TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1019, 19 October 1882, Page 2

TEMUKA SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The usual monthly meeting of the School Committee was held in the Schoolhouse on Tuesday, 17th October, 1882. Present—Messrs Maekay (Chairman), Brown, Bolton, Bavis and Russell. The minutes ot last ordinary and special meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman detailed the steps taken by him in connection with school matters as follows :

"I.—ln terms of resolution passed by you at last meeting I applied to the Board for additional teacher. They will not grant one as, attendance does not warrant one, but they will allow an infant mistress at £BO per annum.

" 2.—On account of the overcrowded state of the school, and on. the master's recommendation, I have sanctioned tho removal of some 80 of the children to the Good Templars' iiall, under the supervision of Mrs Rowe. The average attendance at the school is still over 200, notwithstanding the number drafted The necessary forms suitable for the children, have been ordered, and will be furniVied by the Board. The rent is 12s per week. The removal and rent has been sanctioned by the Board.

" 3.—lrregular attendance—l recommend that the Inspector be asked to prosecute the parent? and guardians of those children who wilfully stay away. " 4. —Sale of school buildings—l regret to have to bring under your notice a report which appeared in the Timaru Herald of 6th inst, respecting the sale of the and I have now to . state what I have done in the matter: I both telegraphed and wrote a letter to the Board in reference to the matter. Neither telegram nor letter was to my mind satisfactory, knowing that the Committee would be anything but pleased by being charged with impropriety. I therefor* resolved to see the Chairman of the Education Board . personally on the matter, and, taking advantage o Mr Mendelson's visit to Timaru, we interviewed the Chairman, and submitted the Committee's authority for selling the property. The Chairman admitted that the report as it appeared in the Herald was a correct report, but upon the evidence now placed before him, he said a blunder had been made, and that the Committee had been erroneously debited with it. He further stated that the Committee were fully justified in the step they had taken, and assured us that he would instruct the Secretary to write us officially that we have not been guilty of impropriety."

Correspondence was read as follows : —Outward —To the Education Board, six letters and one telegram ; Head Master, one letter ; John Thomson, one letter. Inward—From Education Board four letters and one telegram, also a circular re teachers' salaries ; from Mr Batterbee, asking an additional 3s per week as janitor on account of the extra work in cleaning building used ioi the Infant Department ; from Mrs Rowe, stating her willingness to accept the post of Infant Mistress.

The Master's report was read as follows :—No. on roll : Boys, 191 ; girls, 165 ; total, 356. Working average : Boys, 136 ; girls, 111 ; total, 247, Strict aveiage : Boys, 136 ; girls, 111 ; total 247. Highest attendance (12th Oct.) : Boys, 147 ; girls, 121 ; total, 268. The report further stated that the cause of the low percentage as compared with last month was sickness among the pupils. The attendance had since im proved, and on Monday, 16th October, 280 pupils were present. A supply of foolscap and blotting paper was required for examination purposes. The names of pupils who were most irregular in their attendance without any reason were also given. Proposed by Mr Bolton, seconded by Mr Russell, and carried—" That this Committee appoint Mr H. W. Hammond, the Board's Inspector, to take proceedings against the parents or guardians, at the case may be, of certain children for irregular attendance at school." Proposed by Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Russell, and carried—" That the Committee recommend Mrs Rowe to the Board for the post of Infant Mistress." Proposed by Mr Bolton, seconded by Mr Russell, and carried—" That application be made to the Board for th e sum of 3s weekly—the extra charge incurred for cleaning the Infant Department, caused by the overcrowding of the school." Proposed by Mr Bolton, seconded by Mr Brown, and carried—" That application be made to the Board for the sum of 20s, to enable the Committee to fix a supply of hat and cloak hooks for the schelars." The report of the Visitors (Messrs Russell and Brown) was received, and considered highly satisfactory. The same visitors were reappointed. On the motion of Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Russell, the following accounts were passed for payment, viz. : Batterbee, £2 13s 4d ; P. W. Hutton. £1 5s ; Henry and Findlay, 10s. The meeting then closed.