SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING.

Shannon News, 6 July 1928, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING.

The usual monthly meeting of the Shannon School Committee was held in the schoolroom last evening. Present: Messrs A. E. Hyde (chairman), A. I • Hill (secretary), C. Hensman, W. Christian, A. Richards, A. Coates, T. lugley, G. Booker, A. T. White (headmaster). REQUEST FOR DONATION. A request was received from the teachers interested in the management of the Austin Banner Rugby competition for Horowhenua primary schools for financial help. Previously the expenses, chiefly transport, have been defrayed by the parents, teachers and the Rugby Council and Mr S. Austin, of Foxton. The letter stated that the teachers would be grateful if the Committee could see their wav to donate £1 Is. Mr White informed the. committee that where the cost of transport exceeded Is 6d for each boy, the balance had been made up. They had not Received the same financial support, as last year and the idea of raising subscriptions was to lessen the amount to be paid by the boys. The request was granted. 'PICTURE ENTERTAINMENT.

Mr White reported that the school fund, had benefited to the extent of £5 7s 9d as a result of the picture entertainment generously given by A. and E. Hyde. The firm were accorded a hearty Vote of thanks for their generosity. DENTAL CLINIC.

The chairman reported that, he and Mr Hi.ll had represented the committee on the deputation which met the Minister of Health at Levin in connection with the movement for a*- dental clinic for the Manawalu schools (a report of which lias appeared in the News). He stated that to be able to get a dental clinic in Shannon it would be necessary for the committee to find £9O. He suggested that a conference of school committees in the vicinity of Shannon should be held to go into the question of ways and means of raising this money. He understood Levin had the necessary money for the establishment of a clinic there. In April fiftee.fi to twenty nurses will have completed their training and quite likely if the Committee had everything in readiness one may be available for this district, who would visit each clinic. It was resolved that the chairman and as many committeemen as . possible representing the Shannon, Tokomaru, Makerua and Moutoa Schools meet at Shannon on July 19th, at 7.30 p.m. to go into the question of raising the money. RE-MODELLING SCHOOL.

The secretary was instructed to write to the Board thanking them for the plan showing the alterations and additions to the school buildings,_ and point out the advisability of widening the new entrance. VISITING COMMITTEE 'S ! REPORT. Mr Hill reported that he had visited; the school during the month*.. Ise had noticed that the basket ball ground was breaking up gradually and needed attention as soon as .the weather was suitable. The empty tar barrels on the grounds were unsightly and should be removed, also the hedge trimmings which had been thrown on the road should be gathered up and burned. The swings required immediate attention, one had worn through and was down and the bolt of another was worn. —It was decided to carry out Mr Hill's recommendations. HEADMASTER'S REPORT. The headmaster (Mr White) reported as follows:-—The trees have arrived for planting on Arbor Day, July 18th, and he would like to see as many members.preSent as possible. The average roll number §jnc3 the last period was 326, 321, £l2, 308, average for the quarter 325, roll number 330. He said the school roll number liacl been gradually going down for some time, which was an indications of the times we are passing through. The good atendance at the beginning of the quarter had kept the average up to 325, but to-day there was only 294, sinckness being the cause of a number being absent. He hoped that when the flaxmills commenced, there will be a few more families settle in the town. He was afraid that after the next quarter they may not be able to get tlieir average of 321, and would thus lose a teacher. A matter that concerned all is the amount of unemployment and he wondered if the committee could help to alleviate in this matter by authorising him to purchase exercise books for distribution in necessitous cases by making a donation from their fund or approaching the Board for a grant. The latter in the past had made a grant for text books, but not exercise books, which arc largely used. The chairman stated that many families were having a hard struggle and he thought that if they could manage to purchase, the books and hand them to Mr White for distribution at his own discretion, they should do so.

Mr White was instructed to purchase the books and distribute them as he thought fit. GENERAL.

Mr Christian drew attention to the danger to children falling from the ladders anl trapeze on to the concrete and on his recommendation it. was decided to cover the concrete with about six inches of sand and place a board round the outside and have the sand kept stirred up. For the vacancy on the Board caused by the retirement of Mr L. H. Atkins, the following nominations have been submitted to the committee: — Messrs W.M. Barlow, A. W. Hutchings, F. C. Meyfr.