OTAKI STATE SCHOOL

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1946, Page 2

OTAKI STATE SCHOOL

r f ( MEETING j0F COMMITTEE; F i.; v' r- .:!■ i Tiie mohtKly meeting4)f the Otaki State School " Cbrhmittee was held .last -night. , . There : werp, pres.ent : M'essrs. Taylbrl .(ch^irmah')^ ;Edhouse,, W alsh, Luinley ; Wi'l - sori, Nicolson',, , Qirnbf etf' s^cr etar y ) and. Jafnes.; (lie^diphs.ter>)\^:i!pA apdlogy for' absehce wa'S" receiv^d from Rev. P. Tewera.* « • Thei hea^piaster. reported that the'; number's on the roll as at March 129 were 184 boys and Ise'-girls, a total of 370, while the average attenddnce for t'he term was 163 boys and 158 girls, an aggregate of 321.' Thirteen ,ne\Vr- p.upils had been admitted -during March and the ntimbef withdrawn was six. A few "ckses o'f niumps had been excluded, ' but otherwise the children appeared:to be very healthy. Apples and ;milk were being distributed daily.' i Miss J. McCreevy had takeh ;up her duties on th'e staff and'1 Mi'ss -P. Gunning, relieving assistant . liad left. Messrs,, Edhouse and Nicolson had been Ihe visiting committeenien. '• '* j f: "An electric iron is needed fot $he senior girls"'' heedlework class,'f the rpport continued. "Two , . basketqk.il pbsts ' would he- an-'asset "during ihe coming baske.tball season.^A^suppiy of paint for lining the playing and drill iareas is- required. A 'Weridy House''.recently sent from the board has npt been painted, and wouildkbe improved'by having p eoa-t .of pamt. Some towelling is.« needed for the •infant division, ancL a pair of larger hinges for ihe 'Wendy Hut.' " i f It was decided-t'o endeavour ?j'to secure an electric iron, basketball posts, etc., and also paint and towelling as desired. Visiting Committee's Report , The visiting committee reported: — "We made an inspection of ihe school and grounds, and also inter--viewed- the headmaster- ■ (Mr. James), who escorted us to various portions of the grounds ;arrd'; buildings. We wish to exprekis our satisfaetion at the manner in which Mr. james a'nd his ^ ^^isf sfnt&:are car.ry-;f-ng out- their work',' -butvit is regrettable that some class-rooms iare over crowded',-h'ence 'teachers cannot do justice to themselves or schblairs, while from a health point of v'iew. accommodation ^should beiinferease^. We suggest. that the xbdard belwrif-"

ten to and asked that members lhake a yi&l't. ViiSits ' th&fe ] been repetttedly ' 'prohiised',''- ahd- "justsas repeatedlv , broken.^ We havelb^en promisedfthat. many matters Wcpld receive the board's attentioh, but we regret to state that we" thrnk some members. dU.atory.^ r..%, V /' "On'ehtering, the' grounds we were st'rirck ;With..1he untidy- ftPReaf arice 'Of ihe gat&s; "which -coulldjwelh do with a coat of paint, WhiTe : poth'ole's" Tn the" "cQ'nfef eteMhoul'd i have

• immediate 'attentipnA Weiin^pected. the bubble-fountain and •ndted .the* names of scholars, who 'had" served in the first World WarN We now suggest that a marble slab bearing the 'names of scholars who served in the- | present war be added, but on a ;separate tablet. Netting is needed | at the end of the tennis couri,; this vvould be an advantage in many j respects, and at the same "time help : to preserve the grass which has | almost been worn away. Roles in the concrete by the ' main "school imight also receive attentlon, whiie we consider the attention. qf the | board should be drawn-. to.- slight jbreakages in..the bew concrete wprk. !; At present the, damage is npt great j but attention would do n'p harm,,At ; the back of the infant room ; there i are useless posts , which might '"be ! removed, while the sandspit in: front \ af the room could, be.improvdd. It ! aould be boarded round and ' mdre. ; iand secured.- This would be 'an 1 idvantage to the children, The I volley board could be strengthenea, i and this should be .seen- to; in case | a high wind occurred. • ; • ' "The worst feature to our min'ds, apart from lack of accommodation, Is the fact that the septic tank is not functioning, and as a'result there is a cess-pool in' the -playing

area, which is anything :but-pleas-ant. If the board does not give the matter urgent attention, ■ strong iteps should be taken to 'see that ;hey do so. No doubt the Health ' Department would take a hand unless the matter is remedied. The Dicycl'e sheds should have immedi-

ate attention. For years th'ey- have been inadequate, and if it is'not the un it is the wet which help to ruin che children 's 'cycles. A small plot /f ground near t'he lavatories' might be turned into use by making it ihto a garden plot. As the mower is out of action' we siiggest that a more up-tordate one be proc'ured. We could make more recomrriendations for improvement, but think the foregoing will do for the present, -We strqngly advise that board, memb.ers be asked to make a 'visit. ...Their visits now are few and certainly.far between." k . ■ :- It was stated that since thercoinmittee had . visited* the schqoi the secretary (Mr..;Deavoll) of' t'he Wellington Education Board, had been telephohed relative to the septic tank, and that he had given instructions that the work be^done. — It was, theref ore, agreedthat Mr. Sharp be immediately . communicated with. Tt was agreed that "members' of the board, as suggested, be asked to visit the school, while it ■ was also agreed to give: elfect to • other recommendations. Xb was -resoived that the •commiti >

tee combines with the teaching stalf to recognise the services rendered by Miss Knapp during her eight years' faithful service at the school. It was agreed that the school lawn-mower be overhauled, and that the state of the fences, etc., be pointed out to the board. Mr. Morgan is to be asked to attend to -various matters suggested.