SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4688, 16 April 1924, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

irm sEIIIII.I'ERS' MEETINGS.

j’AEROA HIGH SCHOOL. The annual meeting of householders for the election of a committee for the Paeroa District High School was held in the Returned Soldiers’ Club on Monday evening. There was a fair number of householders pre--sent, and Mr W. H. Taylor, chairma# of the outgoing committee presided. The annual report and balancesheet, as read by the secretary, was as~ follows :— report. The annual report was read as follows :— four committee has pleasure in placing before you the following report for the past year, a year in which the school has- made further progress in its history, and in which, with the help and co-operation of the teachers and parents, your committee’s duties have been made very pleasant. Attendance.—The average attendance for the first quarter of 1924 was 22 less than for the corresponding period last year, there being a decrease of 7 pupils on the roll of the secondary department and 17 in the primary school. There are'at present 363 primary and 52 secondary children "ttending the school. Examinations.—ln- the primary school 12 pupils were successful in gaining Proficiency Certificates after being eight months in the class, while the remaining 28 were presented in December, 27 gaining Proficiency and 1 Competency. This result reflects great credit on the teacher of the class, Mr S. J. Bishop. Tn the secondary department one pupil obtained a full pass in the Matriculation examination, while three obtained partial passes, having only one subject to complete. One pupil obtained a Senior Scholarship, and seven passed the Public Service Entrance examination. These results testify to the efficiency of the instruction in this department. The inspectors’ last report states that this is a thoroughly sound secondary department, very well oragnised and managed. The order, discipline, and tone are very good and the attendance is regular. The school is doing very good all round work, and both teachers and pupils are to be congratulated on the interest they take in all that thev do and in the progress made. School Gardens. —Splendid work has been done throughout the year in the school gardens, a crop of over half a ton of onions being a special feature of the year’s work. Satisfactory j eports on the school by the Board’s inspectors show that th* standard of efficiency is Mgh. 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 committee has continued to work towards beautifying and improving the school grounds. The following work has bee.i taken in hand, and most of it has been completed: 135 ft. of reek border to front boundary in Wood Street, a post, rail, and wire netting fence for the same boundary, three flights of steps to the boys’ upper playground, levelling and sanding of upper playground, excavation and stonework at north-eastern corner of school biulding, formation of garden and lawn in new area in Wood Street, the erection of a commodious bicycle shed and racks, painting of existing seats, gates, and new woodwork, and the construction of a half-round drain across the boys’ playground, running inside the new netting fence, and connecting with a pipe at the corner. These improvements for the most part have been made possible by the sum of. £ll7, the result of a bottle-gather-ing campaign undertaken by the pupils in June of last year, when 15.375 bottles were collected and sold, realising the sum of £SB 14s 3d which carried a Government subsidy of £ for £, making a total of £ll7. Of this amount a few pounds remain, so it is hoped that the scheme of improvements drawn up by your chair man, headma-ter. and Mr Gillman will be completed at an early date. Your committee expects that parents will take a pride in the improvement and beautification of the school and surroundings, as the influence of good conditions and beautiful surroundings upon the minds of the children can only >e for their good. Sanitaiy Conveniences. —Through the efforts of your committee the Education Board has now given authority for the erection of extra conveniences for the infants’ department and the conversion of the existing conveni--ences into a modern set, and it is expected that this work will shortly be undertaken. Following upon representations made to the inspectors the Board has also authorised the work of extending the science room by an additional 12ft. An additional skylight, giving better ventilation, was installed in the infants’ room in August last, while recently the Board’s workmen have again tarred and sanded the pj-iygiound. Manual Training School. —During the year your committee has made its best endeavours to secure the establishment of a manual training school at Paeroa. and with that end in view a deputation waited on the Hon. C. J. Pan-, Minister for Education, during his visit to Paeroa in February of this year. A strong case was presented to the Minister, and the deputation was ably supported by His Worship tlie Mayor (Mr W. Marshall), but Mr Parr, who is familiar with the ad verse conditions for manual draining under the present system, would give no definite assurance that the situation .would be in any way' remedied in the future. Your committee has again decided that during the winter months the pupils of the school will not be .sent to Thames for manual training. School Picnic.—A new departure was made as to the location of the annual school picnic. On February 22 the headmaster and his staff organised the picnic, and it was hel l in Te Arolia, proving a great success.

Over 500 children and parents enjoyed an ideal day. Much thanks are due to the Te Aroha Borough Council, and to all those who subscribed so liberally, thus enabling the train fares tc be provided free for the children, and also light refreshments. Teaching Staff.— Early this yeai your school lost the services of Mr S J. Bishop, first assistant, who was transferred to Whitianga as headmaster. Mr J- E. Bigelow has been ap pointed to the vacancy here, and is proving himself an efficient and painstaking teacher. Your committee feels sure that you will be .sorry ic learn that Mr Wilks has been compelled to obtain lengthy leave of absence to enable him to undergo treatment in Auckland for war disabilities. Mr S. D. Barr is filling Mr Wilks' position in the secondary department temporarily. Membership.—There have been nt resignations from the committee this year, and meetings have been held regularly and were well attended. Finance.—The total amount o! grants for the year was £356 9s 6d, and the expenditure was £339 18s Bd, leaving a credit‘balance of £l6 IDs lOd at February 29, 1924'. u School Staff.—ln conclusion you< committee must refer.to the amicable relations that have existed, and wishes lo emphasise the fact of the loyalty and devotion of. the teaching staff to the welfare of the school, both educationally and socially. We wish to ex press our sincere appreciation of the help of the headmaster and his staff that has been so readily extended tc us on all occasions. In moving the adoption of the report .the chairman referred to the loss tfic school had sustained by the removal of Mr S. J. Bishop to Whitianga and Miss I. Whitten, who had resigned. - Feeling reference was also made to the illness of Mr F. Wilks, of the secondary department. The chairman referred briefly to the splendid work done by the headmaster, Mr G. H. Taylor, and stated that during the speaker’s term, extending over twenty years, on the school committee he had never been associated with a better headmaster than Mr Taylor. The chairman said that he also wished to publicly thank Mr Gillman for the exceptional amount of professional time he had given to the work of improving the schoolgrounds. In seconding the adoption of the report the Rev. F. B. Dobson said it was very gratifying to hear such a glowing report from the inspectors concerning the secondary department, and he considered that it had more than neld its own with other high schools in the Auckland ditsrict, particularly when the short time many of the pupils had spent in the secondary department was considered. Mi- Dobson moved that a letter bs sent to Mr S. J. Bishop expressing the householders’ appreciation of his efforts during the time he was teaching in Paeroa. and congratulating him on his promotion to a hcadmastership. Seconded by Mr E. V. Slyfield and carried. On the’ resolution of Mr Dobson, seconded by Mr W. Barclay, it was decided that a letter be sent to Mr Wilks expressing sympathy with him in his illness and the wish that he would speedily be restored to health, and also conveying the appreciation and thanks of the meeting to him for the splendid result of his. efforts and the success gained by his pupils rt the secondary department, The report and balance-sheet was adopted. MANUAL SCHOOL SUBSCRIPTIONS. The chairman referred to the sum of £Bl which had been subscribed by the public in May, 1922, for the purpose of purchasing Government bonds sufficient to raise money to build a manual school in Paeroa. He said that the Hon. C. J. Parr had advised, when in Paeroa in February last, that the Government was not now erecting school buildings on the bond system, and he advised that application be made to the Department for a refund of the money. This had been done an-1 the £Bl was returned, but the question was, what was to be dona with it. After some discussion it was decided that the committee be asked to call a public meeting to decide to what purpose the money should be put. FREE STATIONERY. In connection with the free distribution of 700 exercise books to the pupils, Mr Dobson' moved that local bu: : ine-',s people who had paid for advertisements in the books, thereby enabling a free distribution to be made, should be thanked, and he expressed the hope that the “Gazette” Office would undertake the work this year, and that the same support would be accorded. Seconded by Mr Barclay and carries. MANUAL TRAINING. The chairman, headmaster, andsccretary explained the steps that had been taken during the year by the committee to secure the establishment of a manual training school In Paeroa. The chairman said that it was regrettable that the parents had not interested themselves more in th.’ matter especially in view of the fact that such training was necessary be-fo'-e a pupij could obtain a proficiency certificate After a lengthy discussion Mr F. B. Dobson moved that a letter be sent to the Minister for Education stating that this meeting of householders emph'itically protests against the delay t:f the Department in providing the necessary facilities for manual training in Paeroa, and urges upon the D.-naitoient the necessity for sucn provision being made. Seconded by Mr A. E. Say and carried. On the motion of Mr Slyfield, seconded by the chairman, it was resolved t<> record the appreciation, and thanks of the meeting to Mr G. H. Taylor, headmaster, for his care of the welfare of pupils who had to go to Thames. The meeting also resolved to endorse the committee’s action in refusing to allow pupils to proceed • to Thames for the purpose of receiving manual instruction during the winter month?*. YOUNG CITIZENC* LEAGUE, j The chairman briefly outlined tha

aims and objects of the Young Citizens’ League, and stressed the necessity of the formation of a branch m . Paeroa. It was decided to call a public .meeting to discuss the matter and appoint an advisory committee. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE The following were .elected to the committee : Messrs N. C. Busby, E. E. Gillman. H. J. Hayward, C. T. Merta u, C. H. Pascoe. W. T. Power, W. Purdie. R. G. Southby, and W. H. Taylor. Mi- Taylor returned .thanks to the meeting for re-electing him, and expressed the hope that they would all be spared to meet again next year. At the termination of the householders' meeting the committee held a short sitting. The election of chairman was-deferred until the r.ext meetinir, Mr Gillman being appointed act-' ing-chairman. There were also present : Messrs N. C. Busby, H. J. Hayward, W.-T. Power, R. G. SouthbZ, arid the secretary and headmaster. Mr Gillman welcomed Mr Hayward on behalf of the committee. : It was decided that meetings should be held on the second Saturday in carh month at 7.45 p.m., and the secretary was instructed tc apply to the Borough Council for the use of the Borough Chambers again. Messrs Busby and Gillman. with the secretary, were authorised to sign cheques on behalf of the committee. CARETAKER. The resignation of Mrs Sorensen as caretaker to the school Was accepted, and it was decided to call tenders for the position to close on M:>V 9. NGATEA. The annual meeting of householders of tiie Ngatea high school district was held on Monday evening. There were only nine present. The chairman of the committee re ■ ported that a : great many improvements had been carried out to th 3 grounds during the year by the old committee. However, a lot remained io be done, and he would recommend the new committee to carry on. An ace of land had been secured for a horse paddock, and it had been understood from the Commissioner of Crown Lands that the Lands Department’s paddocks could be used as a right-of-way. but a lock had been placed on the gate, with the result that, the children had to go a long way round, to another gate. It would lie necessary for the new committee to put a gate at this entrance. The balance-sheet showed that £llß 11s Id had been expended, leaving a credit balance of £2l- 14s 9d. The new committee appointed were' Messrs W. McDuff, W. Clark. TP, J. Clare. C. W. Schultz, and- G. H. Robinson. ' It was suggested that the committee • hbuld look into the matter of a swimming, bath, and also a flag-pole. Mr W. McDuff was i eappointed chairman at the subsequent committee meeting and Mr G. H. Robinson was appointed secretary. i;he date of meetings of the committee was fixed as the second Mondav in the month. Mr Clare was asked to prepare an estimate for a swimming bath twentyfive yhrds long by twelve yards wide, .-id ranging in depth from two to five feet TURUA. Nineteen persons attended the meet jug at Turua, and Mr AV. C. Stewarc Was appointed’ to the chair. Reporting, on the operations of the committee during the past year the chairman, Mr F. H. Stephens, said that they had been restricted by lack of funds. The balance-sheet showed an expenditure during the year of £133 4s 9d, and the cash in' hand was £7 12s Id. The headmaster’s report stated, that there were 169 pupils on the roll at the beginning of the year, and 43 had been admitted and 41 withdrawn during the year. During the present year the average attendance was 152, which, was eight short of the number required to obtain an additional teacher. Of the ten nominated for the committee the following were elected: Messrs J. W. Chapman, T. H. White, F. H. Stephens, S. S. Murray, C. Dale, S. G.- Williams, and A. Walker. At the committee meeting immediately afterwards Mr F. H. Stephens was reappointed chairman and Mr 'A. Wiilker secretary. The monthly meeting date was fixed as the Wed • ne c day nearest the full moon. KOPUARAHT. There was a good attendance -it Kopuarahi, Mr D. J. O’Carroll presid. ing. The annual report referred to the new school building, which had been secured after four years’ agita--1 ioh by the committee. The financial statement showed a credit of £SO 5s 5-1, and an expenditure of about £3O. The following committee was reannointed : Messrs W. E. Hale (chairman), E. C. Harwood, J. G. Miller, C. 11. Lawrence,' and D. J. O’Carroll, sec- ' rotary. The teacher’s report stated that the average attendance had gone down to about 60. KEREPEEHI. . .There were only at the meeting in Kerepeehi. ,/he finan ■ - cial statement showed a credit of £ls and an expenditure of about £lO3. Ther.e was a credit of £lO 10s on the school library account. The beadmaster reported that the average -attendance was 82. . The following comprised the committee : Messrs H. Hoff, W. Thompson, L. A. W. Bagnall, AV. Herkt, and R. Ca’-r, with Mr Hoff chairman and Mr Thompson, secretary.