High School Board.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 143, 19 December 1901, Page 4

High School Board.

A meeting of the High School Beard jcbs held on Tuesday evening there being preseut, Rv G. Barclay (chair), Bev VlcKenzie Gibacn, Dr Barclay, Messrs W. Coltman, G. Manchester. Mr Howell nt rh apolcgy. A tenant from Albury wrote enclosing a ha'f year's rent. A letter re scholarships had been tnswered by the secretary, who said that -.here were n 3 scholarshipj granted this year. A circular was read from the Education Department, asking for the year's statistical returns. A letter was received from one~ of the Board's tenants, asking for leave to transfer his leased reserve to another tenant. He asked the Board's sanction.

The tra'.sfer was agreed to aubjecb to the proper form bulng gone through. The Chairman brought up the matter of the re distribution of salaries of school teachers, as it affected the head maskr" »nd the assistant hbad master of the \Vaimate school. The Education Board were holding a special meiting oa Saturday to deal with tftis irfc'ter, and tiiry would be sure to ask what the- : Waimate Board would be pre aed to dp. The Education Board received £6 per" pupil in the Hgh School to provide teachers for the High School. This cou>d |be reckoned at £240. _lf the Educator* Board paid the assistant, Mr Lain , this money, he would be r gat, but iff as was more iikoly, they deducted a sum from thi- to keep the'head master's salar/ what it was, then Mr Laing would g-1 air insufficient salary, unless this Board made up the difference. Under the Dew scale, the head master would get £307 for the primary school. Last year his salary averaged £390, and it was probable? that the Education Board would make) ihe £307 up to this out of the £240. This would leave too little to pay Mr' Lains, who got £230. This would leave the Waimate Board to pay £7O ot £BO whereas they now paid £IOO. The' Board giving no exiibiiions no.v were in a. position to save,money. Mr.Coltman said that they would be quite justified in continuing to pay £loo* Teachers all round were getting an increase, and these teachers should also benefit. * ' ■ Tbe Chairman said it occurred to him that as they were likely to save money it would be an opportune time to revive tjje 1 scholarship question. If two or three scholarships were givenfor say the third and fourth year scholars, it might be the •■ means of keeping' pupils at the school who would otherwise leave.

Mt Coltman said that he dd not agree with the giving of scholarships in this • case. They confined the benefit of the Board's money to two or three. He suggested that the Board should provide books for the High School, as books were very expensive, and ic some caae3 at least: their cost prevented pupils taking advantage of the free, education. The books of the successful scholars could be paid for or a set of books for each year" ' could be kept and lent to the, children for that year Only. He was sure tbe provid' ing of books would mean a gain of pupils. Mr Gibson said heboid not think the cost of the books was the real bar in many cases, but the fact of the children* while at sohool, earniqg nothing. The scholarships would do away with that. As regards the saUry question, Mr Gibson urged tha* nothing should be done until the Education Bo ird had fixed the Headmaster's salary, when this Board would have something definite to go upon. It might then be imud that the'* wu enough money saved to provide , the? suggested scholarships. The Chairman Suggested that the Board should pay £2 per head per paj-ir, half tar go each to the Headmaster and the assistant.

I Mr Coltman objected to ;his, fiat they would not know their liability. Itwa» j quite possible that the roll number might go up to eighty. i Di Barclay thought with Mr Gibson, that the Education Board should make the first move. The Waimate Board might, howeve-, mike it understood that they would not see the teaoheri' salaries red need.

The Chairman said thai before'giving; tbe Education Bowd any snbs'dy they should get a title ti the' land the Higtjj School stands on, and also a clear understanding a<» to the appointment of the assistant teaober. After a further discussion 'the Board went into«eommiUee to pass a resolutionon the Subject. Accounts amounting ,t<j £5612s were pasted, and; the. Board row.