SHANNON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Shannon News, 16 June 1925, Page 3

SHANNON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

THE MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting erf the Shannon School Committee was held in tiie schoolroom on Thursday evening Present: Messrs. Tippler (chairman), Gustofsen, Phillips, Brown, Roberts, Blackwood, Burns, Brann 'and Watkins (secretary). DENTAL ASSOCIATION. The Rev. J. D. McArthur and Mr H. G. Kerslake, representing the Horuwhienua .District Dental Association, waited on the. meeting for the purpose of placing.before the members particulars of a scheme which would permit of children receiving treatment .Qf their teeth at a nominal fee by a qualified. dentist. Mr McArthur thanked the Committee for the opportunity afforded them to explain the position and in doing so he asked for their sympathy and co-operation, as. he .said there had been a certain amount of misunderstanding of the question. A dental conference had already been held, but the representation nad been very meagre and as it had been decided to hold another conference at an early date they wished to know if Shannon delegates would attend. The idea was that every child, who. attended school, should have , their teeth treated <by a dental officer at a fee of £\ per annum, so long as a Child was attended by a qualified dentist, who would be responsible ■or the good condition of the child's uvth. a. regular visit would be made to each school and if necessary ihe child could visit the surgery. If 1000 children could be secured in the district Mr Mackenzie, the. originator of the scheme, would engage a highly qualified officer for the work. The district proposed would extend from Tokomaru to Paekakariki and would include Foxton, and witty this idea in view they asked that Shannon send delegates to the conning conference to consider the scheme. In reply to a question, he said there would be no limit to the number of children from any family. Mr Kerslake said the scheme. | which had been running in Levin for the past four, years, was organised by Mr Mackenzie, who was carrying it ont in a public spirited manner." His idea was to get the young children's teeth attended to before they became decayed, which also meant that they would grow up without fear of the dentist. Every child under nine years of age was eligible, but over' this age the child's teeth, if they required attention, would be put 'in order before they came into the scheme. The treatment was not temporary ■but of a permanent nature. In Levin 26Q children were on the register and they had been very greatly bene- I fitted by it. The children's teeth were x j examined three times a year. The scheme had the approval of the Di- ' rector of Dental Hygiene of the •« Health Department.

' After the speakers had answered several questions they were thanked for explaining the scheme. Later the committee appointed the chairman and one committeeman to attend the conference at Levin on a date which is to be arranged. CORRESPO NDEIN CE. Correspondence was received from the Levin and \ Otaki School Committees in reply to a request from the committee as to what fees they were paying the respective councils for water supplied to the schools. At Levin a fee of £5 is paid for a supply of drinking water for 700 children, this being paid by'the Wellington Education Board, while at Otaki the water supplied for drinking is free.—Messrs Tippler, Burns and Blackwood were appointed a deputation to wait On the Borough Council at its next meeting and ask for a reduction in the water rate and to point out what other Councils are charging. Advice was received from the State Forest Department that 100

trees had been granted to the school ior Arbor Day. me Jiuucauqn Bvard wrote stating mat sujjs.iuies wouad ne gran tea uii voluntary contributions towards aie purcnase of. graniaphones ior uie seiiooi ana that tlie grant was ior certain makes, a list oi which was torwarded.—As those listed were imported machines Mr Burns recommended falling in with otuer uomuwttees 10 support I\ovv Zealand niaue gramophones in. preference to imported ones, it was resolved thai die Committee favour the Board putting a maenme m of Dominion inuKe. VISITING COMMITTEE,.

The chairman and o.vir Blackwood, I die visiting committee, reported thai the small room ln'tne main.'building was overcrowded. 'The room, winch is nearly 40 years old, is. m a leaky condition and worm-eaten, and me ventilation is nad and it did not compare favourably with the rest oi die ouilding. They recommended thai the Cqniniittee should agitate to have the room rebuilt. Tne school and its surroundings were clean. \ The heaunmster Vs hite) recommended that on, wet days the school swings should be put out of action owing to it being nnposiJjie to keep the children off them. By doing tuts 11ley might save the children from serious ailments in the future. He -suggested that a light chain and padlock be obtained.—Agreed to. SUBSIDIES. Mr Blackwood said the committee appointed had gone into the finances oi the school. In respect to the question of subsidies due, these had oeen applied for, but nothing had been received and if. something was not received the financial position would not be too good. If they come to hand they would be in a happy position. A letter should be written'to .vir Britain, who supplied the playing apparatus, re the subsidy of £vß due to him, asking what has. been done. The Committee urged that another effort be made to receive the subsidy and that for future guidance applications for subsidies be made before any work is. started. Mso, that a list of items on which a subsidy is required be forwarded to the Board and if they are not successful a deputation wait on the Board.

ihe chairman said £lßl lis Id had been spent and they should receive half this amount 'back, this including £7B for playing apparatus. '. Members also expressed dissatisfaction in the delay by the Board in forwarding a reply re the request for a subsidy on the library. It was decided on the motion of Mr Blackwood, seconded by the chairman: "That the secretary prepare a statement of all amounts for which subsidies are due from IU*J4 and forward same to the Board and if the reply is not satisfactory a deputation wait on the Board." GENERAL. The chairman reported that the ladies were holding a shop day on Saturday, June 20th, to raise funds to purchase a piano for the school and he asked the committee to assist them. Mr J. V. Burns was thanked for his donation of a large "Teddy Bear" for a competition. The proceeds will be in aid of the piano fund. Mr Whyte .reported that his picture apparatus had arrived and he hoped to be able at an early date to •give a demonstration, when he will also lecture on the pictures.

The chairman moved that a letter be written to the Borough Council asking them to put the approach to ihe school in order.—Agreed to. Tlie secretary was authorised \o purchase a bag to keep his books in, also stationery. The chairman suggested that arrangements be made for the senior pupils to visit the Power House for educational purposes, as he believed quite a number had not been through it.' Mr Blackwood said if he was notified what day they would make

the visit he would arrange for his staff to. give them a thorough explanation of the working of the schenfe. He said already a number of children from outside schools had visited the works.—Left to the headmaster to arrange a day. It was decided that tenders be called for digging and the erection of a small fence. Mr Gustofsen said that a resolution had been passed that, in lieu of the | picnic abandoned owing to the epi- . demic, a picnic be held in the Recreation Ground and lie asked if it was |to be gone on with. Owing /to the unsettled state of the weather it was decided to treat the children to a. .luncheon on Arbor Day in lieu of holding a picnic. A special meeting is to be called to make the necessary arrangements.