GISBORNE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 22 April 1907, Page 1

GISBORNE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Following is tho annual report of the Committee) to ho presented to the meeting of householders this evening : “In presenting this annual report the Committee regrets tho loss to tlio school of tho services of Mr. E. 11. Mann, who had charge of tho secondary department for upwards of 18 years. Mr. Mann left tho stall' to enter the legal profession, and the Committee wish him every success in his now venture. Mr. Kinder takes his place on the staff, and Miss Har-

riet Gow, M.A., of Bnlcluthn, fills the vacancy caused by Mr. Kinder’s promotion. Mr. Geo. Morice, who has boon on tho staff for five years

as pupil teacher and assistant master, has also left to continue his studies in tho Victoria College '.and

in tho training school for teachers at Wellington. The vacancy tints caused has not yet been filled. Mr. G. Woodward, pupil teacher, also retired from the staff to enter commercial life. During tho year the Commit-

tee lost tho services of Mr. Barlow on account of his removal from the school district. Mr. Colley also re-

ared from the Committee. “Attendance: The attendance din-

ing the year was satisfactory. In one respect great improvement was shown, viz., in the number of children who have made full attendance, which has shown a gratifying increase since the institution of the

ilan of awarding medals for full ntondance three years ago. In the irst year 27 medals were presented, n the second year 60, and in the

third year 104. Two hoys, Oswald Church and Julian Hansen gained gold medals for having made five years’ full attendance. The medals wore presented to the winners on Thursday last. The average attendance for the year ending December 31st, 1906, was 796, in the primary department, and 33 in tho secondary department, totalling 829, and ail increase of 21 on tho previous year. The roll number varied from 933 to 996, and the average percentage of attendance was 86.9 as against 86. S last year. In February last tlio new school at Kaiti was opened, and the roll number in the primary depart-

ment of this school fell in consequence from 904 in December to 805 in February. The roll at the end of the March quarter was 802. The roll of the secondary department varied during the year from 29 to 45, and the average attendance was 33.1. The numbers are disappointing, but the demand for boys and girls is great, and all the senior classes have for years been very small for a school of this size. Standard VI. lias for the last four consisted of a little over 40 children at the time of examination, and consequently the supply for the secondary department has been small. This year Standard VI. is much larger than it has ever been, and there is a larger proportion than usual of young children. With a view to making the work of the secondary department, better known among the parents of Gisborne and

the surrounding districts, a prospectus was drawn up by a sub-committee representing your Committee and tho Board of Governors, and published. It was unfortunately not ready for distribution in time to be of much value for this year. It is hoped that a wider knowledge of tho ad-

vantages offered by the school will attract to it the children of tho country schools. “The New School: After a long and vexatious delay the new school

building has been opened, and tlio Committee can congratulate the district on having one of the finest school buildings in the colony. The school was officially opened on Monday, October Btli last, liy tlie Hon. •J. A. Millar on behalf of the Minister -of Education. All spoke in glowing terms of the new building. The thanks of the Committee are duo to all those who assisted at the ceremony. The staff sjieak highly of the conditions of work in the new building compared with those under which they had previously labored. The school has been equipped with dual desks for the three upper standards, and they are proving a great

improvement on the ’ old style of desk.

“Annual Report: The annual report of the Inspector shows that the order, discipline, tone, and efficiency of the school are in a very satisfactory state. “Annual examination: Last year the new plan of holding tho final examination of the year in December, and of making the promotions from class to class at the beginning of the year, was adopted throughout Hawke’s Bay. The examinations for Standard VI. wore held at convenient centres under competent supervision,

md the papers done were examined iy the Inspector. The work done by lie children of this class was comnented upon highly by the Inspector li his. report to the Board of Educa-

tion. The reform proved itself to lie a wise one, and it is being adopted by the Education Department and made general throughout the colony. Tho long Christmas vacation is tho natural break between flic work of one y-ear and that of another, and the children who arc intending to take up secondary work lose no time in passing from the primary to the secondary schools. “Scholarships, etc.: It is pleasing to liotp-the. success that has been gained by tho school, in scholarships. The results may be briefly summarised as follows:—The highest position oil the list for the colony was held by a pupil of this schfjp]. Of the first ten scholarships gained by Hawke’s Bay pupils five came to ■this school. Altogether seven pupils of the school gained scholarships, and two more qualified for them. Tho congratulations of the Committee go especially to Humphrey Parker, who headed the scholarship list for the colony. ' He was offered, and has accepted, a Queen’s scholarship. For the Queen’s and Board of Education scholarships the age limit was 14, but for the National scholarship it was 13. Parker in this respect, being under 13, qualified for a National scholarship, but fpr other reasons was not eligible. The other scholarship winners were in order of success : Charles Cogar, George Fromm, Albert Fyson, Benjamin Hawkins, Francis Rowley, and James Forsyth; and Reginald Parsons and Emma Edwards also qualified. In the secondary department

George Jlpjlpath and John Hogg sat for* the Junior ipiyii Bpryicß and

Senior Free Place examination, ant jiassed with credit. Two pupil tea

eliers, Misses E. Ambridge and L. Sheen gained teachers' certificates. Miss Sheen being specially mentioned for her work in writing.—A number of the school children competed at the Exhibition in three of the Home Industries sections, viz., map drawing, freehand drawing from thp flat, and. writing. It is satisfactory that in map drawing H. Parker, aged 13, was placed second in the class under 15, and E. Starr, aged Ip, fourth in tlio class under 18, and C. Morrison, aged 13, second in freehand drawing in class under 10. Thp results in writing are not yet to hand.

“School Library: During the year a most valuable addition has been made to the educational advantages of the school, ill a library. There are about 400 books now on the shelves, all carefully selected by members of tlio stall', only such books being obtained as have already proved themselves to bo both popular with young people and of literary merit. The children from Standard 111. upwards are allowed to use the library, and the majority of them make full use of the privilege. Mr Cowall is acting as librarian, and has entered upon bis duties with enthusiasm. That tho system adopt-* ed for recording the books borrowed and returned is effective is shown by the fact that only one book is missing, and that was caricd off, no doubt through carelessness, by a boy who left the district.-

“Cadets: There are three companies of cadets in the school, captained by Messrs Wauchop, Kinder

and Olsen. The roll number of ..•allots is 187. .This branch of iclicol woi’k is very popular with the

boys, and is, moreover, proving itself i most valuable one, owing to its I'xcfollonlt disciplinary results, which ire reacting on the whole life of the

upper part of the school. The Board if Education has made a gunroom of i portion of the old school building, mil it only remains to put in the necessary racks. No. 3 battalion of Hie Hawke’s Bay cadets, consisting of three companies from this school and three companies from the various ’country school,s recently went into camp at Christchurch. The Committee is delighted with the excellent reports it has had of the conduct of the boys while away from Gisborno. It reflects great credit on the management of the camps in Christchurch that no serious ease of illness occurred in the camp, or can be traced to it. “Grounds: A very large amount if work lias been done during tlio venr on fencing, drainage, and asphalting. AA’ith the grant ob-

ained from the Education Board, I'hicli was subsidised by your Comnittee, £220 lias been spent oil this rork, with the result that the

;rounds surrounding the school an

now in first-class order. Space has been left along the western boundary for continuing the row of native trees to tlio front fence, which should add -considerably to the adornment of the school grounds. This work should be taken in hand this winter, as well is the levelling of the remaining portion of the girls’ playground. In order to raise money for this work your committee decided to hold a floral fete, but owing to many adverse circumstances the undertaking produced only a small profit. The 1 hanks of the Committee are due to those ladies and gentlemen who so willingly assisted. It is to lie hoped that their efforts on future occasions will meet with better success. “School Bath: A sub-committee was set up last year to devise ways and means of constructing a swim-

ming bath in the school grounds. Assisted by a large committeo of volunteer workers, they organised a two-night’social, which was held ill the New Zealand Shipping Company’s wool store in June last, and netted £l2O. Tho sub-committee wish once again to make public their gratitude to the Shipping Company, its local manager (Mr Hallamore), the storeman (Mr Withers), and all .those ladies and gentlemen who gave their services so freely to this cause. Mr. Massey’s concert added £l9 10s to the fund, and the Borough Council promised to contribute £25. The total amount of the fund, with interest added, is thus roughly £165. The sub-committee propose to hold

further socials until the amount required is obtained. Plans and specifications are in the bands of the

Borough Engineer, Mr. Gibbon, who has generously consented to revise them, suggest alterations, and give an estimate of the cost. Arrangements are being made so that the construction of the bath can be begun shortly, and the sub-commit-tee hope to have it completed by the time the water supply works are completed.

“Technical: Your Committee, together with the members of the Board of Governors, form the Committeo

managing the technical school. The annual report of the Committee on tiie work of the school to December last is appended. T|io classes in

woodwork and cookery are being bold again tliis year in the special rooms of the technical school under Mr. Levey and Miss Lousley, and are attended by children from both town and country schools, and on Satur-

days by teachers. — The pupils of Standards V and VI and the secondary classes also attend classes in practical physios anil si-jentific methods

in tlio special science room under their own class teachers. The old secondary class-room is being fitted up ns an art room, and classes from tliis school are now taking ndvanage of it. Evening classes arc being field ill English, shorthand, bookkeeping and typewriting, as before, hut t'nc classes in woodwork and cookery have not yet been able to make a start.

“Clock ; The Committee wish to express publicly their appreciation of tlie attitude taken by Mr. F. Parker, in connection with the success

of his sun Humphrey in tlio recent scholarship examination. To show his gratitude to the school and the staff for tlie interest shown in his boy. and the attention given him, and in order to put before tiie school children for the present and the future a memorial of tlie success achieved as an eneoiiragement to them to do likewise, lie has, after consultation with the headmaster,

presented tlie school with two clocks suitably engraved, to lie placed in the class rooms where they will lie most likely to do good. Tlie Committees of tliis school hare made repeated application to tlie Board of Education for a supply of clocks, so thill- 0,10 may lie placed in each class room, believing that they arc necessary both for the proper training of the chil-

dren and for tlie proper carrying out of their duties by the teachers. They have at last gained some success insomuch as the Board of Education has agreed to subsidise £ for £ any nionevs spout on clocks to then satisfaction, T]jc ConrifiiUee strongly recommends tlie incoming Committee to accept tlie offer of tiie Board- of Education as far as its funds will permit.

“School Magazine: Your Committee wish to lirjug inifler the favorable notice of householders tiie School Magazine, copies of back numbers of which are on tlie table for your inspection. Tiie Magazine lias been published regularly since 1903. Tt is under tiie management of Mr. Kinder and is edited by senior hoys and girls; most of tlie articles also are written by tlie school children. Tlie number of subscribers, however, lias been too Sinai! hitherto to make it a financial success, and the Board of Governors lias on two occasions come to its assistance. The Committee would urge sympathisers, particularly old boys and girls of the school, to become contributors qud subscribers.

Pitbilo Schools Athletic- Associa-

tiou : Another institution connected with tlie school life of tlie children deserving more generous support from tiie public is the Athletic Association. At its annual sports gathering held in November last at AYao-renga-a-liika this school won the cup for having gained tlie highest number of points in the various competitions. The cup is oil view in tlie room.

“Election of Members of Board of Education: The new ward system of representation on the Board of Education came into force slice your last

annual meeting and Messrs. MoLernon, Morgan and Barton were elected to represent the Northern ward. Qur representatives have shown tlieni<olves to be active and zealous in the

discharge of their duties and if tiie representatives of tliis district continue to act with energy and discretion the ward system cannot be considered otherwise than a success so far as our ward is concerned. “Separate Education District: In accordance with tlio instructions of the last meeting of householders re laid tlio claims of this district to a separate Education Board before the Minister of Education, who replied that our application could not be granted. A School Committee Asso-

iation has been formed primarily to eal with the matter. They appointd a .sub-committee, who have drawn

p a report to lie submitted for eonideration this evening by the annual

meeting of householders in the various school districts of tlie ward.

“Recommendations to Incoming Committee: A’oiir Committee, in passing on their duties to their succes-

s's, wish to make the following reinimendations to them : (I) To cubic the caretaker to carry out bis

cleaning satisfactorily the gas should be put into every room in the brick building. (2)"Tlio row of trees on tlie western lion Hilary of tlie school grounds should be carried to tlie front. fence. The levelling of the girls’ playground should lie completed. (3) Tlie offer to the Board to subsidise any expenditure of tlie Committee oil clocks, should be. -accepted. as far as funds will permit. (4) The vigorous prosecution of tlie '•'instruction of the swimming baths. “Conclusion: In concluding tlie year’s work as your representatives', and in banding back to you tile responsibility, j-oii were good enough to honor us with, we wish to express to you our satisfaction with tiie York of tlie headmaster and his staff of of efficiency of tlie school is due to teachers, - for-the present high sta ,e their zeal and energy. Report of tlie Technical Classes Committee for tlie year ended December 31, 1906: —During tlio year classes were carried on in cookery and dressmaking for girls and woodwork for bo3-s, and were attended by pupils from the Gisborne, Mangapapa, Makauri, AVaerenga-a-liika, Ormond, Kaitaratnhi, Tc Karaka, To Arai, Batutalii, Matawliera and Maraetaha schools. The pupils took a keen interest in tlie work, and •\ere regular in their attendance. An exhibition of work done by tiie dressmaking pupils, under Mrs. Thomas, was hold at the close of tlie seas in, and tlie visitors were loud in their praise of tlie work shown. A nice collection of specimens of work do-:e by tlie boys, under Mr. Levey, was .sent to Christchurch for inclusion in tlio exhibit of tlie Education Department.

‘Special classes were also held in

English, shorthand, bookkeeping, ti-pewriting, woodwork, relief carving and dressmaking, but the attendance was again disappointing. In tlie English class two lioa-.s sat ior yind obtained certificates of profieienea-. Mr, Hill class two bo3-s sat for and obtained certificates of profioicncy. Mr. Hill aery kind la- set tlie papers. A class in woodwork for tiie students attending Te Ban College was well attended tlie pupils taking a a-orv keen interest n the work, and showed a ’ eramarked improvement at tfie en.rl cf the .year, and although only in operation for six months, the pupils succeeded in milling some a-erv usafnl articles of furniture. Classes for teachers were also held in cookery, dressmaking and woodwork, but i"*r.]i the exception of dressmaking was i i t as well attended as we would I-l-o. 11l order that teachers may have something to show for their attendance, we are trying to arrange for examinations in the several subjects so that they may fie able, should ifiey so desire it, to obtain n certificate of merit. Tlie teachers of the -(inntra" schools, particularly, show a I'csiie to have something done ill the way of rural technical instruction, ai J an effort is being made by the I'V ication Board to send ail instr-ictor to give lectures to ihe teachers on horticulture and elementary agriculture during (lie term holidays. “Donations to the funds were received from tlie Borough Council and Mr. AYebber, Te Arai, which were of material assistance. During the year a fireplace, with Sliaokl-jck ninge, was fitted in tlie cookery room so that in future pupils will ! e taught to use both gas and coal ill cooking. Several attempts were made to form adult classes in cook ary but met with no response. AYo ;„.pt to see something in tlie direction done during the coining 3-0:11-. AY. Morgan, Secretary,

“Donations to the funds were received from tlie Borough Council and Mr. AVebhor, Te Arai, which were of material assistance. During the year a fireplace, with Shaekiock ninge, was fitted in tlie cookery room so that in future pupils will ! e taught to use both gas and coal ill cooking. Several attempts were made to form adult classes in cookirabut met with 110 response. AYo ;„.pt to see something in tlie direction done during the coining 3-0:1!-. AY. Morgan, Secretary,

Tlie master of tiie Alky liner Bucentaur (Captain Jenkins) states that exccptionnlly sea-ere weather was prevalent at A'aneouvcr and in the interior of Canada, when his boat touched at the Dominion inir.j at the end of February last. Owing to the snowing up of the trains no European mails had been received there for a fortnight hefere the arrival of the Buccntnu]', and up to the time tiie a-essel sailed on March 7th the trains were getting through avith considerable irregularity. The Bucentaur shipped about 700 tons of cargo at Vancouver for New Zealand ports, all of which,* savs Qapjiui! Jenkins, avas picked lIP ill the last few days. Something like 2000 tons additional cargo had been hooked lyy the steamer but it was snowed up on the railways in the interior. The Bucentaur avaitcd as long 11s tho Government contract avould alloav, and then had to sail without this freight. Tlie next steamer of tho line to load at A'lipcouver for New Zealand will be the l’ondq, which is to leave the Canadian port on April 28th. Captain Jenkins states she will have a large cargo for Now- Zealand, which will include the freight which the Bucentaur avas unable to secure.

BGough, Bough!” Night and da3 r , until the strength is entirely exhausted, and that dYoadful word “Consumption” begins to lie whispered among friends. That’s a common stoiy, familiar to the peojile of all parts of Australia. There’s another story, which ought to be as avidel3 T known as the story of the disease—and that is the story of the cures effected by- the use of Dr. Sheldon’s Neiv Discpypry for Coughs, Cold?, and Consumption. Bronchitis, obstinate, deep - seated coughs, bleeding of the lungs, and other forms of disease which affect respiratory organs pro permanentlycured by the use of Dr. Sheldon’s New- Discovery, for Coughs, Colds, and Consumption. Small dose. Pleasant to take, Every bottle guaranteed.- For sale by A. AV. J. Mann, Agent, Chemist.