S.C. BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1967, 9 November 1889, Page 1

S.C. BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The monthly meeting of the Education Board was hold on Thursday. Present—Messrs S. W. Goldsmith (chairman), Pearpoint, J. Talbot, J, Jackson, Howell, and R. A. Barker, and Revs. Barclay and T. J. Smyth. In bis opening statement the chairman stated that during the month Mr A. Bell had been appointed third teacher of Geraldine, and Mies .Rowley was acting as locum tenms in Mr Bell's place at Waimate. Mr H. Gross, of Temuka, had been given leave of absence on account of illness, and Mr McNaughfc was doing his work. Mr J. Watson had resigned Waitohi Flat, and applications, 13 in number, had been received, and would be sent to the committee. Mr Graham was temporarily filling the vacancy. The Seadown site bod been surveyed, and the plan received. A tender had been accepted for repairs at South Orari, but the committee desired to postpone the repairs till the end of the month. It would be advisable to appoint a building committee to consider wfaat would be best to be done with the miserable grant received this year—£B64. No answer had been received to the board's request for a special grant for repair of damoge by the September gnle. The inspector reported the following percentages of passes and failures at the undermentioned schools :—Otnio, passes 50, failnres 31 ,' Sutherlands, pisses 40, failures 33 ; Cavp, passes 40, failures 0 ; Silverstrflam, paasos 27, failures 52; Totara Valley, passes 52, failures 7 ; Mount Gay, passes 62, failures 6 ; Opihi, passes 53, failures 0 ; Fairlie Creek, passes 44, failures 22; Burke's Pa6f>, passes 40, I failures 31; Albury, passes 42, failnres 22; Pleasant Point, passes 52, failures 21; Upper Waitohi Flat, passes 30, failnres 57 ; Glenavy, pusses 46, failures 5; M«kikihi, passes 51, failures 9. The roports in all cases were favorable, with the exception of Silverstrearu. in regard to the Upper Waitohi Flat it was reported that he teacher had not been long appointed.

Tho Architect, Mr West, reported th»t the repairs to ceiling at Qrari South had been let to Mr Langdon at £lO 16s 6d ; the repairs nt St. Andrews would be completed in about a fortnight. He gave a detailed report of the condition of (he Timaru school and ground, estimating the cost of the most urgent repairs at between £6O and £7O. A special Committee, also reported on the affairs ef the Timaru scheol, and it was decided that the £ls per annum now deducted from the Timaru Committee's incidental allowance for rent of janitor'* hoase be.remitted in futnre, and the matter of repairs was referred to the building committee. Mr West submitted also a pencil sketch for a new sohool at Geraldine, working in two c'aes rooms of the present building**, the latest additions and in the best repair ; the main building might also be utilised as an infant room, reducing the height of the walls by one foot if found necessary to cut off a°y unsound timber at the bottom of the studs, and building front rooms, lavatories, &c, ef new timber. The remaining timbers found to be sound might be worked in for the erection of a master's house. The school ia planned for 250 children. Messrs Barclay and Pearpoiat reported on the proposed new school at Geraldine as follows: "(1) That a plan for anew school be so drawn as to admit of (he working in of as much of the sound and suitable material of the present buildings as possible. (2) That the present school site and master's residence be valued separately, and that if the whole property (house and land together) do not fetch a satisfactory price, the building be absorbed in any plan for a new residence. (3) That the whole of the properiies saleable by Act be at once put op to auction."— Messrs Jackson and Taibot were in favor of deferring furthsr action so long as the present buildings answered the purpose, but ultimately it was resolved—"'Th«t Messrs Barclay and Pearpointbe authorised to take all necessary steps for the sale by auction of lands set apart for new buildings in Geraldine ; to have the properties first valued, to sea to all the necessary conditions, of legality, terms of payment ef money, advertising etc., the auctioneer to be Mr Muadell." A long letter was read from Mr Walker, bead master of the Waimataiti (a suburb of Timaru) school, bearing on the unfavorable report made by the Inspector after the last examination of the school, aod after hearing statements by the Inspector, Mr Gow, and Mr Walker, it was resolved—- " (l)That the explanation given b] Mr Walker re the apparent discrepancies in tho agea of certain children, while revealing much carelessness in the keeping of the registers and statistics, be accepted; (2) that Mr Walker's complaints affecting the manner and partiality of the inspector be held as entirely unfounded and uncalled for ; (3) that Mr Walker be informed that his resignation will be expected within one month, the committee in the meantime to be consulted ie reference to the matter." Mr M. Gray, and the Revs. (*eo. Barclay and Jasper Smyth, were appointed a scholarship committee ; and the Rev. Geo. Barclay, and Messrs Talbot and Jackson, a building committee, Mr Barclay to be convenor. The meeting then terminated.