EDUCATION BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 121, 29 March 1879, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

0 (From the New Zealander.) The Board of Education held an adjourned meeting on Thursday last. Presont—Messrs J. C, Pharazyn (in the chair) Hutchison, Toomath, Beetliam, C. Pharazyn, Rev Mr Paterson, and Yen. Archdeacon Stock, THE MOUNT COOK CASE. Mr Evenss attended to make an explanation in reply to the Mount Cook Committee to the Board.

The Chairman—Mr Everiss, you have, of course, read the correspondence referred to you. I may say the Board highly appreciates your services as a teacher, and has no wish to part with you, as recommended by the committee. But you are gravely charged, and most certainly seem io have lost your temper. Wo are ready to hear your case, but perhaps an apology to the Misses MiGowan would end the whole matter.

Mr Everiss said, to properly understand the case a full statement from him would be necessary. He wished the fullest investigation. The Chairman asked Mr Everiss if lie could reduce his statement to writing. Mr Everiss said he had a brief written statement ready.

The Chairman said that might lie handed in, with a request to the Board to hold an inquiry.

Mr Everiss then handed in a letter, witlv a request that the Board would grant an investigation. The letter having been road, the Board decided to hold an adjourned meeting on Monday evening, to deal with the whole matter.

NEW SCHOOLS, ETC. The following tenders were accepted:— Now school at Upper Hutt, W. M, Bell, £693; Kaiwarra school, C, Taylor, £700; teacher's residence at Grey town, 0, W. Hornblow, £395 10s.; teacher's house at Fcrnridge, Wrigley Bros., £209. The tenders for a school and residence at Eketahuna (J. Petherick, £350, and T. Lang, £375) were declined, as being to high. Fresh tenders will be called for.

Mr Tooinnth thought the Board was giving far too much attention to the country districts befere the wants of the town in the mutter of education were fairly suppiied. Hundreds of children were going without education in the city for want of room in the schools. They should lay down some principle that until more school accommodation was provided in the town, no money should be spent in the out districts. The Chairman said they were voting away their money very fast, and would soon find themselves fundless. They were discounting next year's income.

Mr Patterson said the need of now or enlarged schools in some of the out districts was quite as urgent as in the town. There were buildings that could be rented in the city, but the country afforded no facility of that nature. girls' high scnooL. There was a long but deaoltory discussion of the proposal to establish a Girls' High School in the city. Archdeacon Stock and the Rev. Mr Patcrson were appointed to wait on the Minister of Education, to ascertain his views on the subject, and to ask whether the Board were empowered to organize such an institution.

JIOUST COOK GI HIS SCHOOL A conversation occurred concerning a difference of opinion between Mrs Tarn and Miss Deverill, mistresses of Mount Cook Girls' School, but nothing definite; was done in the matter. ART TEACHING. Mr Hutchison moved that a salary of £IOO per annum be given to Mrs Holmes, ?eacher of the School of Art, and that her services be employed in the training of teachers of drawing. Fuller arrangements to be made teinpoi arily by the Inspector, the Chairman, and Mr Toomath.

Seconded and cM'ried. SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATION,

Mr Hutchison moved, and the Board agreed to several resolutions affecting tho details of scholarship examinations. ANNUAL KEPOttT. The Board's annual report to the Ministes of Education was discussed and agreed to. It contains few features of public interest. Tho amount expended during the year ivas—For maintenan<A salaries, &c., £17,099 6s; 2d.; on building, £10,032 6s. Bd. It contained die following paragraph respecting a INV mil School: " The Board has at • several meetings considered the question of the establishment of a Normal School. A letter was received from the Education Department in' May. last, stating that £IOOO would beat the disposal of the Board for a Training School. The Board wish that this £IOQO may be used for the purpose of erecting a lecture room and teachers' library-room on a section', of land in Thorndon, recently acquired'by the Board. If the Government will make r sufficient grant next year, the Board will appoint a Normal master, and at once commence the work of Normal -training

The necessity of this work and further suggestions on tho mutter, are treated of in thelnspector's repuit appended," The report alsn recommends the Government ui make. Mr Lee, the Inspector, wholly ;i Government officer, and independent of tlie Board, which implies the separation of the offices of Inspector and Secretary. The Doherty caso was referred to, and the Government are asked to anend the Education Act, that Boards may summarily dismiss teachers for insubordination. I Several other amendments are also suggested, _ ! ' The Board adjourned at 4.30 till Monday at 7.30.