School Committee Elections.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 April 1918, Page 4

School Committee Elections.

Continued from page 3.) j icates, the solitary failure being a recent arrival at tlie school. Ui these six were going- on further with their education, one being now at Levin District High Scliool, one at Wellington 1 raining College, one at lona College, ldawke's Hay. one remaining to try for a National Scholarship, one to take a course at Wellington Technical School next year, and one with three others remaining at Ohau to sit for the Public Service Entrance at the end of the year. The (attendance had been good, but there wore a number of children of school age, who wrre not coming' to school in the district. Twenty-five children had been entered since the begin--11 in!? of the year

The headmaster drew the attention of the meeting to the urgent need for more accommodation for the children. The present position was that one class had to be tausrht. entirely in the open air. Owing to the short-sighted policy of the Government in reducing the amount of floor space per child from 12 square feet to 10 square feet, many of our schools were working under Black Hole of Calcutta "conditions, and the constitutions of the children were | being undermined. Their plea was lack of money, but m the country, at any rate, there seemed no lack of money for motor curs, races and other luxuries, while things necessary for the health of the little ones were refused. At last annual meeting of "householders a resolution had been passed urging the Board to build additions. The reply had been that the average attendance did not warrant any increase m accommodation. Mr George Glackin, who was then elected to the committee and was appointed chairman, had (worked very hard and used his personal innu ence to get another room omit, but he did not succeed in his well meant efforts. The speaker had written to the Education Board this year urging the need for another room and had hoped to be able to tell the meeting the result of his endeavour. He had received no reply as yet. He said that on the departure of Mr Glackin for military service, a new chairman had been elected, then the committee had be&Ci,divided and that lie, as headmaster, had not been able to work with them satisfactorily. It was very necessary for the efficiency of the school that the. committee should work harmoniously with the headmaster and he had every contidence that the parents would elect a committee who would put the interests of the school agd welfare of the children first He went on to stress the . need tor more and better education m Zealand and to the movement set on foot bv Professor Hunter, Mi V. Jj. Combs and other far-seeing men for more and better teachers, better school buildings and playgrounds, more and better-equip-ped technical, science and trade schools, and extensive compulsory training. The Teaclieis Institute had taken up.tins oam-nai"-n and were urging then uiembers to bring it to the notice nil the public bodies. It-P concluded by moving three ino'ions. all of which were, curried unanimously: (D That this meetin"- of householders and parents is bv "no satisfied by the replv of the Education Benito their request for increased aeenmmodatinu in the nr«'e that the children be affou.et. some protection, from the weather especially in the winter months. The motion forwarded m Ibo Educational Institute requesting the Government to safeguard the national education svsTem from attacks and to introduce such reforms into our system as may best cope with postwar conditions. _ (-?,) That this meeting ot householders and electors hears with concern that grants of Govern ment money have been made private (Church) schools ami sti-on.n-lv condemns the policy ving' grants from any public fund* to private schools whether for scholarships or any other pur-

Mr Young, chairman of tlie retiring committee, denied that the committee had been /™ e J' except upon the subject of the appointment of an assistant to the school. He gave his reasons tor the attitude lie took up on this questicm.^^ mOVP( l n vote of thanks to the headmaster for his staff for the very successful result of their years' work. 1 his was carried hv acclamation. Mr A. Wliiley asked whether the caretaker's pay had been raised since the war and he suggested tl->t ho raised by the new committee. . „ , Thr* plprtini* resultpcl v.i tlieiollovrin? o-entlemeu beinsr eelected hi form for the ensuino- voor-.Messrs Harkncss (chairWall farovotnrv), Cameron, Davies and Wehipeihana. of the successful candidates thanked the meeting for his el'M-timi. The Chairman (Mr Me Leavey) suggested that a roll of honour should be got for the school. The proeeedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.