SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 85, 17 April 1913, Page 8

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

COMMITTEE’S ANNUAL REPORT. APRIL, 1913. The following is the annual report of tho Stratford School Committee to be presented at the annual meeting of householders, to be held in the school at 7 p.m. on .Monday, 28th April, 1913: At tho householders’ moating last year tho following committee was elected:' Messrs. J. W. Boon. S. Clark, T. C. Fookcs, E. Hancock, J. W. B. Jones, J. W. McMillan, P. Skoglund, G. Smart and A. Stewart.. Mr P. Skoglund was appointed chairman at the subsequent committee meeting. The Committee has remained" unchanged, and has held 14 meetings,,attendances being as follows:—-Boon 9 meetings, Skoglund 13, Clark 13, Fookes 12, Hancock 14, Jones 12, McMillan 10, Smart 14, Stewart 12. The Committea’s year of office lias been uneventful, but the school has continued to increase in numbers and has not fallen away in any respect from the high standard of efficiency that has marked its past. In fact, educationally, the school stands higher than ever, as evi drnced by the successes mentioned later on. The new school building has Droved commodious and convenient, but in one important respect has fallen short of expectations, in that the heating of tho class-rooms is quite inadequate. The’ Education Board hr.s tho matter under, consideration. Tho playing grounds have been much improved during tho year by grading and gravelling. They are, however, far too limited in extent, and I regret that the efforts of tho Committee to secure enlargement have not yet borne fruit. The shelter-shed hasbeen much improved by tho tarring anc sanding of tho floor, the fencing of tho Cloton Street frontage has beer renewed, tho trees that were obstructing the light of the infant school havf been converted into firewood (accounting for tho small cost of fuel for tin year), tho water-supply has been extended to tho glass-house and to the front of tho school, and improvement? have been carried out at the swimming baths. Tho income from the baths has increased, justifying the aptior of the Committee in raising the charge, for season tickets. The annual entertainment held prior to tho Xmat holidays was very successful, as wa: tho seaside picnic, held on tho JOtl January, at Fitzroy. The statement of receipts and expenditure shows a: excellent financial position awaiting tho new Committee, as, in addition tc the cash balance of £73 11s 7d, there is duo a Government subsidy of about £2O.

The average attendance at the school for the year 1912 was: Primar; Department 516, Secondary Depart merit 112; total, 628. The average number on the rolls of both depart meats for the year was 714. Cb the 31st March of current year then were on the school registers the name cf 72G children, and the average at tendance up to that date was 655 During the year the school was twice visited by the inspectors of the Edu cation Board, and reports subsequently received by the Committee from these gentlemen showed that good work walking dono in all departments. Tin Government Inspector of High School also recently visited the school, out tin report of his visit is not yet available The regulations of the Education Do partm.ent stipulate that before the staf of a school is added to, an increased at tendance sufficient to entitle the schoo to the additional teacher must have hoen maintained at the school for i year. The continuous increase in at tendance, year by year, at our school lias been such that, for- the last to; years, before one additional teac'he was appointed, ir.e school attenclanc had risen to tho number necessary fo a second one. Now, however, the at tendance seemr to bo remaining sta t ionary, and tho school is having .it first experience of working with i full-staff.

Ours is ono of tho few schools i the Dominion in which every pupil wh has been two years in tho Secondar; Department must sib for some publi examination; and the number of chil (Iren from tho school who, last year wore successful in passing tho exam inatioas set for Senior Free Places Civil Service, or Matriculation, is ; very pleasing proof of the general qua lifcy of our High School pupils’ work In competitive examinations tho pu pi is of tho school were as successfu as in past years—winning four junio and five senior scholarships. Beside: these one boy won the Bayly Memoria Scholarship, and another secured tin proud distinction of being the first bo; in a Taranaki school to win a University Scholarship in addition to seeming third place in Now Zealand at the junior civil service examinations. Your Committee wishes to place on record its thorough appreciation ot tho ability and industry displayed by the school staff, and congratulates tho headmaster and his colleagues on the excellent and encouraging results. P. SKOGLUND, Chairman. The following is an abstract of the school fund accounts for year ending 31st March, 1913:—•

Reosipts. £ s. d. To balance in Bunk an/ 1 , in hand on April Ist 1912 ... ... ... 49 14 2 Receipts front Education Board—(1) Grants for ordinary incidental purposes ... 109 0 0 (2) Grants for special purposes—• Levelling and gravelling play ground ... 29 7 6 Voluntary contributions—(l) For general purposes 50 19 1 I Receipts from other sources Departmental subsidy 11 19 19 Refund from parents. school stationery ... 04 lo 4

Refund from Board— Deposits ... ... 03 1 S ; Refund, various ... 10 0 Receipts from swimming baths ... 11 9 3 Defence Dept, for use of shed ... 16 18 0 Refund from Customs Dept, (duty on flag) 3 2 Total ... ... 383 15 4 Expenditure £ s. d. Meaning schools and outbuildings ... ••• 79 2 11 Fuel for school use ... 8 1 8 Repairs to buildings, fences, and furniture ... 10 15 II Expenditure of special grants from Board ... 29 7 G School Stationery ... 26 12 3 Bats, upkeep and caretaker 15 8 2 Grounds ... ... 38 11 3 Prizes ... ... ... 19 5 3 Expenses of Committee, viz.—Printing ... ... 13 0 Advertising ... ... H 3 Stationery ... ... 3 6 Secretary’s Salary ... 10 0 0 Stamps ... ... 119 0 Bank charges ... ... 12 0 Deposited with Board ... 63 1 8 Expenditure on other objects Electric light for classes ... ... I 12 10 Silver trowel (foundation stone) ... 2 0 0 Carting ... ... 9 6 School Post Office box 10 0 Sundry drapery ... 16 1 Balance ... ... 73 11 7 Total 383 15 4

PHILIP SKOGLUND, Chairman of School Committee.