GERALDINE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2216, 18 June 1891, Page 2

GERALDINE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine School Committee wai held on Tuesday evening lait. Present—Messrs B. H. Pearpoint (chairman), J.W.Pye, W.B.Mailin, W. Shiers, J. Williams, A. White, and J. Biordan.

SOHOOI REPAIRS.

It was agreed to employ a person for one day carting shingle for the school grounds and the ground near the master*! home, and also that a man be employed grubbing gorse, and that the chairman make application to the Eduoation Board for a grant of money to carry out fencing work required, and get prices for doing the work. VISITING COMMITTEE.

The visiting committee, Messra Pye and Williamr, reported having visited the aohool and found everything working in a satisfactory manner, but called attention to the fact that the roll stands at 269—boys 182 and girls 137—and the attendance on the day of visit was only 185—boys 101 and girls 84—an absence of 84 oh a fine day. A quantity of young gone and broom was growing up in several places on school grounds, and close on 500 trees would be required to make good the failures in the fence. The head master required a new jet of legs lor the large globe. It was agreed to purchase the new legs for the globe, and to attend to other minor matters. MB AITKIN AND THE COMMITTEE. The chairman read the resolution passed by the Board of Eduoation re Mr Aitken's correspondence dated 4th June, 1891, whieh has already been published in our oolumns, ani then read tbe following letter of apology from Mr Aitken ;—" GentlemeD,—l received a few days ago a oopy of the report presented to the Eduoation Board by the subcommittee appointed to investigate the charges brought against me by the late school committee, I'hat report, while expressing satisfaction with the performance of my professional ddties, finds that I am in wrong ai regards the manner in which,

certain correspondence was conducted, and aitumcß that an apology if necessary from me to the present bodool oommittee. On two separate occasions I requested an audience of the sohool committee, which was refused, but had suoh an audieDoe been granted I was prepared then to apologise to the committee for the curt and ill-oon»idered manner in whioh I replied to their first ootnmuniealioa. That lam still willing to do, and I, '.herefore, hereby tendsr to tho eomunUoe a sincere apology for any and all acts ai.d trorda of mine which have tended to keaea good feeling which ought; to esiH'i between the sohoolmaster and tha managers of the lohool. And in giving expression thnt none but the most cordial'relat'ons m-sy bencofoj?th obtain between the committed and myself, I may venture to add th .t I for my part shall strive to promote such relations by all means in my power. —Tours faithfully, Jambs Aitkbk, 8.A.." ! Mr Matlin said that now an apology bad been made the committee had gained their end, and vindicated thai? rights as a committee. There would now be no loss of dignity on their part, for their dignity had been uphold. The Education Board had oonfirmed tbeir aotion on the matter, and under existing oiroumstaoces he would be prepared to move—" That the apology of Mr Aitken be accepted, the oommittee exposing the hope that the experience of the past will teach wisdom for the future. Mr Williams : I second the motion.

The chairman said he thought very little of tho apology for the simple reason that it was a forced agology, and an apology of that nature was not an apology at all. It was a most peculiar thing to him why Mr Aitken could give such an ample apology now, while he would not give it before. His only hesitation as regards voting for the motion was that he thought they would be liable to have the same trouble again at some future time. He had an interview with Mr Aitken while on a visit to the school with. Mr Shiers a few days ago, and Mr Aitken was just as positive as ever that he was in the right. Mr Shiers corroborated what tho chairman said with regard to the Interview. Mr Aitken was quite prepared to throw the blame on the oommittee, just as before. Mr Aitken seemed to think the oommittee as much in the wrong as himself. Ha was very much surprised to hear Mr Aitken speak in the way he did, and if he did continue in the sohool, he (the speaker) would be very agreeably surprised if he worked in harmony with the oommittee.

Mr Williams thought it was the beet thing that oould happen to Mr Aitken. Mr White did not agree with Mr Williams. Ho was afraid Mr Aitken would bo justai bad as ever in a few monthi. Some discussion here ensued with regard to the petition forwarded to the Education Board. Mr White said the petition had been, got up on a falie pretention. Mr Fearpoint laid there were only two individuals who laid so, ont of about 100 who signed. Mr Pearpoint pointed out that many of those who signed had no ohildren in the school.

Reverting again to the apology, Mr Pearpoint said: "Suppose they had got their committee in, do you think there would have been any apology P Mr Maslin: We are not in a position to say. We are onlj here to judge of things as they are. Mr Pearpoint said he was very sorry about the matter. He did not wish Mr Aitken any harm, but in the interest of the sohool he thought a change was desirable. He would therefore propone, as an amendment —" That the Board of Education, in the interest of the school, be aßked to request Mr Aitken to resign." Mr White seoonded the amerdment.

Mr Pye would be willing to accept the apology if the members thought Mr Aitken would work with the committee.

Mr Biordan was in favor of aocssptina tbe apology. Mr Shiers was in favor of accepting the apology, but was afraid that Mr Aitken would not act in the future any better than he had in the past. He preferred not to vote either way on tho motion. After further disoussion tho amendment and motion were put, and the motion wss oarried.

HBJLD MASXKE'S RB2OBT.

The head master reported the average atteudanoe last week to be 193, the roll number being 266. He had discovered a child who exhibited symptoms suspiciously like whooping cough. Ho enclosed a list of regular attendants for 1889. The chairman explained that the children had not reoeived the board's certificate for attendance, and he had written to the head master for names of ohildren entitled tc them.

IHIPKOIOB'a BSPOBT.

The inspector's half'yearly report was ai follows :—I.—(A) Staff and distribution of work: Head teacher, Jai. Aitken, 81, olaices Standard! V., VI., and VII. j mistress, M.O, Pearson, E2, olan Standard I. ard infants; assistant, Jas, Colbert, clasp Standard IY. j pupil teachers, E. Stonchouee claia Standard 111., Maggie Biordan olass Standard 11., S. Willonghby and candidate Annie Bowkett assisting in infant room. (6) Attendance on roll, 266 j average roll last quarter, 262; average attendance, 196; present ro the morning. 198 j afternoon, 200. (0) Classes Standard VII., boys 3, girls 2 ; Standard VI., boy» 10, girls 7 1 Standard V., boys 14, girls 7, Standard IV., boya 21, girls 22; Standard 111., boyi 9, girls 16; Standard 11., boys 20, girls 22 ; Standard 1., boyi 8, girls 12 : P., boyi 44, girls 49 ; total, boyi 129, girls 137 ; grand total, 266. (D) Grouping!: Classes, Standards IV-, V., and VI. for science, Standards IV. and V. for geography, and Standards 11. and 111. for object lessons. 2. Remarks on Standard 1,, ■atisfactory. 3, Time-tables suitable on the whole. In Standards IV., V., and VI. more time might be set apart for teaching composition. 4. Methoda of teaching, etc.: Mr Aitken u forcible and earnest in his manner of teaching, and seoures the attention of his olasses. His pupils seemed to take a keen interest in the soience lesion. In Mise Pearson's room the working goei on quietly and pleasnatly, and the ohildren appear to be making good progress. The work in the other classes was satisfactory on the whole. Beading in Standard IVj might be much improved, and the written eieroises in Standard 111. were not so well done as they should be. 5* Order and discipline t Q-jod 6. Manners, etc. i Good. 7. Buildings, etc : Good. 8. Aooommod»tion : Suffijieat. 9. Cleanliness, etc.: Satisfactory. Some* thing might be done to improve the ventilation of the infant room.—Jambi Gibson Gow, M.A., Inspector.

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