SCHOOL AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 27, 20 September 1946, Page 5

SCHOOL AFFAIRS

WHAKATANE COMMITTEE MEETS EDUCATION MATTERS DISCUSSED The monthly meeting of the Whakatane School Committee took place last Wednesday evening, Messrs. J. W. Wilson (chairman), J. H. Duthie (secretary), F. Clarke (treasurer), F. W. Lysaght, W. Whittaker, D. Paterson and G. E. Mahy being present. Business consisted of a number of matters pertaining to the running of the school, each being fully discussed. Accounts totalling £4 13s 5d were passed for payment. Caretaker The question of the appointment of a school caretaker and groundsman was brought forward, and Mr Whittaker reported that an advertisement had been inserted in the Beacon as had been previously decided. Only one application had resulted, this being from a returned soldier at present resident at Ohope. It was decided that the applicant be interviewed, and if suitable, allowed to commence work as soon as possible. The chaii'man reported that he had investigated the matter of the removal of the partition from the manual training school. This formerly divided the building into two rooms, one half being used for cooking and the other for woodwork. On the plan for the removal and reerection of the building, one large room was shown with woodwork listed at one end, and metal work at the other. Actually the latter was a misnomer and was not intended to represent actual metal work, but rather farm carpentry, such as the repairing and making of barrows etc. The room would be all in one, and would be under the entire supervision of the woodwork master. Ohope Side School Further intimation was given by the chairman that on a recent visit to Auckland, he had had an interview with Mr Merrington, the Chief Inspector on the matter of the accommodation at the Ohope Side School. The Chief Inspector had agreed that conditions would be very unsatisfactory next year when the two teachers with their classes up to Standard 2 would be required to shift into the new kitchen which was to be built by the Church authorities. The some '4B children would be far too cramped, and he had indicated that he would push for a new school to be erected at Ohope at the earliest possible date. A petition from the Ohope Progress League, and signed by a number of Ohope residents requesting that a new school be erected was presented by Mr Mahy, and it was decided to forward this to the Board with the recommendation that such a school as was suggested, with classes up to Standard 4, be established.

Visiting Committee

The report of the visiting committee showed that everything concerning the schools was in order, and recommendations were made for the purchase and repair of several minor items of school equipment. These were approved by the full committee.

The new Visiting Committee was appointed in the persons of Messrs. Lysaght and Paterson.

Roll Numbers

The Headmaster’s (Mr I. B. Hubbard) report showed the school roll numbers as follows: Primary, 534; High School, 200; Ohope, 48. Total, 582. A further indication showed that the High School roll had decreased by 11, and the Ohope Side School roll by 2. An increase of 20 had been registered at the Infant School. ''