SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 72, 20 March 1912, Page 4

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

MONTHLY MEETING. \ The ordinarv monthly meeting of' the Stratford School Committee was held last night. Present: Messrs. C. D. Sole (in the chair), G. Smart, A. Stewart, J. W. McMillan, and S. Clark. Headmaster’s Report. The Headmaster reported that on Friday last there were on the registers the names of 738 children. The average attendance for the current year up to that date was 683. “We have been allowed possession of, and are non- working in, two of the rooms of the new building. During the month our work has been interrupted by the absence through illness of two responsible teachersMessrs Dyson and Morgan. Mr Dyson was absent from the sth to the 11th and Mr Morgan has been absent since the 6th, and will not be able to return for some weeks. On Thursday, the 14th, Mrs. Geddes arrived to carry on temporarily the work of Mr. Morgan’s classes. Mrs. Geddes’ ability in school work is so well known in tills district that I need hardly point out what a fortunate arrangement this is. The: constant danger to little children of the railway crossing at Fenton Street is well known to the members of the committee. The : whole of the children on the south side of the fiver—there are 311 of them— • cross the line here at or about 9 in the morning, and again about 3 in the afternodn, when the train service is ■ very busy and shunting up and down the street is often going on. It has occurred to me that, if you laid the 1 matter before the Borough Council ■ that body might arrange to construct ■ • 1 a footbridge over The river ■ opposite 1 the school—isay oh l Orlando Streets; aild.iif this were'done,' the danger toi the little ones’ l lives could be really minimised/”i v iufi ks .i'v - ■ ;It was decided-that im the matter 1 ' of the i railway crossing'the conirnit- u tco Write To'the through l •Council. '' u .

Visiting Gbmnrltiee’s Report. On behalf of the Visiting Committee. the Chairman reported that they had >vritteni.to ,the,;Board requesting them to arrange to put the grounds in order, asidng the Chairman to leave the matter with the two local members. Messrs. Masters and Itog'eys.. A considerable amount of work w.puld qe necessary. The.resignation! ' of Miss Butler. .M.A., had been i sent ( q '.to ■, the. Boi.ird.-i-;Air, .Morgan; was still i jaway ,pn ; sick leaye.andjMrs. Geddeg. laid been appointed, to relieve.; With.:, regard to the new school, they .com,j sidered, that the Board officials had been very remiss in not having the new desks completed earlier. Three ->;• standards have been trying to carry oil work under very adverse: circumr stances, and the fault lay entirely ■ with the Education Board. They recommended that the new school be opened on April 11th, with a conversazione, progressive euchre party, and dance, the charges to be is to euchre party and concert aul Is extra for gentlemen for the dance. The report was adopted, and it was decided that application be made to the Board for sufficient split posts and wire for the fencing of the grounds, and particularly the horse paddock, and that the trees' at the back of the infant school be removed, and that the school be opened according to the scheme of the report. Messrs. Sole, Clark, Smart, Stewart, and McMillan were appointed a sub-committee to arrange for theopening. The Seaside Picnic. The Chairman reported re the misunderstanding over the railway arrangements for the annual seaside picnic. Ho had interviewed Mr. Armstrong, the traffic manager, who had promised that there would be no hitch next year. This was considered satisfactory. ' ,*■ I Genera!. Correspondence was received from the secretary of the Taranaki Education Board informing the committee thattheir letter with regard to the appointment of an assistant teacher had been referred to the Inspector to report and that tb.e Board had granted the cost of the tar for the asphalting of the shelter-sheds. It was decided that the work entailed in the latter, he proceeded with. Messrs. Smart and McMillan were appointed a visiting committee for the current month.