WAIWHETU PARENTS' ASSOCIATION.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 20, 11 October 1928, Page 5

WAIWHETU PARENTS' ASSOCIATION.

A happy' gathering of the parents of children attending the Waiwhetu school assembled at the Moera Hall on Monday, October Ist at the invitation of the Waiwhetu Parents' Association, to a social evening, the object being to introduce the headmaster and teachers to the parents and thereby create a better understanding.

The evening commenced with a selection of popular airs on the piano by Mrs Milsom, the parents heartily joining in the choruses.

The chairman (Mr. Rentoul) then spoke on the aims of the Parents' Association," and in a well chosen speech endeavoured to give the parents some idea of the good work they had been doing to help the school and its scholars. Various sums of money had been spent, and this included £1 5/- for first aid outfit, £2 10/- for footballs, £6 10/- for jerseys for soccer and rugby, £7 10/----for gas instalment and earn —this was a very important item, as the object was to make cocoa for the children during the cold weather —£7 10/- for school library and £2 10/- for ploughing and harrowing a corner of the school playground to make a sand pit for the infants, and the Association had HOW nearly £80 in hand. He closed'his speech by announcing that a bazaar was being held in the Moera Hall on December 7, S, and 9th and asked that any ladies who would help make gai'ments would see either Mr I Blake the secretary at Randwick Road, Mr. Hoare (treasurer), at 7 Mason street or himself at Randwick Crescent.

Mr. Wilson, the headmaster, in replying mentioned the. poor attendance of the scholars at the school, pointing out the roll'was 554, and the average attendance was only 457. In the previous week there were over 100 absent. He impressed on the parents the necessity of the average of attendance being high to maintain the school at Grade VII. If the attendances rise as they should it will be to the ultimate benefit of parents and children as the higher the grade the more advantages the school gets. In concluding he said that parents had been treated so leniently in the past that they had evidently forgotten they were liable to be summoned for the non-attendance of their children; also the children were very lax in keeping their appointments at the Dental Clinic which was for their benefit.

Mr. May, chairman of the School Committee then, spoke a few words about the work that was being done in the school grounds and invited any of the men present to a working bee on Saturday afternoons. At the close of the speeches Mrs. Douglas sang two Scotch songs: "My Am Polk" "and "Wid Better Bide awa'." accompanied by Mrs Milson.Mr. Parker then gave a pianoforte solo, Mrs Blake recited "The Uninvited," and f ' Our Baby.'' Mr. Wilson sang '' Mountains of Morn." Miss Skipper, Mi J, Mackae and Mr. B. Coffey sang "Here am I, > \ and '' High, High, High up in the Hills" with step dance. Mrs Joyce gave an original recitation and "Ben and Butter" in Gloucestershire dialect. Mr. Coffey sang "Broken Hearted" assisted by Miss Joyce and Mr. J. Mackae. Miss SMppie, Mr. Coffey and Mr. J. Maekae "Harmony Song." Mrs Douglas sang "The Auld Scotch Songs" and "Annie Laurie" with violin accompaniment. Mrs Joyce (by request) recited" 'l Curfew. '' Mrs. Milsom was at the piano.

The evening closed with game and the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" and God Save the King.