SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 193, 8 May 1914, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Householders' Meetings and Elections. Some Further Reports. TUAKAU SOUTH. At the annual meeting of householders a large number of those in teie-tod attended.

The outgoing commi'tco gave a report of their stewardship and decided to seek re-election. The report for the year was exceptionally good and the finances were sound. Various improvements had been carried out or were under way. Mention was made of the proposil to establish a side school in the hall. The committee stated that it was aut of the committee's jurisdiction, but seeing the Board complained of shortage of teachers and lack of funds it could uot in any way recommend that ft side school should be established so close to the existing schools. Very favourable comment was made upon the school garden, which had secured the £'■') prize three times in succession, and all agreed that the headmaster, Mr W. Graham, deserved great praise. A corrugated iron fence is t<> be erected on the south side of the schoolground and more of the yard asphalted. To save funds the committee intended to organise a working bee. After hearing the report, Mr E C. Frost proposed, and Mr W. Booker seconded, that the old committee be nominated again. The chairman called for further nominations, but as there was none the old committee were therefore reelected without opposition. PUKEKOHE.

At Monday's meeting of householders,

Mr C. Roadley complained that although the committee had decided that he should be given half the stationery supplies he had received no intimation of the fii'.-t from the secretary, nor had that official even advised the headteacher.

The chairman (Mr Lawrie) said ho hud written to the headmaster on the matter.

Mr Perkins considered that parents should support the school picnic better. It was a case of the willing horse paying all the time and many parents never contributed a cent towards it.

The chairman considered it would be a great pity to drop the picnic and school concert.

Mr Patterson explained that last year the concert aud picnic camo together with the result that two appeals to the public for funds were made within a few days of each other. The children had collected £l4 for the picnic and the expenses were £lB, but the balance from the previous year more than made up the deticit.

Rev. F. B. Dobson suggested that horses should not bo allowed so near the playground. " I know it's not an easy thing to stop," he said," but I don't think its good for children to be playing about the horses."

Mr Perkins raised the issue of the High School. " The great interest taken in it is about killing, ' he remarked. The chairman stated that the attendance had dropped from 22 at the start of the year to about 12. If people did not take more practical interest they would certainly lose the school. Mr Perkins referred to the inadequate salary paid to the teacher. He believed that if they could get a male teacher the school would be better patronised. He did not wish his remarks to be taken as a reflection on the present teacher, but he thought parents preferred a male to a female teacher. He criticised the rural course and wanted to know why children should be taught to " weed carrots " and " plant potatoes " (which they could do at home) instead of boing taught arithmetic and other subjects. Mr Patterson considered one of the icasons of the failure was the lack of support from teachers of the surrounding schools. He believed the solution of the problem was in having a High School apart from the primary school. Mr Coster proposed, That it be a recommendation to the incoming committee that the syllabus be made more widely known and that the committee take steps to secuie more support from the parents. The Rev. Dobson, in seconding tho resolution, considered that " the powers that be" were paying too much attention to agriculture. Mr Cargill pointed out that a few years ago there was an outcry that secondary education in. the country was too classical: to-day " there was too much agriculture." He thought the root of the whole trouble was the indifference °f parents to the advantages of secondary edueation. The indifferent support accorded country high schools throughout tho Dominion was general and not restricted to Pukokohe. H" ,r f't ill'!'!"" r>nn|-]n. lo take • t'l-

nt T had \ et tH I'o suK t'll. Th» rc>oluiiuii \»,i-5 earned. Votes of tliAulcs to the <.iut-jjunip eoumiittee, il»" headmaster and •daO, aud tip- chairman toueluded ■11 uieetiug. PAPAKURA. At the annual meeting of househe Iders the attendance was poor, there being only fourteen present. The Rev. W. C. Wood occupied the chair. The reports of the secretary, treasurer and headmaster were lead and considered very salisfactory. The chairman referred to the improvements carried out during the year. The buildings have all been placed in a satisfactory condition and it will be the business uf the incoming committee to Bee that their supervision and upkeep be carefully attended to.

Eight names were submitted to tha meeting and the following were declared elected:—Rev. D. Madill, Mess's McLean, Andrews, J. Mill?, Arthur Richardson, Andrew Richardson and H. Geissler. Tbc Rev. D. Madill was appointed chairman and Mr Arthur Richardson secretary. A resolution of regret at losing the services of Mr S. Evans, the late secretary, was unanimously carried.

WAIUKU. The following report was presented at tho householders moeting: "In presenting this annual report your committee is pleasod to state that the work done by tho teachers of tho various schools under its supervision has been highly satisfactory. The inspectors' reports of tho five school!*, viz, Wtiiuku Central, Aka Aka, Kuriotahi, Waitanpi and Olenbrook, were verv giatifying Tho head teachers' reports on the work of the as.-istant* were also very pleasant. Tho nont appearance of the gardens at the Waitsngi school, supervised by Miss Black, has been commeutod on by the Board of Education in complimentary terms. The Wuiuku and "Waitangi schools have won several prizes at the Franklin A. and P. and Pukekohe Horticultural Society's shows for writing, needlework aud collection of grasses. Representatives of the Various schools have attended to theft duties well and the requirements of each school have received proper attention. The finances of the committee are in a satisfactory stato. Tho treasurer's report shows:—Receipts £BO lis 4d, expenditure £7B los .Id, leaving a balance in the bank of£7 los lid. In conclusion, the committee expressed appreciation of tho work teachers at the various the supervision of the comSHb/' PATUMAHOE. At the annual meeting of householders, held in tho Patumahoe hall, the chairman of tho Patumahoo School Committee (Mr J. B. Goldsworthy) submitted the following interesting report for the year ending April 30th, 191-1 "The average roll number for the four quarters ending 31st March was 78 aud the average attendance 6.5. The roll number for tho month of April, 1911, was 8(5 and the average 76. List week the '23 boys in the upper division made 228 attendances out of a possible 230. It will be t seen that the attendance is increasing and the school is overcrowded in consequence. Allowing the smallest space for each child tho school would accommodate 74 pupils. This would take up all tho floor space available and leave no extra space for teachers and furniture. The crowded state of tho school makes tho work of tho ;eachers difficult and tho children suffer in health because of the lack of sufficient air space. " The teachor's duelling has not yet been supplied with a bathroom and wash-house.

" The committee has carried out further improvemohts during the year, the most important being the clearing of ])ine logs, planting several chains of eleagnus hedge aud the supply of a good force pump and a hose for the school. " There were sivpiml excursions during the year. O.i Ist May, 1913, a very instructive and enjoyable visit was paid to H.M.S. New Zealand by the older pupils, under the supervision of the head teacher and the chairman and several members of the committee. " The teacher and the chairman also took a number of the pupils to visit the Auckland oxhibitiog, but the latter part if the evening was marred by heavy rain. "The most important local event was the turning of the first sod of the Waiuku railway by the Eight Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister. The school children were conveyed to Waiuku by Messrs Robinson, Cantelin and Henry, and had the honour of taking a very prominent part in the reception of the Premier. "In December, l'Jl.'i, fivo pupils attended the central examination held at the District High School, Pukekohe. Four were successful in gaining certificate* of proficiency and one competency. There were no failures. Those who obtained certiiicates of proficiency were Sydney Arvidson, Winnie Davy, Nellie Goldswortby and Ethel Slade; and competency, Elsie Keddie. " The senior division kept up the reputation of the school in connection with the agricultural instruction. The Patumahoe school won third prize in the Education Board's school garden competition. The school received two first prizes at the Pukekohe Horticultural Show in November and one first in April: also a prize for the map of New Zealand.

"Three first prizes were gained at the Auckland Summer Show, and two firsts and two siconds at the Franklin show. The champion certificate was also gained for most points in school classes attho Franklin show. The Tochnical Department selected a few specimens from schools of the Auckland district to make up an exhibit for the Auckland exhibition. Patumahoe was represented by a collodion of grasses, biushdrawiug and pupils' note books.

" The agricultural note books compiled by Nellie Goldsworthy at the school have been selected' for two years in succession to be passed round to the teachers of other public schools and high schools. ' The lower division of the school, with !0 pupils, has suLlercd gieatly through fre juout c hanges of assistants. In the rno.i-1. "f K-bmary the school had an assistant lor three days and for the remainder of tho month the head teacher was in sole charge with as many as 77 pupils presont. Justice could not bo dono to the pupils of either tho lower or upper division. The results are easily traced in the case of pupils up to Standard 3 and will still be evident as long as they remain at school.

"The hcadmast r r reports that the pupils are now making rapid progress under Miss K. Dacey, and the discipline and tnhaviour of the childicn was gcod. "Duriog the year the relations existing between the committee and the bead teacher have without exception been ot a moat agreeable character."

The balance-sheet showed a credit of £l7. Both tho report and balauce-sheet woro adopted aud considered satisfactory. The election of olficers for tho ensuing year resulted as follows : Messrs j. H Goldsworthy (chairman), C. K. Sheppnrd .secretary) ; committee, Messrs J. Henry, P. Henry, W. 0. Ploydell, 11. C. Hay, G. W. Woods and W. Howe.

1 I'OKENU. There was not a very large altend- ! anco ot householder!, but still those present took a lively interest in tho meuting. Mr C. Leathcam occupied the chair. Mr T. W. Bates, srcretHry of the school commit'cc, read the balance I sheet for the past year, which was adopt d. The statement showed receipts £42 10s 7d, expenditure £2l ICs 9d, leaving a credit balance of ! £2O 13a lOd.

The T Mowing were elected as the committee: Messrs C. Leatbeam, J. McTavish, T. W. Bate, K. (i. Abbotf, T. (i. Evison, S. J. I'. U'Leary and R. Mur.rj. Immediately after the hoi:seholdois' meeting a meeting cf the new committee whs hell, all the members except Mr S. O'Leary being present. Mr Leatheam was elected chairman anl Mr T. W. Hates secretary Uwinj to the late hour jiet the headnimter's report was read. Several important matters wece ht 11 over until the next meeting. Now chat we have a new committee it is to be hoped that they will liven thirgs up and do a bit of work about the school grounds. It is vn-y nice to have a credit balance at the end of the year, but it should be a good deal smaller than the present balance, as there ia plenty of ro-jin for Improvements about and around the school.

PUKEKOHE EAST. There was a largo number of householders present at tho annual meeting. Mr Robinson was called to the chair and at liis request Mr Latta gave a history of tho " striko" by the members of tho lato committee, this being the result of tho Board's refusal to appoint a rnalo head toachor, or failing that to advertise the position. Consequently, as a protest, the committee resigned. A discussion then ensued as to whether a committee should be formed, and it was decided that in the best interests of tho school a committee should be appointed. The following comprise the committee for tho ensuing year : Messrs T. Lutta (chflirman), T. Hamilton (secretary and treasurer), Mrs T. Latta, J. Olonie, M. Ballard, A. White and L. Johnston.

bUCKLAND. Messrs A. J. Melville (chairman), A. E. Ncal, G. H. Hill, J. McConacbie, J. Beating, J • Tocil, W. Murray. HUNUA. Messrs Thomas James Lockwood (chairman), Henry Barter (secretary and treasurer), Ernoit Augoatua McConnel, Jamca Bentley, William Simmins Pollock, George Lemuel Strain White, John Reid. DRURY. Messrs W. H. C. Glhsbuii (chairman), S. bidding (secretary and treasurer), J. D. Fyfe, J. Rugg, W. Thompson, T. H. Brooks and A. Robinson.