HOME AND SCHOOL

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1946, Page 2

HOME AND SCHOOL

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION Mr. R. Bills presided over a good attendance of the Home and School Association when the guest speaker for the evening was Miss Holmes, who dealt with*different aspects of her lifq during an enforced stay in England covering the war y.ears. The speaker gave a most interesting and instructive address,. and was accorled a very hearty vote of IjlflclXllCS Tracing her entry into industry from when the war broke out, Miss Holmes told of the various vicissitudes she and thousands of others experienced. The particular work' being carried out in the factory to which she was assigned was on the secret list, and thus could not be dealt with very fully as far as the research results made were concerned, but it was evident that the skill required to produce these results was of a most exacting nature. The 'industry functioned under the most difficult conditions, and when bombed out of London it was transferred to the Somerset County. Here Miss Holmes was placed in charge of a section doing intricate work in electrical research. Often walking four and a-half miles to and from her work, sometimes hitch hiking, finding the way in the black out, encouncering air raids while on the way, working up to seventy -hours a week, the speaker said she was amazed at the manner in which the average Britisher faced these difficulties'. The ability with which a Cockney would, by some witty saying, break the tension caused by a severe air raid showed the spirit that prevailed. The worker was well fed and had the end of the war to look forward to, but it appeared that he was not now as well off since rationing had become more rigid. A project in which Miss Holmes was interested 'and participated was the school established for the tuition needed to meet the changing staffs in the various 1 departments when drafts of young people would be withdrawn for the forces. Much of the work was done by boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 18, and this necessitated some teaching to bring the standard up to the requirements of the industry. Miss Holmes taught mathematics for some time, her class age ranging from 14 to 50. Youth centres had been established in many parts of England and were fulfilling a want in the lives o'f the young folk. These centres were organised under the education boards but were controlled entirely by the youths themselves. The evacuation of children from London and their return chereto, was explained very fully, it being pointed out that in some cases the parents refused to take the res^onsibility of parenthood again, the children often being returned to their foster parents. An interesting experiment in orphanage work was also mentioned, in which a woman would take a number of children and rear them as a family. Mr. Townrow proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker. The matter of acquiring a building for manual training classes and a youth centre for the district was discussed and it was decided to lorm a deputation to meet the local representative of the Diocesan Trust Board, when the Maori School buildings will, be thoroughly investigated with a view to having something done towards transforming them into suitable buildings for these purposes. While a dainty supper was served the parents met the teachers, with vhom they talked over general school matters. The popularity of these meetings is being maintained by an enthusiastic number of parents and wellwishers, who, in spite of the inclement weather, turn out in force. The value in fostering the community spirit of the school is great, and parents especially are nvited to participate more fully in these gatherings. At the next meeting it is hoped to have an address by the sehior inspector of schools for the district.