SCHOOL AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 63, 15 April 1946, Page 5

SCHOOL AFFAIRS

NEW COMMITTEE MEETS ELECTION OF OFFICERS The first meeting of the newly elected Whakatane School Committee took place immediately after the biennial election on Wednesday evening, the following members, constituting the committee, being present: Messrs. J. W. Wilson, T. C. Johnston, G. H. Dainton, H. D. Paterson, W. Whittaker, F. Clarke, G. E. Mahy, F. W. Lysaght, W. E. Armstrong.

The election of officers took place as under:—

Chairman: Mr J. W. Wilson (reelected). *

Secretary: Mr T. C. Johnston (reelected). Treasurer Mr F. Clarke. At the commencement of the meeting, Mr Wilson congratulated the seven members of the old committee on their re-election, and also the two new members, Messrs. F. Clarke and G. E. Mahy. The Headmaster, Mr I. B. Hubbard, also spoke, extending his congratulations. The extent of education, he said, had increased to a great degree over the past 18 years. In 1928, the High School boasted but CO pupils. Now there was almost four times that number attending. In his opinion, the next two years were going to be very important ones as far as education was concerned.

From the reading of the minutes, several matters arose. Mr Whittaker reported that at present no new lawnmowers were available but he had succeeded in having the school put down on the list for two, which would cost between £6 and £7 each, to be delivered as soon as possible. With regard to the note contained in the Headmaster’s report at the previous meeting that some levelling work be carried out on the Infant School grounds, the chairman reported that members of the committee had met on the grounds to decide what work should be done, and the contract for same had been let to Messrs. West and Gardiner who were proceeding with the job.

Committee Representatives

With regard to the committee representatives on the Executive of the Parent-Teacher Association, the chairman explained that these actually should have been selected by the School Committee itself. The committee, however, had been unprepared, and the result was that the representatives had been elected on the night of the inaugural meeting by the householders pre sent. This had not been the correct procedure, and therefore, he asked that either the appointments which called for the chairman and two members be confirmed, or two other members be nominated.

Mr Mahy suggested that perhaps two different members should be appointed to attend each meeting of the Executive, and in this manner, all members would obtain an insight into the proceedings. This suggestion was embodied in a resolution which was later passed by the committee.

Purchase Orders Accounts totalling £23 9s Id were passed for payment. As the result of difficulties arising through accounts for material being forwarded in some instances to the committee, when they should have proceeded instead to the board, the following resolution was passed: ‘That no purchases of any description be made on behalf of the committee without an order bearing the signature of the Headmaster, and that firms be notified of thi§ arrangement.’ With regard to the proposed purchase of a house at Matata for use as a teacher’s dwelling, a note was received from the Board stating that after consideration, it had been decided not to make the purchase and to put the money instead into a new house in the same locality. The Education Department advised that with the recent scheme to increase the teaching staff in a number of schools, Whakatane had been allotted an extra teacher in the person of Mr H. P. H. Collins.

Showers to be Erected

Enquiries having been made into the possibilities of erecting showers at the school, and a plan having

been drawn up, showing the necessary expenditure involved as being £133 subject to price increases, exclusive of coupling the showers to the water supply, the committee decided to meet on the grounds on Tuesday, April 16, for the purpose of deciding the position to be occupied by the new building.

The Visiting Committee for the month was .appointed in the persons of Messrs. T. C. Johnston and F. Clarke.