CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2597, 5 March 1889, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

A meeting of the committee of the above school was held at Bach's Hotel, Cambridge, on Thursday evening at 7.30 p.m. Present: Messrs 11. W. Sargent, (chairman), James Rally, J. Webber, J. S. Bond, C. Boyce and J. Fergus Mi. The minutes of the previous meeting wore read and confirmed. Thk iNsi'KL'rouij Rki'okt.— Inspector J. S. Goodwin's report of the examination which was held on October 2(>th, 2!) th and 30th was read, and proved w.ry satisfactory ; tho percentage of passes being 52'2, while the percentage of failures was 4\S. At the foot of the report the Inspector had appended tho following remarks: These results are very satisfactory. The work of the school is on the whole careful and neat, but the writing of Six needs more attention, Discipline, behaviour and general tone, satisfactory. Teaching Tksipkrance.— A circular was received, notifying the. committee, that the compulsory teaching of temperance in the public schools had been postponed until July Ist, 1889, in order topSrmittho householders to pronounce upon the question at the annual meetings to be held in April. A New Suisjkot to bk Taught.— The Chairman had received the following letter from tho headmaster, under date of February 27th : Sir,—The number on the school rolls at the end of. December was2l~>. Of these 19 have, been since struck off, having either left the district or ceased to attend school. Nearly all, I am sorry to say, have left the district. Since the school re-opened, 30 new names have been added to the roll, thus making the number at present in actual attendance 22(>. Owing to the season, (harvesting, etc.,) the attendance of many is still irregular, consequently the averago attendance for the present month up to date has been only 107. As the Inspectors, in deference, (I suppose) to public opinion, havo urgently recommended the teaching of Agricultural Chemistry to the upper standards. I have thought it judicious to substitute that subject for natural science, this year; and as it cannot be taught with any great advantage to the children without illustration ami experiments, I havo found it necessary to order chemical apparatus, chemicals, and samples to the amount of £4 ~h (id. I hope the committee may see the propiiety of recouping ?ne this cost some time during the year ; for really it is not a cost which the teacher should be called upon to bear. Such apparatus in these days should be the property of the school committee —shoul I, in fact, be part of the school furniture. This branch of learning is tho nearest approach to technical education likely to tie introduced into State schools for many years.—Very truly yours. W. S. Stewart, Headmaster. —It was decided to discuss the matter at a future meeting ; the funds of the committee now being very low, the Education Board having- again reduced the allowance, which this year ,vill only be £30. C;.bakino tub SoHonr.s.—On the motion of Mr Bond, seconded by Mr Hally, it was resolved to advertise for a person willing to do the cleaning of the schools for i!2O per annum.—Tho Chairman aud Mr Hally were appointed to draw up tho specification. The amount previously paid for this work has been i'2s p.:r annum ; but it was thought necessary to reduce the payment, in consequence of the education grant having been curtailed. Votini: foicniß BoAiti).—Thecnminittee having discussed the merits of the candidates for the Auckland Hoard of Education, thoy decided to vote for Messrs Uuldie, Luke and I'mfe-sor Thomas. A J-10/.iiiav.— On the. motion of Mr Webber, seconded by Mr Boyce. it was decided to close, the school on toe sr,li instant —this day—so tint the children could attend the-'Garden I'V-i.e. L was thought better to close the school than keep it open, for the very few who would attend. Account. —An account of 13s was authorised to be paid to Mr Gerrish. That was all the business.