PAEROA HIGH SCHOOL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4558, 2 May 1923, Page 4

PAEROA HIGH SCHOOL

MEETING OF HOUSEHOLDERS. The annual meeting of householdThe annual meeting of liouseliodlers to elect a committee tor the ensuing year was held in the school and afterwards adjounied to the Soldiers' Club on Monday evening. Unfortunately the attendance was not very large. Mr W. H. Taylor, chairman of th? committee of last year, was elected to the chair. ANNUAL REPORT. Tlie annual report was read by the secretary, Mr W. L. Lawflenee, as follows ;— Your committee has pleasure in placing before you the following report for the past year, a year in which the.teachers and parents have co-operated with your committee io make to one of the most successful and one of the pleasantest in the history of the school. Attendance.—The average attendance for the first quarter of 1923 is only two more than for the corresponding period of last year, there being an increase of seven in the secondary department and a decrease of five in tile primary school. There are at present 379 primary and 59 secondary children attending the school. J Examinations. —During the year ■ very pleasing results were obtained in the High School Department. One ; candidate, in his second year, obtained a full pass in the, mafcricula ’ tion examination, while two other pupils obtained partial passes, each failing by a few marks in one subject only. Six pupils were successful in passing the Public Service Entrance examination, and ten were granted Senior Free Places after examination at the school by the Board’s inspectors. One pupil gained a Junior National Scholarship. In Standard 6, out of 36 candidates 34 obtained profiiciency certificates and one a competency certificate. Foi the first time Paeroa- was made a centre for the Public Service and Scholarship examinations, and this was much- appreciated by examinees , and parents. j , School Gardens. —Good work has been done in t,he school gardens, the school again winning the first prize in its class in the root-growing competitions. These results, together with 1 the very satisfactory i eports on the school by the Board’s inspectors, show that the standard of efficiency at the school is high, and your committee considers that the thanks of the parents are due to the members of the teaching staff for their loyalty to the school and their devotion to duty. — ! Schoolground Improvements.—Since. | the last annual meeting.your commit- I tec has continued to work towards the beautifying and improving of the school grounds. The rock wall and netting fence on the Wood Street frontage have been extended for a considerable distance, while a hand some entrance-way has been built, giving access to the boys’ playground. The handsome’flowerbeds under the care of Mr Wilks have for months been a source of pleasure and interest to the children and to passers-by. ’ The fences along Thorp Street and ' around the horse paddock -have been renovated, and are now in good order, while the additton of a watering trough in (he horse paddock has been ‘ a good improvement. The upper half ‘ of the boys’ playground has been j levelled, and now affords a safe play- ' ground for the smaller boys, while * the facing of the ugly clay bank with smooth rock has greatly improved the ' appett' ance of that area. For the comfort and health of the. children 1 160 lineal feet of seating accommodation have been provided round the buildings, and ten new, bubble fountains have been installed. The area 1 behind the drill-shed has been i

ploughed and sown in grass, so that it, now affords a good playing ground for the infants. The improvements have for the most part been made possiole by the sum of £122 taken on the official - opening day of the building, and by the £ for £ subsidy on that amount provided by the Education Department. A few pounds remain from this fund, so that it is hoped that the scheme of improvements drawn up by your chairman, Mr Gillman, and the headmaster (Mr G. H. Taylor) will be still further carried out this year. Your committee expects that parents will take pride in the improving and beautifying of the school and surroundings, as the influence of good conditions and beautiful surroundings upon the minds of the children can only be for their good. Sanitary Conveniences. — Though your committee is not yet satisfied with these, and has a promise from the Board’s architect that further improvements will soon be made, it acknowledges with satisfaction the fact that a considerable sum was expended in connecting up the school outbuildings with the sewerage system of the town. Manual Training School. —During the year your committee has used its very best endeavours to secure the establishment, of a manual training school at Paeroa, but regrets that it has again to report no further proI gress in that matter. The sum of £Bl I was collected in the hopes that the Department would authorise the issue i of debentures to finance the building, but, unfortunately, the Minister for Education has not seen his way clear to accede to the request. Your committee has decided that during the winter months the children of the school will not be sent to Thames for manual training, but though they will thus lose some of their training, it is hoped that the health of the children will be improved as a consequence. Scool Picnic. —The school picnic, organised by the headmaster and his staff, proved a great success, over 500 children and parents enjoying an ideai day at Tararu beach. Much thanks is due to those who subscribed so liberally, enabling the fares both in motor and train to be provided free for the children, and also a few refreshments, which were much appreciated by the young folk. Membership.—During the year Mr J Couper resigned from the secretaryship, Mr W. L. Lawrence being appointed to fill the vacancy. A vacancy on the committee was caused through the removal from Paeroa of Mr W. Redfern, who had | proved an enthusiastic member, ef the committee. Meetings were held regularly throughout the year, the regularity of attendance being remarkable. Tiiohia School.—This year the Tirohia settlers made representation to the Education Board to form a separate school district. The Board [ lias authorised this to .be done, and boundaries are now being arranged. Your committee has extended as much help as possible during the year. Mr Veale, the representative ' from this school, has attended the 1 meetings regularly. Finance. —The total amount of grants for ti.ic year was £593 16s 8(1. bnd the expenditure was £538 10s lOd, leaving a credit balance ai the end of February of £55 5s 10(1. Scnool staff. —In conclusion your committee would refer to the amicable relations that have existed, and' wishes to emphasise that fact of the loyally and devotion of the teaching staff to the welfare of the school, both educationally and socially. We wish to express our sincere appreciation of the help that has been so readily extended to us on all occasions. CHEAPER STATIONERY. Mr Williams moved that it should be a. recommendation to the incoming committee to provide school sta-

tionery free to the children of parents who were in indigent circumstances. The cost of school stationery was a heavy drain on the finances of the parents. The headmaster, Mr G. H„ Taylor, said that this fact had been urged on the Education Board for a number of years. The chairman point.ed out that it was impossible for the committee to supply free stationery out of the limited maintenance allowed by the Board. The incoming committee would look into the matter and see what could be done. SCHOOL GROUND IMPROVEMENTSThe chairman said he thought that the householders had every reason to be giatified at the work dene in improving the school grounds, thereby adding very materially to the welfare and comfort of the pupils. The speaker said lie thought it was a giVac-pity that the householders had not interested themselves to a larger extent in the work of improvements that were being carried out. A sum of over £3OO had been spent, during the past twelve months on the school grounds, and he congratulated the committee on its judicious spending of that money. He wished to especially thank Mr Gillman, and the other members of the old committee for the'help they had given. TEACHING STAFF. The Rev. Dobson moved that this householders’ meeting place on record its sincere appreciation of- the work carried out by the headmaster anti his staff. ' Seconded by the chairman and carried with acclamation. The headmaster briefly thanked the meeting fpr the vote of appreciation on behalf of himself and bis staff. FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS. Mr Slyfieltl asked if the- school grounds improvement scheme had been completed. The chairman said that, the committee had carried out all the work that was possible, and for which purpose the money had been raised and subsidised by the Board. The committee had now come to the end of its finances, and further money would /have t.o be raised before any new improvement work could be undertaken. Mr Slyfieltl said he thought that the outgoing committee was indeed to be congratulated on the work carried ouj:. He trusted that ways and means to enable further necessary improvements to be carried out would be found in the near future. SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The secretary reported that the Board had granted the residents of Tirohia a separate school district this year. On behalf of Mr B. E. Veale, who was the representative from Tirohia on the outgoing committee, he thanked the members, for the assistance rendered and interest taken in the Tirohia school during the time it was under the Paeroa committee’s control. COMMITTEE. The chairman announced that the number of members, required to form a committee for Paeroa- was nine. As the secretary had received only nine nominations, the following were declared only elected: Messrs N. C. Busby, L. C. Cane, E. E. G’llman, C. T. Mettam,, W. J. McKenna, C. H. Pascoe, W. T. Power, R. G. Southby, and W. H. Taylor. hi returning thanks for his re (election Mr W. H. Taylor said that he wished to thank the householders foe the honour they had again accorded him. The work done by the committee iast, year had been a real pleasure. He concluded by saying it was one of the best committees he had ever worked with. After a vote of thanks to the chair the meeting, terminmated. The; new committee then met an.l elected Mr W. H. Taylor chairman for the ensuing year and Mr C. H. Pascoe deputy-chairman.