SOUTH CANTERBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1183, 8 December 1883, Page 3

SOUTH CANTERBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The regular monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Board of Education was held yesterday. Present—Rev. G. Barclay (Chairman), Messrs J. Talbot. S, W. Goldsmith, M. Gray, R. B. Walcnt, W, J. Steward, JR. A. Barker, and E.

Wakefield. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed. The Chairman mac,e a statement of what had been done dming the month. In it he stated that he had sanctioned the appointment of Miss Ladbrook and Mr Gurr to positions in the Temuka District High School. He in timated that a deputation would wait upon the Board, in reference to the proposal to

remove the North Orari buildings to Belfield, and stated that the Kakahu Committee were now negotiating with the Geraldine Road Board for a site for their school. The following business of interest to this district came before the Board After a discussion the Inspector’s report of the Pupil Teachers’ examination was referred back to him, he having failed to give any marks for music, or other subjects in which the candidates were examined orally. The Inspector stated that he had followed the usual practice. Messrs Totten and Kimber waited on the Board as a deputation from residents in the South Rangitata district, to urge that the contemplated removal of the unoccupied school buildings of the North Orari district to Belfield should not take place, but that the school should be reopened as an aided school. They submitted lists showing that there would be a probable, or certain, average attendance of 15, and the residents would undertake to contribute £4O a year for two years towards a teacher’s salary. The Board decided to grant the application. It was proposed that plans for a new building at Belfield be obtained from the architects, but several members were averse to forestalling the grant any further, and it was resolved to express to the Belfield Committee the Board’s regret that they are unable to take any further steps until the Government grant is received. The building account was indebted to maintenance account about £SOO, and the latter account was only in credit about £525, and a number of cheques were still unpresented. Mr Gurr, the Inspector, gave a short report on the progress of the school examinations. Of theTeinuka school he remarked that a large number ef the children were below the standard, only 165 out of 417 being presented in standards. The report as whole was fairly satisfactory. In his report on the Waitohi School Mr Guxr stated that of 33 presented in standards 26 passed, two who had passed in July not being presented. In his opinion the teacher had done good work during the year. The children below the standards gave him every satisfaction, and their state was a good indication of the state of the whole school. The order and discipline were good ; iu fact, he had been very much impressed with the order and discipline. Of the Milford school a bad report was made, only six passing out of 24 and those six had been in the hands of tire pupil teacher. The present Master was not responsible for the result, as he had only been in charge six weeks, and he had not attempted to patch up deficiencies for the examination but had made a fresh commencement, looking forward to next year.

The Geraldine Plat School was highly spoken of. Of the Kakahu bchool the report was not-satisfactory, and it was ordered to be sent to the Committee for their remarks upon it. Mr Gurr having withdrawn, the Chairman was authorised to draw up and present to Mr Gurr a testimonial on behalf of the Board, he having requested to be given one. With respect to the Waitehi school it was resolved “ That in consequence of the favorable result of last examination of the Wuitohi Flat School, no action be taken on the report by the Inspecter of the 4th July last.” An unfavorable report had been presented on the Winchester School, and it had been referred to the Committee for remarks. A letter was now read from the Chairman suggesting certain reasons for the comparative failure of the school. The letter was signed by the Chairman, and contained nothing to indicate that the report had been submitted to and considered by the Committee, and it was decided to ask whether the Committee as a whole had been consulted. At the preceding meeting it was resolved that Masters of District High Schools must be graduates of some University, but that the present Masters of two schools recently raised to that status should be given time to obtain a degree. Replies were now received from those Masters, one declining to fall in with the Board’s views, and the other urging that it should not be required in his case.

The Winchester School Committee was granted £3 to enable it to paint a wicket fence.

Mr Talbot stated that ho had got a practical man to look at the roof of the Waitohi School buildings and he reported that the old shingle roof was too far gone to be repaired.—Mr Talbot was requested to obtain an estimate of the cost of covering the roof with iron. A letter was read from the Geraldine Flat Committee, urging the Board to grant the school a pupil teacher though the attendance was not up to that required by the scale ; a second was read from the Wai-iti Committee, protesting against a pupil teacher then being discharged because the attendance had fallen below ihe limit; and a third from the Washdyke Committee to the same effect. It was resolved “ That the Chairman and Messrs Wakefield and Walcot be appointed a Committee to report to the Board at next meeting as to whether—and if any, what—alterations should be made in the regulations of the Board as to the proportion of pupil teachers allowed to the several schools, and also as to the questions raised in the letters received from the Geraldine Flat, Washdyke, and Wai-iti School Committees.”

The Secrerary announced that (he members to retire by rotation this year were Messrs Steward, Walcot, and Barker.