THE CITY SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3064, 27 April 1917, Page 6

THE CITY SCHOOLS

YEAR'S WORK REVIEWED The school committee elections are to talie place on Monday next.. Reports of tho year's work in some of tho schools are published below :— i ' TEARO. . Tho annual report of the headmaster of To Aro School saye:—"On March 31, 1916, there were 872 children on the rolls of the 6chools, whilst for tho date of this.year there wero 896. During tho twelve months 316 children were admitted and 292 withdrawn. The average attendanco for the year was 798, or approximately nmey-threo per cent. Such a percentage- speaks volumes for the children and their parents. ... During tho year several improvements in the schools and about the -playgrounds have been effected. Your committee deserve at the linnds of tho householders the greatest praise for the work they -nave done to improve matters. As lo Iho question of school requisites for tho year, I have every'reason to feel proud that tho committee never refuses me ' anything I may require. In the matter of sports material, -wo have wanted' for nothing asked for in reason. -During the year Te Aro School has dono quite its share in contributing money for various patriotic purposes. Miss Bright, with her contingent of workers, has forwarded the lollowing articles: 1283 handkerchiefs, 409 bags, 67 pairs socks, 36 pairs mittens, 81 balaclavas, and several other sundries. Your committeo havo asked for a record of the names of soldiers who attended this school in the past, and they must recognise the: magnitude of the undertaking. In a school that has admitted- sinco the opening some' 30,000 children, one must realise that many names will be omitted from the Honour Board. However, tho staff and committee, I am confident, will use their utmost endeavours to make the list as complete as possible. I wish to express my best tnanks to my staff for their co-opera-tion and assistance during the year, and also to tho school committee, who pno and all havo exercised themselves m making the work of the schools a real pleasure to the staff:"

ISLAND BAY. The annual report of the Island Bay Committee states:—"At the last annual meeting the lack . of playing grounds ( a fault with most of. the city State schools) was strongly stressed, and it was pointed out that part of tho work of tho new committee should be to. see that Island Bay Sohool in'this respect was attended to before the land" adjoining was built on and tho opportunity lost. The new committee at once got' to work, and convinced the Education Board that the chance to get more space should not be missed, and they in turn convinced the Education Department, with tho result that the school has had added to fne playing area nearly two acres. The com--1 initteo tender their thanks to the boaid and Department, also to Mr. R A. Wright, M.P. for the district, for the great assistance ho gave. A scheme is now on foot to improve this.new property (to grado and plant it), also to , erect a lasting monument in stone in memory of old boys who hare fallen in tho war. Attached will be in permanent form the school Roll of Honour with the names of old boys who have fought for their King and country. The plans and scheme are well under way, and the work will be for the incoming committee to carry out. The Old Boys' Comforts Committee—really the School Committee—have attended to old boys who have gone to the front. The list contains fifty names. During the year four old boys liave laid down their lives fighting for the world's freedom, their names being A. J. Hosie, W. G. Hosio, H. Mi Sinclair, and R. H.'Gordon. Parcelsaarte t sent to those in the trenches each month, and, starting from August last year, to date, , 212 parcels have been sent, and 49 Jotters answered. Mr. Haslam, 8.A., headmaster, who has with great success for nearly five years carried out his duties, was laut month appointed to the position of headmaster at Petone District High School, and Mr. Thwaites, M.A., has taken his place at Island Bay. The school attendance is mounting up, and the school will under ordinary circumstances go up a grado in a few months' time. The grounds are in good condition,, and about £180 is now being spent on further improvements. Tho whole of the teaching staff have their heart in their work, and the host" feeling exists right through tho sohool. For tho new committee, Messrs. Colloy, Conder, Clark, Heal, Keys, Kerr, Mills, Mollison, Potts, and Shorland have been nominated. As only rine are required an olection will take place on Monday next at the annual meeting."