HELENSVILLE DISTRICT SCHOOL

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 6 May 1915, Page 2

HELENSVILLE DISTRICT SCHOOL

THE following is the balance* sheet and report for the past year, as submitted at the annual meeting of householders, held on Wednesday of last week, and approved of: —

REPORT OF HELENSVILLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Ladies and Gentlemen, —By direction of the Education Board the last report submitted to you contained a statement of receipts and expenditure for the eleven (11) months ending February 28, 1914, I have now the honour to present to you the following statement of rceipts and expenditure for the (10) months ending December -31st, 1914;' the intention evidently being that the expenses and receipts should in future be given for each full year ending on December 31st.

The RECEIPTS during the ten (10) months ending December 31st were made up as follows :—

Balance in hand, £11 13s 7d; grants for ordinary incidental purposes, £41 10s; special grant for fencing newly-acquired school-ground, £30; making a total of £83 3s 7d.

The Expenditure was as follows:--

Cleaning school and outbuildings, £18 10s 6d ; fuel, 16/6 ; sanitary expenses £8 17s 6d ; expenditure on school ground £6 2s 9d ; school stationery, £7 9s 4d ; contract for fencing, £30 ; Bank charges, 12s 6d ; advertising householders' annual meeting, 6s 6d ; making a total expenditure of £72 15s Id, and leaving a credit balance in hand on December 31st, 1914, of £10 8s fid.

Since that date the quarterly allowance of-£l4 11s for the March quarter has been received from the Board; and the expenditure has amounted to £24 2s lOd, leaving a balance in hand at present of 16s Bd. The liabilities are £3 15s 4d for school requisites, and a small account (not yet received) for harrowing the new school ground. There is, however, the allowance from the Board for the current quarter now due.

Newly-acquired School Ground —The section has been fenced in since the last householders' meeting, and the Education Board's grant of £30 for the purpose paid over. The section has had a privet hedge planted all round it, but owing to the exceptionally dry season it did not make such good headway as was anticipated. The land, w hen taken

over by the Committee, was in an extremely rough and broken state, and a fairly considerable amount, considering the funds at its disposal, has been spent by the Committee in clearing, ploughing, harrowing and levelling it. It is estimated that it will cost another £10 to £11 to complete the preparation and grassing* of the section, and the Education Board has promised a grant of £7 10s towards the purpose, so the Committee hopes the present season will see the section in a fit state to utilise for the purpose for which it is intended.

School Buildings.—The school building has been considerably enlarged to cope with the growing demands of the school, and new lavatories built for both boys and girls, and connected with the recently-installed drainage and water system, so that the Committee is happy to' be able to state that the over-crowd-ing in the school, and insanitary conditions referred to in the last report, no longer exist.

GENERAL. —From a scholastic standpoint, the past year has been very successful, all the pupils presented for the sixth standard having passed, while all, with one exception, gained certificates of proficiency.

The teaching staff has been brought up to the requisite strength by the appointment of two more assistant teachers, and the working of the school is satisfactory in all respects.

The school is continuing to progress rapidly—the average attendance during last year was 207, and the Headmaster stated at the February meeting that the number on the roll amounted to -242.

The members of the Committee have been most regular in their attendance at all the monthly meetings, and each has done his utmost to further the interests of the school. DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL In reference to this matter, on the motion of the Committee, the following letter was sent to the Board of Education: — Helensville, April 15th., 1915. The Secretary, Education Board, Auckland,

Dear Sir, —I have been instructed to bring under the notice of your Board the urgent necessity that exists for the establishment of a District High School at Helensville.

The headmaster has at present sixteen (16) pupils in Standard VI, and is confident that sufficient pupils would be forthcoming to meet the requirements as to numbers, in Helensville alone.

At present, and for some time past, children' from Helensville have been in the habit of going to Auckland for higher education, which is altogether too much to demand, of growing children, the amount of travelling it entails being not only detrimental to their health, but also calculated tq unfit them for studying. Then again, each year, as children have been passing the sixth standard, owing to there being no facilities here, they have been deprived of the advantages of the higher education they require to fit themselves for presentday conditions.

Helensville, as you are aware, is so placed that were a High School established here, it would be a source of great convenience to the surrounding district, as children from a great many

schools, both north and south of here, would be sure to avail themselves of the benefits to be received. ;■ The Committee would 'be much obliged if you would let it know what afe the necessary conditions for the establishment of a District High School and also, the earliest date at which your Board would be likely to move in the matter. —I am, etc., F. R. Eames, Secretary Helensviile School Committee. I feel certain the advantages of a District High School must appeal to- the parents of children in Helensville and the surrounding district, and trust the incoming Committee will do its utmost to have one established as soon as possible. I have the honour to be, Yours faithfully, A. BECROFT, Chairman. Helensville, 26-4-15.