : Pukearuhe, Miss M. K. Spenee, sole teacher; Finnerty, Airs. L. M. Street, head teacher; o"kaiawa, Miss A. E. Johns, assistant.: Musker’s, Miss A. Murray, sole teacher; West End, Miss M. J. Smith, third assistant; Otunui, Mrs. C. E. Street, sole teacher; Koru, Miss M. E. Hodder, sole teacher; Mangorci Upper, Miss H. K. Rigg, sole teacher; Egmont Village, Miss I. Therkleson, assistant; Tarurutangi. Miss T. Simpson, sole teacher; Inglcv wood, Miss A. Leslie, assistant.; Norfolk, Miss A. Leslie, second assistant: Inglewood, Mr. W. •J. Metcalf, first assistant; Paraketu Valley, Miss S. Campbell, sole teacher; Waitara, Miss P. Hutchinson, sixth assistant; Tatu, Mr. G. MeCann, sole teacher; Hapurua, Miss N. Cheeseman, sole teacher: Kina, Mr. I. M. Guild, sole teacher; Ngaere, Miss V. Stiller, second assistant; Mokau Household, Miss D, Ross, sole teacher. —Adopted.

TEACHERS’ MOVEMENTS. Leave of absence was granted as follows: Miss F. O’Brien, head teacher, Hillsborough; Miss G. Leech, probationer, Inglewood; Miss N. Peach, probationer, Central; Miss J. M. Hooker, probationer, Matapu; Miss A. Frethey, probationer, Vogeltown; Mr. J. A. Jennings, probationer Frankley; Miss I. Taylor, assistant, Stratford; Miss P. Blandford, assistant, Okaiawa; Miss E. Long, trainee, Hawera T.H.S.; Mias M. Stevenson, probationer, Kapuni; Miss E. Rowntree, head teacher, Finnerty ; Miss C. B. Cole, sole teacher, Paraketu Valley; Mr. T. Boyle, head teacher, Cardiff ; Miss R. Field, assistant, Stratford T.H.S.; Miss E. Ward, assistant, New Plymouth T.H.S.—all on account of illness; Miss K. Monteatb, assistant, Hawera T.H.S., to attend University capping ceremony; Miss A. Ritehie, head teacher, Whareroa. Resignations were accepted as follow: Mrs. M. Lamplough, head teacher, Huiakama; Miss B. Anderson, pupil teacher, Normanby; Mr. S. A. Ammon, sole teacher, Makaka; Mr. J. H. Barber, sole teacher, Baupuha ; Miss C. Mcßae, sole teacher, Musker’s.

TEACHERS’ APPOINTMENTS. The teachers’ selection committee recommended the following appointments : Kaponga, head teacher, re-adrertise—a male teacher to be appointed; Ngaere, headmaster, Mr. David Taylor, subject to report from Wanganui Board; Kina, sole teacher. Miss E. E. Sutton; Koru, sole teacher, Mr. M. J. Smith ; Mangorei Upper, sole teacher, Mrs. I. A. E. Dalsom; Tarurutangi, sole teacher, that Miss Simpsan's services be retained until end of year; Egmont Village, assistant, Miss A. M. Giddy; West End, fourth assistant, Mrs. M. A. Russell ; tenth assistant. Miss Elsie Bullard. They also recommended that the position at Fraser Road be advertised and Miss Simmons be transferred to a Grade 2 school, to Raupuha; Miss R. Patterson be appointed pupil teacher at Normanby, and Mrs. Davis sewing mistress at the York School ; that Mrs. Barber’s resignation as sewing mistress be accepted ; that Mr. C. H. Stephenson be transferred from Tarurutangi to the position of fourth assistant at the Fitzroy School.

MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. The manual and technical instruction committee recommended, inter alia, that the appointment of Miss Gretchen Cramer as a student teacher at the Stratford Technical High School be approved; that the attention of the teachers concerned be drawn to the unsatisfactory nature of their attendance at teachers’ Saturday classes, as reported by the instructors; that the board regrets that it cannot grant the applications received for hedge plants, except, where they can be obtained from, the supply at Stratford; that the board cannot see its way clear to recede from the position it has taken up, and the Stratford Borough Council be asked to remove the electric power poles and wires from the Stratford Technical High School grounds immediately; that the Stratford Technical High School advisory board's proposal to expend approximately £2l 5s on the planting of belts of trees in the Technical grounds be confirmed, subject to the stipulation that such expenditure be met out of the voluntary contributions recently received from the Stratford Retailers’ Association.—Approved. Mr. H. C. Johnson reported as follows: I have been able to visit but 15 primary, schools during the month. In all eases good work was being done. On the 29th, I gave a pruning demonstration at Manaia to the pupils of the schools and adults. Keen enthusiasm was shown. I have arranged with the Elthatn branch of .the Farmers’ Co-operation to supply “potato seeds” for carrying on the shield competition. Regular instruction has been given at Stratford Technical High School in chemistry, physics, agriculture, and dairy science. The classes have now settled down to good work, and with the equipping of the new laboratories, there is opportunity of greater saving of time. On Wednesday, 14th, we availed ourselves of the invitation from the Stratford Holstein Breeders' Association to attend a demonstration at Mr. Marchant’s, Cardiff, and arranged for several of the more advanced pupils to attend also. With the exception of June 3rd, the teachers’ classes have been held regularly. Miss Cathie has taken up duty with the class in general science. The agriculture and* Naturestudy is arranged so as to fit the teachers particularly for primary schools. This is considered the best course since, bitt very few require the subject for certificate examinations. The schools are attending the manual classes regularly and well. Standard VI pupils are doing very good Indeed. It will be necessary to make arrangements for supplying the ma-

terials and chemicals that are continuously being used in these science classes. Since it appears that the temporary arrangement of staff is to continue until the end of the year, I would remind you of the small amount of time devoted to the primary schools in this board. Under these conditions, no progress in their work can be looked for, and, indeed, with the number of teachers appointed from other boards, it will be doubtful if the work does not actually go back. It appears to me sad indeed that the work should be so hindered, but I am unable to suggest or do anything that can improve matters under tbe present arrangements. Mr. R. Syme reported as follows: Stratford Technical High School.—Work with all classes in dairy science, and agriculture is progressing satisfactorily, and now that the apparatus for the science rooms has arrived, time is being spent on practical work that has been held, over during the early part of the year. New Plymouth Technical College. The classes in agriculture and dairy science arestill greatly interfered with by my having to take three classes for physics and general science at the same time as I have a class In agriculture.

Manual Training Classes.—The work being done in rural science by the schools that assemble at Inglewood and by the Vogeltown. Frankley and Bell Block schools at the New Plymouth Technical College, is this year very satisfactory, especially by those pupils who also attended these classes last year. Teachers' Saturday Classes. —The class in ag rlculture and general science at New Plymouth lias been held regularly. Considering the fact that these classes are compulsory for pupil teachers, the attendance is decidedly unsatisfactory in the cases of many teachers. Primary Schools.—At the beginning of the month I was occupied with work in connection with the exhibit of school rural work at the New Plymouth Show. I met the Rahotu and Hillsborough school committees in connection with proposed improvements to school grounds, and the enthusiasm shown by the committee at both these classes should ensure that good work towards improving the school grounds will result. Mr. H. W. Insull, supervisor of manual instruction, reported:— During the past week I have visited among several schools at Mangatoki, Kaponga, Kapuni and Manaia, with a view to reporting on manual classes. At Manaia there is a suitable room fully equipped, quite ready for the commencement of woodwork and cookery classes. Children might attend from Okaiawa. Otakeho and Kapuni. At Mangatoki there :s benching accommodation for 12 pupils and a quantity of tools. At Kaponga there are sev-

eral broken benches. I suggest the pupils at Kaponga might be able to attend Jfajigatokl if a centre could be established there. NEW PLYMOUTH TECHNICAL COLLEGE. Mr. A. L. Moore, principal of the New Plymouth Technical College, reported that the numbers on. the roll were being maintained, seven pupils having enrolled and five having left, the total roll-number now being 201, made up as follows: Commercial, first year 28,second year 20, third year 7, fourth year 4; industrial and agricultural, 18; engineering, first year 27, second year 17, third and fourth year 9; science, 16. The number in residence at the hostel remains the same, viz., six. During the past month, Mr. La Trobe, superintendent of technical education, visited the school to discuss staffing and • time-tables and to inspect generally. Evening classes generally were very small, but Mr. La Trobe had sanctioned their continuance. Examinations by the Plumbers’ Boards were held on June 23rd and 24th, the results of which would be to hand in a few weeks. It seemed that the adults attending the plumbing class expected to pass tbe examinations by putting in one term’s attendance (generally fairly Irregular) at the class, irrespective of their capacity, knowledge or ability. He was afraid and hoped that the examination results would dispel this idea. ARCHITECT'S REPORT. The architect (Mr. C. H. Moore) reported as follows: New Work.—The movable school at Hapurua was completed, and also the movable detached bedroom at the Lepperton residence. The movable classroom for Ash wood was railed to Whangamomona, and as soon as it was on tbe site would be erected. A grant had been received for the long-expected work at Courtenay Street, and a start would be made in the near future with the erection of the new infant school. He had asked the Central School to have several trees removed from the front. The department had authorised the removal of the two classrooms at the rear of the Central School to another site, and this work would have to be carried out during the summer holidays.

Plans . had been prepared and application made to the department for grants as follow: Permanent school at Moturoa. to start with two classrooms and conveniences. Personally he was of the opinion that another classroom would be needed as soon as this school (In the-event of a grant) could be completed. There had been .no intention'on the board's part to erect .movable.' classrooms. Two plans had been prepared for'a movable detached classroom and- permanent additions to the present building at Okaiawa. A proposal to extend the present building at Fitzroy and provide accommodation for the Infants' class had been placed before the department. The committee had agreed to find up to £250 for this work. The proposition would be a considerable saving to the department, and he suggested that an urgent request be made to have the matter dealt with so as to enable the extra floor-space, urgently required, to be provided. Application had been received for the urgent work of remodelling at Carrington, and a grant had been applied for towards the erection of the proposed shelter. The general painting and repair work at both the Midhirst School and residence had been completed, and various repairs carried out at Normanby, Ngaere, Riverlea, Awatuna, Tariki and Whareroa. At the latter place he suggested cancelling the proposal to do any lining in the -hall and ask the department to make a grant for the conveniences, as the preesnt arrangements were deplorable. The Mceroa school site, as pointed out by the School Commissioner, proved to be the wrong place. However, as the site set .mt by. the Land Deparmtent was simply, a hillside, and totally unfit for school purposes, he suggested that the Elthain County Council be approached with a view' to coming to some amicable arrangement whereby a piece of this land belonging to the council could be fenced off and allowed for school purposes, and probably the school site could be used by the county roadmen for grazing. He had gone into the question of the removal and renovation df the caretaker's cot-> tage at the Stratford District High School. The report was adopted.

It was resolved to make application to the department for a grant to provide the conveniences at Whareroa. The question of the caretaker’s residence at Stratford was referred to Messrs. Masters and Trimble. In a supplementary report, the architect stated that he had E9»e into the question, and could state definitely that the present conveniences were totally inadequate for the number of children attending this school, and they were also obsolete. He therefore recommended erecting new latrines at the rear of the gymnasium. Allowing for a probable 150 children attending the proposed Moturoa school, it would be necessary to provide for at least 500 children. The approximate cost would be £6OO. The architect was instructed to prepare plans, and application will be at once made to the department for a grant for the work, as a very urgent matter. ATTENDANCE OFFICER’S REPORT. The attendance officer (Mr. S. Pascoe) reported that during the montli he had sent out 49 irregular attendance notices to parents of children attending primary schools. He had visited nine'schools in the district. Many of the children attending these schools ride from two to five miles. Others walked two miles and more over inud roads, which were only roads in name. In spite of this the attendance was very good, and compared very favorably with the attendance made by children win had metal roads to walk, and ride over. There was a tendency to come to school late, but he thought his visit -would remedy the ; trouble. He had to summon two parents for their children’s irregular attendance, fines being imposed in each case. Tbe following schools had been visited, where, except for heavy colds, there was very little sickness and the attendance was very good, and the school returns showed very little irregularity: Ararata, Eltham, Fraser Road, Matiere, Niho Niho, Ohura, Otanglwai, Oeo, Rawhltiroa, Rotokare, Tatu, Tokirima, Turoto, Walkaka - , Waitewhenua. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANTS. Mr. J. A. Valentine (senior inspector) reported that, after consideration from him on the size of the classes in cerUin schools, the department had authorised the employment, of three additional assistants, provided that such assistants could be fully and profitably employed. The schools In which the classes were found were Central . School, West End, Fitzroy, Stratford, Waitara, Hawera and Eltham. Though conditions in the Central School were very acute, the accommodation was so limited that it was not easy to see how another assistant could be utilised profitably in any room. With this view the headmaster concurred. Hence any special increase in the staffing’ of this school had better be deferred until the hew school was built in Courtenay Street and the remodelling operations to the Central building were completed. In Stratford there were five classes of 70

or more, and as there was spare room, the services of an additional assistant might most profitably ’ be utilised. He recommended, therefore, that one such assistant be appointed at Stratford. In Hawera there were over 240 in the primer classes, with three assistants. The. infant mistress had about 100 in her own room, with two pupil teachers to help. He recommended that an additional assistant be appointed to help in the tuition of the primer classes. As the average attendance for the June quarter at West End, Fitzroy and Waitara had entitled each of these schools to the services of an additional assistant, it did not seem necessary that a special increase In staff need be provided at any one of thess schools.. In any case there would be no room in which a special assistant could profitably carry on. In Eltham there were in one room 80 pupils under one teacher, and in the primer classes there were 116 pupils. Hitherto the headmaster had had to help with the Primer 3 class work, and had had too little time for his more important duties. As there was ample opportunity in this school for the full utilisation of a special assistant, he recommended that one he appointed. SENIOR INSPECTOR’S REPORT. In regard to the application • for increased accommodation at Nonnanby, the senior inspector (Mr. J. A. Valentine) reported that the floor-space totalled 1804 feet, which, under present, conditions, is regarded as ample for 180 children. The average attendance for the two quarters of this year had been 172 and 162, and during the June quarter the roil dropped from 187 to 178. Consequently a claim for increased accommodation cannot yet lie established, but it was quite true that in the senior rooms teachers and pupils worked at great disadvantage. He recommended that

'the opinion of the architect be obtained as to the practicability and expense of enlarging the teachers’ room.—Adopted, the architect being authorised to report on the latter paragraph. Reporting on the application for increased accommodation at Awakino, the senior Inspector stated that at present the average attendance was below the floor-space limit. As the school was more likely to grow than decrease, he recommended that the position be reconsidered when the average for the September quarter was established. He recommended that application be made to the department for a movable residence at Marokopa. TAWHITI SCHOOL. The Tawhltl school committee asked whether, in view of the overcrowded state of the school, the board could arrange for the use of one of the rooms in the old Technical School at Hawera, and Standards 111 and IV could then be accommodated there. The chairman stated that the position at Hawera was that there was ample room at the Hawera Main School, which was only two miles from Tawhitl. He recognised that in such a case the department would do nothing, and he was not prepared to press for anything until places where there was some congestion were relieved. On the motion of the chairman and Mr. Trimble, it was resolved to reply that the board has again written to the department asking for a reply to its previous application, but in view of the fact that there is still ample accommodation available at the Hawera Main School, the board cannot see its way to grant the use of the Technical School. GENERAL. The .application for increased accommodation at Ackland was referred to the senior inspector to report. It was reported that grants had been approved as follow: Courtenay Street Infant, £7062: Waikiri (Mohakatiuq). £244; Central School remodelling, £567. It was resolved to inform the Waitara and Manaia school committees that it is the duty of committees to keep the fences in repair. Matter of repairs to residence at Inglewood was referred to the architect, with power to The fencing at Makahu was referred to the architect. The' Upper Mangorei school committee was granted leave to move the picket fence at the school site, provided it was kept in repair. The matter of subsidy on cost of drains hy the Stanley Road Committee was referred to Mr. Trimble and the architect to report on. In connection with application, from Mokau, it was resolved to ask the department if the grant for extra windows was still available. The headmaster of the Mangatoki School wrote offering to contribute £5O towards the cost of installing the hot-water service in the residence, provided the board- would supply a new stove. The board agreed to do the work, providing the headmaster waives any right to compensation in the event of his removal from the school. In response to the application of the Young Helpers’ League, it was resolved that the board regrets that it cannot give permission to visit aahools during sobool hours.