TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 117, 29 January 1879, Page 2

TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

♦ ANN HAL MEETING. The annual meeting of householders of Tenmka school district was held on Monday evening, at the schoolroom. E’ghteen householders were present. Mr Wilson was voted to the chair’. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the following report of the retiring committee was read : Mr Chairman and gentlemen—in compliance with clause 64 of the Education Act, 1877, the retiring committee beg to submit the following report of their proceedings during their year of office. At their first meeting, Mr Alexander Wilson, senr., was re-elected chairman. Shortly after the committee had entered upon their duties, it was deemed advisable, on the advice of the medical gentlemen practising in the district, to close the school for a time, owing to the prevalence of scarlatina. After the school had been closed for some sis weeks another calamity, befel it. Mr Rowe, the head master, who had been ailing for some time, was compelled to ask the committee to procure a master to temporarily carry on the school, his illness having increased so much as to render him unfit to resume the duties of the school on its reopening. The committee were fortunate in securing the sendees of Mr John Hardcastlo, who acted as head master of the school for three months, and discharged the duties of the post most efficiently. Mr Rowe’s illness increasing, ultimately ended in his death. By his death, the district lost an efficient teacher and kind-hearted gentleman. It is needless to state that the progress of the school was much retarded, and the numbers attending kept down, by these accidents. Under the circumstances, it is not to be wondered at that the result of the examination of the school made by Mr Hammond on the 10th and 11th June was not satisfactory, either to the Inspector, the-teachers, or the parents. Immediately after Mr Rowe’s death, your committee took steps to fill the vacancy thereby caused, Mr Hardcaatlc declined to

become a candidate ; but Mr MTntosh, head master of the Winchester school, expressing his willingness to assume the charge, your committee unanimously resolved to request the Board of Education to appoint him to the vacant post. This request was most readily complied with, and Mr MTntosh accordingly took charge of the school on the first of August. Other changes in the staff during the year, have been the resignation of Miss Chapman and Master W. Rowe as pupil teachers. Miss Chapman left the school on the 31st March, and Master Rowe at the commencement of the Christmas vacation. Mrs Rowe still continues to discharge the duties of head mistress to the satisfaction of all; and Miss Elizabeth Young, as second mistress, and Misses Hannah Klee and Bertha Brown, as pupil teachers, deserve unqualified praise for their punctuality and industry during the time each has, respectively, been engaged on the staff of the school.’ Notwithstanding the drawbacds to the progress of the school which have been previously mentioned, it has more than regained its former position in respect to numbers. The number on the roll at the end of the last quarter was 311, as against 2G6 for the last quarter of the previous year, and the average daily attendance for the quarter was 190’2, as against 171 for the last quarter of 1877. It is due to Mr MTntosh to say that he aims at, and is capable of, bringing the school up to the highest degree of efficiency that .circumstances will permit. The trying, dry, and hot weather of late again generated disease in our midst, the result being that for the last week or two the school has been nearly deserted. As, however, there are no symptoms of -any extensions of the disease, it is probable that in a very short time the attendance will be equal to, or greater than, that previous to the outbreak. So soon as 25 of the pupils have passed the Fourth Standard, it is permissible by law to have the school proclaimed a District High School, and, as the head master expects, should no unforseeu difficulty arise, to see this condition satisfied during the first of the winter months, the retiring committee beg to impress upon their successors the desiability of havin'* this change made in the constitution of the school —a change that cannot but tend to its greater efficiency. It is much to be regretted that so many circumstances have militated against the progress of the school during and it is especially to be regretted that the indifference or negligence of the Board concerning even the smallest and most pressing of our needs, has been one of the most powerful of those unfavourable circumstances. This indifference caused your committee to give notice to the Board, that unless its wishes were more promptly attended to it would resign in a body. This notice appears to have had the anticipated effect, for the Board are now taking steps to satisfy at least a portion of our demands, by making muchneeded additions to the buildings. A new scheme for the apportionment of teaching power came into force at the commencement of this year, under which the Temuka school is entitled to a second Your committee have requested the Board to appoint one, and trusts that the appointment will soon bo made. During their year of office, your committee have held sixteen meetings’ averaging an attendance of more than five membeis. It has been a constant source of complaint with the committee that as the Education Act is at present administered, the committee are simply tied hand and foot to the Board, and have no power to carry out any' needed improvements. A change in the relationship between the Board and the committee seems imperatively necessary in the interests of the welfare anti prosperity of the school. The accounts of the committee fur the past year have been examined by Mill ardcastle, and certified as correct. They show that at the commencement of their year of office a sum of £to 7s 8d was lying at tiie credit of the salaries account, and £7 14s Id to the credit of the incidental account. During their year of office, the sum of £4lO 13s 6d has been received from the Board on account of salaries, and the sura of £461 Os 9d has been paid, leaving a balance in band to the salaries account of £1 Os sd. For incidental expenses, £65 5s has been received during the year, and a balance in hand at the ojjening of the year, of £7 14s Id, makes the total of £72 19s Id to expended. This amount, it is found, on examining the whole of the accounts, has been exceeded by £4 ISs 7d. On account of building, apparatus, &c., £65 has been received, and this sum has also been exceeded by a sum of £1 13s. As the accounts stand at present, therefore the account at the bank has been overdrawn by £5 Us 2d. It is necessary to point out an item of £ll, paid for apparatus or school furniture, it is expected, will be refunded by the Board of Educatian.

Mr J. Brown moved the adoption of the report, anil the motion was carried unanimously, Mr Brown then moved that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to the retiring committee. The number of meetings they had held, and the good attendance fit the meetings, showed that the members had taken great interest in the working of the school. Mr Radford seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Air Wilson, as chairman of the committee, returned thanks. Mr WiLon moved—“ That a cordial vote of thanks be accorded to the teachers, for having conducted the school so satisfactorily under the disadvantage of shortness of staff.” Mr Whitehead seconded the motion, and it uas carried unanimously. The election of a new committee was then proceeded with, and the following persons were elected :—Messrs Grav, Wilson, Russell, E. Brown, Wills, Storey, and Hooper. A vote of thanks to the chairman, carried by acclamation, terminated the meeting. COMMITTEE MEETING. The newly elected committee then held their first meeting, all the members present. Mr Wi'son was re-elected chairman. and Air Bolton re-appninted secretary for the ensuing year. The minutes of the last committee meeting were read and confirmed. Air Wills asked whether the late committee had broached to the Board the subject of fencing in the section on the opposite side of Wilkin street, belonging to the school. The chairman replied that the matter was brought before the Board some time ago, and that a sub-committee had been lately appointed to make an estimate of the requirements of the school for the ensuing year in matters of the kind, but that rhe subcommittee had been unable to complete the task assigned them. Air Wills moved, and it. was carried—“ That it be strongly urged upon the Board to have these works done as soon as possible —namely, the fencing of the section, the painting of the school, and the papering of the master’s house.” It was resolved that Messrs Wilson and Gray be re-appointed a sub-committee to obtain and forward to the Board an estimate of the cost of the works. Mr Storey' was appointed to sign cheques with the chairman. Messrs Storey and Wills were appointed visitors for the ensuing month. It was resolved that the ordinary monthly meetings be held on the second Tuesday in each month. Air Gray moved, and it wa« car-

tied unanimously, that a sub-committee, to consist of Messrs Wilson, Storey, Russell, and the Mover, he appointed to obtain information respecting the number of children within the district not in attendance at any school, nor receiving private instruction, and to consider and report upon, at a meeting to be held on the 7th of February, the advisability of bringing the compulsory clauses into force within the district.