STATE SCHOOL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2877, 30 April 1925, Page 2

STATE SCHOOL.

11EA DM A STRIPS AXNCAI REPORT.

!'!<'■ following is the annual tv port pi the ITojiilm;is-{ oi* of the loen 1 .Siaro School (l\fr F. Mason), submitted to 'the animal meeting of householders. hold last week:—

A! 1 hi.ti*;•}■ owing to tlie prevalence of the recent epidemic T have had lint liltic opportunity of getting to know thoroughly the ehildd t ell of tile .—* *! Io o 1 yet 1 call SUV that I was in the end of the year particularly pleaded with the work done in the Infant Department and in the senior classes -.standard n and ti. The oilier divisions seemed

to have .-n lie red severelv from t tie repealed changes in the teaching -dal'f for this must always tie detrimental to steady work lining done. Standard (I put up a particularly Im. record, do pupils were presented for the I'rolieieney examination. Of these 3-1 olit,'lined Proficiency ( ertilieal c- and the remaining pupil an Endorsed Competency Certificate, coming down in Arithmetic old v.

Six pupils sat for the Junior national Scholarship Examination, and although none of them was successful in gaining scholarship honours yel- five of the six—Mnjorie Hunt. Vernon Moore, Roy Healey, Manlv Walsh, and Malcolm Mason

- gained Junioi Free Places on their examination papers—that i-. each scored over fit) per cent, of the possible marks, 'fills I consider to lie a most creditable performance relleeting el'edi| 1101 only oil the pupil- themselves but on those responsible for the good work done. The Dux girl of the school was Olga Yorke, and the Dux Boy, Vermin Moore. These two pupils were awarded the Book Memorial Prizes for the year. They are both earnest ami industrious students and arc richly deserving of the honour thev have won.

Early in October a gathering of parents and friends was held in the school grounds the occasion being the opening of the Summer Sports Season. Afternoon tea was dispensed by the teachers and pupils and advantage was taken of the occasion to make an appeal for donations towards the school Sports' Fund. As is indicated by ilie Sports' Fund Balance Sheet a good sum was subscribed with the result that ample material was provided, although owing to the epidemic, use was made of it only before the Christmas vacations. Ail donations were duly acknowledged through the local newspaper but i again extend my heartiest 'hanks to ail who so generously lesponded to the appeal made on behalf of this most important side of school life.

liie presentation of prizes and ei rtilicates won during the year look place at the school on Wednesday December ISt h IM2-1. As the wenllier was wet the function had to lie held in-doors but nevertheless there was a good muster' of parents.

In addition to the Bock Memorial Frizes awarded a- mentioned above two special prizes for Essay writing donated by Mr Jus. MeKnight. is ere awarded-' to Margaret Tver

Mill Vernon Momv. On Thursday IffeiniTher 19th tlif* Annual School Concert was held in the Town Hall which despite the boisterous and stormy night was packed 10 1 In 1 doors. The concerl was pronounced a success by all who at tended, Inn 1 have an unioin foi I aide feeling dial the standard of singing in the school is not a- high as it should he. With the object of making an endeavour to raise the standard

and of placing our school, and consequently community singing, on a higher plane. 1 propose to organize a School Choir during the coming year. Several members of the staff have promised assistance in this work which will be carried out alter school hours, and which we hope will bring about die desired re.vuli. All children with any aptitude at all from Std. 3 upwards u ill be encouraged to join up, but success can only be attained by regular practice and steady work. The epidemic of infantile paralysis which has raged through lhe 1 tomiiiioii fur the past few months i> going to have a deleterious effect upon the work during tlie coming yar, and an effort must he made io overtake the leeway. The long spell from the mental strain of school life has, i believe, had its benelieinl effect upon the children physically, so that they should return to their regular work lit and veil and able to stand up to a

rule extra- effort in order to overlake some of the lost time. 1 trust therefore that parents will heartily co-operaie with teachers by seeing that the extra home-work which will be set is done regularly and systematically. L believe, too, that the long enforced vacation with its assignments of work to be done at inline, lias bad the effect of bringing home to parents a better and fuller appreciation of the work of the teacher, and i am ooniidfcut that much good will result. As a result 01. the recent conference between your Committee and the Education Hoard's officials a big step forward was taken towards the establishment of a District High School in if ox ion aud February 11)2(1 should see our school raised to such a status. 1 need

..'il here stress the advantage that should accrue from the establishment of such a school, but 1 would like to say that its success will largely depend upon the environment we are able to provide and the personel of the teaching staff. Special work therefore awaits the incoming Committee in formulating a scheme for the raising of funds.

An extra building of two or three rooms will be required for the purpose of housing either the Infant Department or the Secondary classes. personally 1 favour the latter.

and f am confident that if the people of Foxton and its environs were appealed to, a large sum could be raised which offered to the Board would early result in a substantial structure being erected. T sincerely hope that the whole community will rise to the occasion and do its utmost for a worthy object.

An absolute necessity in tlt is town is a swimming bath. Swimmine is expected to be taught ill all schools hut the dangerous nature of the river locally absolutely precludes me from arranging for inslriieiii.il. 1 in most hopeful that the people of Foxton will see to it that before next summer is upon ns swimming baths will he erected.

The present arrangement of utilising a portion of the corridor for the purpose of accommodating two of the primer classes should should he condemned with no uncertain voice. This room, or at least cloak-room, which is made to de the service as a class-room is < old, d ratty and sunless and I feet that extra accommodation should be provided in the form of an additional! mom. On March 31st Miss Beard who served on the staff of this school for four years lett to take up ti position in the Eastern Huh School. 1 wish to place on record my appreciation of the good

ml earnest work done by Miss Heard in this town.

Three of oar young teachers Miss M. Admore, and Messrs 11. Burr and A. Fuller, left us at the end of the year to go into training at the Wellington Teachers’ Training College. We extend to them our Past wishes for their future welt'a re.

fK W'HAKAXCI SIDE SCHOOL.

This school which at the close nf the year had it roll number of -i-t has grown considerably since its inception but in common with all schools it has suffered from e\er changing teachers. In Mr i iiii.-.tiiffeison’s hands good work wa- done during the last quarter of

iu-i year, for he worked most assiduously to carry out his duties, fhe increasing numbers mean that two teachers will work at the Beach thi- year. At present, however, no permanent teacher is stationed there for both Mr Christoffersen and the recently appointed exira assistant have resigned. It is io he sincerely hoped that early appointments will tie made to till the vacancies and that parents in the district will do their utmost to assist the teachers by hearty cooperation with them in their efforts on behalf of the children. There are many other matters which 1 would like to have touched upon but 1 have already detained \on too long. Such matters as uniform school dress, school library, extra play area, improvements to ground and the headmaster's residence, and so on are all matters which 1 hope the incoming Committee will duly deliberate upon.

in conclusion then, 1 wish to ihank the Chairman and members of ihe out going Committee for iheir consideration! and efforts on behalf of the school, the parents and householders generally for iheir interest, the proprietor of the Alunawatn Herald for his generosilv in allowing the use of his columns for the publication! of matters pertaining to the school, and last but not least the members of ihe staff tor their loyal and hearty co-operation at all times.