MILFORD SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 910, 28 January 1882, Page 3

MILFORD SCHOOL.

The Committee lof the above school met on the 13rd of January last. Present Messrs Cox (Chairman), White, Woodley, and Colville. Letters from the Board of Education were read announcing that the Board’s Architect had been instructed to prepare plans foran addition qf 15 feet to the school and that the furniture recommended by the Inspector would be supplied at once. After some further business had been transacted the Chairman read the annual report which was adopted, but after waiting for about an hour after the time appointed for the general meeting of householders to be held, no one turned up, and cousequentiy no annnal meeting was held. The following is the report of the Committee:— ANNUAL REPORT. “..Your Committee begs to submit to the Householders the following report of its proceedings, accompanied by a balance sheet showing receipts and expenditure for (he year ending January 23rd, 1882. “The Committee catered upon their duties with a balance at the bank to credit of £5 6s 3d, but with outstanding accounts in their hands amounting to £3 10s. “ The following is a summary of receipts and expenditure for the year 1881 ; Receipts. Balance in Bank January 22nd, 1881 ... 5 5 3 Salaries... ... ... ... 184 10 0 Incidentals 21 10 0 £2ll 5 3 Expenditure. Salaries... .., 184 10 0 Incidentals ... i... ... 27 1 10 £212 11 10 “ The account at bank stands thus Dr.—Bank overdraft, 6a 7d ; accounts unpaid, £3 9a Id ; total, £3 15s Bd. Cr, —Quarter’s incidentals, £5. Balance, £1 I4s 4d. “ Your Committee regret that they have nothing to report in the shape of additions and repairs to the schoolhonse or other buildings during the year of their office. Such small repairs as have been undertaken by them as absolutely necessary, have been paid for out of “incidentals ” (ordinary grant), no special grant for additions and repairs having been received from the Board. “ So far back as the month of March last the Committee thought it desirable to intimate to the Board that the schoolhouso was altogether too small for the accommodation of the children attending the school, and urging them to order the erection of an additional [room for the use of the junior classes. During the following month a circular-letter addressed to Committees was received from the Board, relating generally to the extent of building accommodation, and inquiring as to the, necessity of additional accommodation. Subsequently the Committee resolved to again urge jthe Board to undertake the necessary additions to the schoolhouse, and received a reply to the effect that “ pending advice from Wellington as to the amount that will be available for buildings in South Canterbury for the year, the Board were unable to incur expenditure under that head.’ “ In December Mr Mossman, the head teacher, reported that the Inspector had visited the school, and had inspected the school buildings with a view of reporting as to the necessity of any additions or repairs, such as had been suggested by the Committee. Up to the present time neither the proposed additions, nor repaars to existing buildings have been undertaken at the cost of the Board. The Chairman of the Committee has, however, within the last few days, received a communication from the Secretary of the Board intimating that tenders for the work are about being called, and that the new schoolroom furniture will be at once provided. “The Inspector’s examination report for 1881, has been received. Owing to a somewhat serious illness of the Inspector this report was delayed so long as to have almost lost interest. In addition to this, the said report embraced so short a period of the time that the present head teacher, Mr Mossman, had had the charge of the the school, as to be of little use to the Committee, or to the- householders, in enabling them to judge of his qualifications as a teacher, or of the result of his teaching. “ The Inspector’s Report for (he year, 1881, just received, is laid on (he table, open to the inspection of the householders. It will be seen by a reference (o it, that although the Inspector reports favorably of the school and of the results as giving evidence of ablo teaching, that he is at the same time not wholly satisfied with the average standard of attainment. Adding that in his opinion, regular attendance is largely instrumental in producing better results. “Your Committee draw attention to this matter in the hope that parents will make it their ■ business to secure a more regular attendance at school of their chil- - dren. “ Under the head of attendance will.be seen, number on the roll, 62 ; average at-

standard VI, presented 0, paasea u; standard V, presented 0, passed 0 ; standard IV, presented 8, passed 4 ; standard 111, presented 3, passed 3 ; standard 11, presented 7, passed 7 ; standard I, presented 7, passed 6. Total presented 25 ; total passed 20. Per centage of passes 80. Classification after examination, passed stand IY, 4; passed standard 111, 7 j passed standard 11, 7 ; passed standard I, 6 ; below standard I, 22. Total 46, “ At the request of the Committee Mr Mossman, the head teacher, has sent in a report in reference to attendance during the year 1881, l»y which it will be seen that the working average for the year is 45, the strict average is much less than this owing to the prevalence of sickness during the last quarter of the year. He also poinis out that irregularity in attendance still prevails, owing probably, in some cases to some of the children not having fully recovered t oin the effects of recent sickness. “ The accounts of receipts and expenditure for the year 1881 referred to in this report of the Committee have been duly examined and audited by Mr Bolton, of Temuka. Alfred Cox, Chairman.”