Feilding School Committee.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 135, 4 December 1894, Page 2

Feilding School Committee.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above was held last evening, there being present— Messrs W. Carthew (in the chair), W. G. Haybittle, Dr Sorley, R.J. Thomson, J. Taylor, and H. W. Worsfold. The minutes of the previous ordinary and special meetings were read and confirmed. An account for 12s from Messrs Mines and Co., for cleaning spouting and tanks, was passed for payment. The head-master's report was read as follows :— " The attendance for the present quarter way 275, that being 80 per cent, of the roll number. The new Act requires the attendances each week. I have, therefore (after consultation with the chairman), had a list made for the last week. I should recommend that a truant officer (or some member of the committee) be appointed to act with me in the matter, with power to take proceedings each week (vide new Act).— No additions have been made to the school since the attendance was about 200. Now it is 275; to-day it was 294.— Th0 ventilation requires urgently to be improved. Plans and specifications for this were drawn up by the architect about two years ago, and tenders called for, but nothing was done.— The boy's offices require a new trough and other repairs." A list of children's names who had not attended the required tune was attached to the report. The report was received. The Visiting Committee, Messrs R. J. Thompson and H. Worsfold, reported having that day visited and found the school in a very unsanitary condition. The atmosphere was stifling; one child had fainted and had to be taken home. Although there were a large number of * absentees, the school was overcrowded f " and oven the lobbies had to be made use of. Mr R. J. Thompson stated that it was absolutely cruel and intruman to pack about three hundred childen into a school which had accommodation for only two hundred, with no ventilation necessities. The following resolution was carried, on the proposition of Mr Worsfold, sec* onded by Mr Thompson : •• That the attention of the Education Board be most respectively called to the unsatisfactory accommodation in the Feilding State School, also to the very unsuitable nature of tho present building for school purposes, co far as regards tho health of the scholars and the teaching staff gen* erally. That with the present building it is utterly impossible for the commit* tee to carry out the intention of the Act. That the Visiting Committee report that they found each room overcrowded and the heat suffocating. That even the lobbies were made use of for school pur* poses, and the out-buildings were in a, very unsanitary condition (to which at* tention has previously been called by the committee). They would, therefore, impress on the Education Board the urgent necessity of the requirements of this part of the education district." All the members of the committee who were present were of opinion that the present school accommodation was tot* ally insufficient to meet requirements, and commented on the fact that although tenders had been called two years since for improvements in the ventilation and accommodation of the school, nothing has been done, although the attendance has since increased 50 per cent. The Chairman promised to write to the Board strongly on this matter. Proposed by Dr Sorley, seconded by Mr Worsfold, That the chairman call the attention of the Education Board to the fact that there wore only two small tanks in connection with the school.— Carried. Proposed by Mr Worafoid, seconded by Dr Sorley, That the chairman write to Mr Fry (member of the Board), ask* ing that he visit the school in company with the chairman and Visiting Commit* tee before the next meeting of the Boardi — Carried. Messrs Worsfold and Thompson were re-elected a Visiting Committee for the ensuing month and the meeting ad« journed.