“ ALWAYS CADGING.”

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1932, Page 8

“ ALWAYS CADGING.”

SCHOOL COMMITTEES FACE BIG

PKOBLjiM

NO SUBSIDY A BIG SETBACK

CHRISTCHURCH, November 29.

Whei\ headmasters and members of school committees were approached yesterday and asked how their school finances stood, all stated that they were unable to see how they could carry on. It was a case of “cadging” all the time, one committee-man declared.

The greatest set-back they have received lias been the loss of the £ for £ subsidy on money raised ty voluntary effort and the withdrawal of most of the grants previously made for improvements to the playgrounds and other purposes. The incidental allowance paid by the Canterbury Education Board has not been reduced; but in the opinion of the committers it never was adequate to meet the barest necessities, and now that no subsidies are paid the committees are under the obligation to find a much larger amount of money under conditions which' become increasingly difficult as the months go by. Among the novel schemes adopted by one of the schools for raising money for the coal and firewood fund was a “motor-car competition.” The children were given cards on which there were twelve: printed squares,, each of which represented a penny contribution to the fund. With the co-operation of the teachers the children are sent round the district begging for pennies to fill the : r cards,-and the class which collected the largest amount had the honour of Winning the competition. In this way a sum rf over £32 was collected and the committee Was able to pay'its fuel bill. Some of the parents resented this method of using . the children to obtain money, bub it was forced upon thq committee by sheer necessity. •• SOURCES OF REVENUE Euchre parties, dances, concerts and fetes ’ are the main sources of revenue for the committees, but it is a continual struggle keeping up the interest and ensuring that the receipts are maintained at a satisfactory level. Where there is a denial clinic the committee is faced with additional expense, owing to the reduction cf the Government grants, and t':e New Brighton S.hool Cqmmi tee, to mention

one instance wherit there is a dental

clinic, has to ra'se about £lO a month by different “stunts” 1 to meet the'incidental expenses not covered by the capitation grant. At the Waltham School 1 a fete will be held to raise funds which it is imperative that the

committee should have, and other schools are organising special. attrac- * tibns to tide ’them over their difficulties.

, Mr Ray Blank, headmaster of Fendalton School,’ said that the school had never beem able to manage on its small

capitation grant. Appeals had alwavs to be made to the parents for financial support. A school fete had been held recently and resulted in a profit of £BS. The sum would come in useful for meeting additional expense for fuel and lighting through the winter.