SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1137, 23 August 1913, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

The monthly meeting of the local State School Committee was held on Thursday night. Present : Messrs Hornblow (chairman), Betty, Geo. Coley, Hunt, Hussey, Read, Alex. Speirs and Rev. Thomson. An apology for absence was received from Mr Henderson. The Chairman’s action in arranging a contract for completing the levelling of the school playground at a cost of ,£35 16s 6d was endorsed. Several members spoke in praiseworthy terms of the manner in which Mr Just had carried out the work. The Chairman stated that Messrs Pirani and Fraser had visited the school and inspected the work in progress, also suggested alterations to the infant class room, and the teacher’s residence, He wks pleased to state the Board had granted the committee the ,£25 asked for in aid of the school ground levelling, and had also authorised the alterations to the infant class room. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Just for a donation of plants and shrubs, and to Mr W. Nye for artificial manure.

Mr Hunt reported on his visit to the school during the month. The head teacher reported that the average attendances for the past four weeks were 380.2, 313.2 331.8 and 338; average for the whole period was 325.8 oat of an average roll number of 370 » the present roll number is 373; reference was made to the temporary absence, through sickness, of certain members of the staff and the appointment of relieving teachers; the second term examination showed that the school is progressing satisfactorily. The question of raising the school cleaner’s salary was held over till next meeting.

Messrs Betty and Coley were appointed visitors for the month. Accounts were passed for payment and the meeting rose.

The following report has been received from Mr M. O’Brien, Health Inspector, who recently visited the school, at the request of the Chairman of the Committee :

“ I have much pleasure in reporting my impressions of your public school, Foxton. On the nth ult., through your courtesy and that of Mr Jackson, the headteacher, I was shown through the different class rooms, showing good attendances throughout, I was particularly struck by the clean and healthy appearance of the children who were silently at their tasks regardless of our intrusion. The structural arrangements regarding light and ventilation are good save the infant room. Rightly, the light is thrown from left- to right, but there is not enough of it. The oblong window is too high and too small tor the size ot the room and the light is thrown over the heads of the children and the far end of the room is somewhat dim to the detriment of the children there. Notwithstanding unfavourable weather conditions, the premises were clean and orderly—the outside offices creditably so. Here, I could not help noticing the absence of all writing and disfigurement from the walls of the buildings, which we must infer is due to the restraining influence of the teachers and the children’s own sense of decency. To receive the drainage fromtfthe boys’ quarters, the gully should be built round with concrete coping to prevent foulness and sloppiness ot the ground. The well-kept gardens and plants must have an elevating tendency on the minds of the young, and will no doubt later in the season be an object lesson worthy of imitation.”