PAEROA HIGH SCHOOL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5313, 15 August 1928, Page 2

PAEROA HIGH SCHOOL.

monthly committee meeting.

ROUTINE BUSINESS.

Tim monthly meeting of the Paerqa District. High School Committee was held on Saturday night, the. chainman (Mr J. C. H. McDonald) presrding over Messrs. W. T. Power, C. T. Mettam, W. C. Alexander, C. Holes, W. Perstqn, W. Smith, R. W- Jjowny, W. N. Chamberlain, W. L. Lawrence (secretary), and G. H. Taylor (headmaster). UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE.

A circular, letter was, received from the Education Department, through the Auckland Board, drawing, attention to the. matten of expenditure on school buildings, particularly in connection with the provision of den,tal clinics. In several instances, the letter, stated, committees had, without the authority of the department, erected dental clinics and then applied f°. r two-thirds cost. In some cases, even the school cimmittees had cqnverted an ordinary class-room into a dental clinic without authority. It was pointed' - that in no instance would! the department hold itself responsible for aPJ’ expenditure unless its authority had been previously obtained. Moreover, any verbal expression of opinion given by an officer, of the department was not to be ta,ken as committing the department to expenditure, no matter how favourable such an expression of opinion might be. In referring the letter to the sec- r netary the chairman said that the Iqcal committee, fortunately, had never been guilty of committing such a breach.

EXTRA ASSISTANT. The: chairman of the board (Mr A. . Burns) wrote in reply ,to the committee’s request for an extra assist- ’ ant, and stated that the department ; had declined to appoint an extra assistant tea,cher on the. grounds that at a. school the size of Paeroa it was . held that the headmaster should .take a class. The writer added that he very much regretted the position, as / he realised how it 'handicapped a . headmaster. -Ip SUBSTITUTE ASSISTANTS. The Education Board wrote with . reference to ttie difficulties that arose . through permitting substitute assist- , ants to make application during tire course of a yean for permanent ap- . peiintments. The board advised th.a.t , the use of substitute assistants would, probably disappear in the course of this and next year, when sufficient probationary assistants would be available for. each school. During the transition period probationary assistants were net available. Iji the board’s opinion the difficulties pointed out by the committee would, disappear in the course of the next twelve ■ months. It was pointed out by Mr Mettam that one child that he knew of had ' had no less than eleven teachers during his school cancer, and he was now in the fourth standard. Mr Taylor stated that a similar ’ position obtained throughtout the ' board’s district. VISITING COMMITTEE. -On behalf of the visiting committee Mr Holes reported that in company with Mr Perston he had visited the school during, the month and had found everything sat'sfactory. He suggested that a decided improvement could be effected if the Held l tiles near the infants’ department were removed and an open concrete channel put in. With the tiles the' loqse sand was able to enter, and a* times caused ,a. blockage, and the drain required attention to keep it functioning properly. \ Oh the motion of Mn Alexander, seconded by Mr .Chamberlain, it was agifced to leave the matter in the hands of Messrs. Holes and Perston with power, to ;qct. The offer of those members to provide the labour, free was accepted with thanks; e The matter of removing certain tree stumps was deferred for the time being. RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY. A letter was received from the secretary resigning his position after iix years’ service Vwipg to the fact that he was leaving to reside in Hawke’s Bay. The chairman and Messrs. Taylor and Mettam referred to the good Work done by Mr Lawrence, and on the < motion of the chairman, seconded! by y Mr Mettam, the resignation was accepted with regret. It was resolved to, record the appreciation of the committee to the secretary for services rendered. Mr G. E. Allen was unanimously appointed to fill the vacancy. STAFF CHANGES. A letter was received from Miss N. N. Cumbei'worth resigning her position as assistant teacher, as from 31st Inst. The resignation was accepted with regret, a.nd a resolution wa.s carried thanking Miss Cumberworth for het services and wishing her good health, every happiness, and prosperity during her, married life. . The board wrqte advising the appoiiitment of Miss H. Phair, who was classified D 163 in the Dominion list of graded teachers, in place of Miss Cumberworth. and advising that the new appointment would be made as from August 15, 1928. FINANCE. Accounts amounting to £lB 4s lid were passed for payment. The net credit balance in the school fund account was £l3 Ils 9d, a.nd in the dental clinic fund, £l6 8s 6d. DENTAL CLINIC. As a indans of raising fu"ds for’ the maintenance of the' Mr Holes brought forward a suggestion that the committee should consider selecting a suitable day and opening a shop in the main street for the sale of vegetables, produce, and goods. The suggestion would require working up and donations solicited, but he believed that the financial result would warrant the trouble; Mr Holes was thanked for, his suggestion, and the matter wa.s deferred for the time being.