FIGHTING INFLUENZA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 60, 5 December 1918, Page 3

FIGHTING INFLUENZA

SPLENDID WORK BY THE TEACHERS EULOGISTIC REFERENCES BY EDUCATION BOARD At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Education Board yesterday the chairman (Mr. Thomas Forsyth) read a brief report outlining the part which had .been played by the headmasters and teachers in the campaign so successfully waged Against the epidemic in Wellington. This report traced the steps taken from the bejjinnin;; of the trouble, when a circular was forwarded to headmasters instructing them about dealing with infected pupils, allocating gargling, and warning them about allowing "indiscriminate sneezing." After that the epidemic in a virulojit from had come upon them with a rush. A meeting of musters and teachers was called, and (practically every school-teacher responded. The Minister of Health was present, and (he teachers had agreed to associate themselves with the district in [ which their schools were located. It I gave him great pleasure to ' testify to the fact that through the splendid efforts thnt had been put forth by all concerned the epidemic had been checked. That was largely duo to the voluntary helpers, foremost among whom were the

teachers. Mr. Forsyth also stated that the staff of teachers hnd felt the, , epidemic very severely Tliose whom 'the board had 'lost were Sfrl J. M. Malcolm, head

teacher at Te ; Aro School; ITr. 1). Uobertson, assistant, at the- Hutt District High School; Mr. J. E. Thompson, sole teacher at Mauricuville; Miss M. O'Leary, sole teacher nt Waterfalls; Mr. S. C. James, student, Training College; Miss A. C. M'Caiv, probationer at tlio Hutt District High School. It was sad to seo so many of their teachers succumb at a time when their services were so urgently needed. Letters of coudolence had been'sent by the- secretary to tho relatives of each of the deceased. He would formally move: "That the Wellington Education Board express its deep sympathy with the sorrowing friends of those members of its staff who have, in tho providence of God, been taken away during tho epidemic, and with those members of the staff who to-day mourn the loss of loved ones." The resolution wag carried. The- chairman then moved: "That the Wellington Education Board place on, record its great satisfaction with, and warm appreciation of, the loyalty of and tho admirable civic service rendered by tho members of its staff during tho epidemic. Where , nearly all have done so well the board- refrains from naming any, feeling assured that those who most deserve public mention of their labours of love are also those who least desire it."

in moving this resolution tho chair- ■ man said that the teachers had participated in the formulation of Iho scheme of blocking the city, mid in taking steps ns to how that could best be ■ done. They had gone into the house 3 itnd done 'the housework, nursed and cared for the sick, and taken the places of nurses, when trained nurses' were not available. They had also gone into Ihe convalescent homes, hospitals, and ; homes,for the children. It was Mr. J. S. Tcnnnn't (principal of the Teachers' Training College) who had devised the scheme for effectually dealing with the / children. His scheme had ueeii adopted £ and it had worked splendidly. With Mr. Tennaut he wished to couple the jianie of Miss Maitland, who had done very valuable work. Indeed, without tho school teachers the work could not have been so well done, and he wished to tender thanks to every one of tfiera, considering that tho board was greatly honoured by the very efficient service its start had rendered, in a very grave crisis. Mr. K P. Hishworth, who seconded the resolution, said that some of tho teachers had worked fourteen hours a day during the rush, and were still helping in tho district taking out fruit and medicine to thoso in need. What they had accomplished in service under trying circumstances would never fade from the memory. It was good to know that they had such fine self-sacrificing teachers in their midst. (Hear, hear.) Messrs. J. P. Shand, Harkness, and Or. London also bore testimony to the good work which had been done by tho teachers. Tho resolution was carried. Mr. J. P. Shand' referred to tho splendid work which had been dono by the secretary (Mr. G. L. Stewart) and inspector (Mr. F. 11. Bnkewell), and said that they should recognise the pronipt manner in which they had acted and the common sense shown. Mr. Foreyth made a suitable acknowledgment, explaining that he had unfortunately been away in the south , when drastic action had become necessary. Mr. J. J. Clark also eulogised the efforts of Messrs. Stewart and Bakewell. Mr. Bakewell enid they were fortunate to have in their headmasters men who were able to take- over tho organisation of their districts, and who knew the circumstances of those districts, so that as soon as the city was blocked out several of them worn placed in charge. The Public Health Department had assured him that the organisation of such districts was first-clriss —perfect. The first organisation put forward was that of the teachers, and it had been found to be thoroughly equal to the strain. Members of Clyde Quay School Committee, at the monthly meeting held on Monday evening, expressed dc-ep gratitude for the energetic and successful work accomplished by Mr. Foster and his staff during the j«ent epidemic. The school and staff threw themselves into the work in a most whole-lienrted manner, and it is felt that tli's energetic grappling with a most virulent disease at a critical period prevented a imieh'imore serious spread of the epidemic. The'good ■work of the emergency helpers was also recognised.