The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1913. STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 93, 26 April 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1913. STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL.

In these highly competitive days, it is generaly admitted that education holds a foremost place, and the part that Aew Zealand has played in maintaining a free and compulsory system has placed her in the van in the march with countries considerably older than herself. The prominence which is being given to the question of religious instruction in State Schools is only another instance of the interest displayed by the Dominion as a whole in the welfare of her children. As far as this district is concerned, therefore, it would seem hardly necessary to remind parents and guardians of the meetings of householders in the various schools on Monday evening for flic purpose of electing new school committees. It will, then, not be out of place, in view of these elections, to deal more particularly with the local High School, and to compliment the retiring Committee on the splendid showing of the year’s work. It must, indeed, be pleasing to the chairman (Mr P. Skoglund) and his fellow-com-mitteemen to be in a position to submit such a favorable report as was published last week, and the thanks of thou.community will surely • take second place to the feeling they must have that they have done their utmost im the interests of the school. While there arc other and more important considerations than the building up of a substantial cash balance, the

sum of £9O odd with which the new committee will start the year’s operations shows that they have not neglected their material duties. When it is remembered that the credit balance has been increased by about £lO, it will be seen that they have accomplished exceptional finance. The improvements to the ground and appurtenances thereto reflect infinite credit upon them, embracing as they do the grading and gravelling of the school surroundings and the extension of the water supply, as well as improvements to the swimming baths on their additional property. In the matter of the annual entertainment, for the success of which*- the teachers are primarily responsible, very high commendation is due, while the management of

the annual picnic, which this year was held at the East End beach, was supported in a manner which goes to prove that parents and guardians have every confidence in their representatives. A matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the committee is the control of the baths, and although the report maintained that their action in raising the charge for season tickets had been justified in the increased income, it is an open question whether more could not be done to popularise this important by- j genic adjunct to the school. This! question, along with that concerning I an improvement in the heating apparatus of the school—which, by the way, we are pleased to notice has recently been taken up by the Board—is one that the new committee will reasonably have to deal with. The most remarkable feature of the report, however, has reference to the high standard of education to which the school has attained, as evidenced by the success of its pupils who sat for ■ tlie senior Free Places, Civil Service and Matriculation examinations, and that the average quality of the pupils’ work is also a high one is generally recognised and admitted throughout Taranaki. For this, of course, much praise is due to Mr Tyrer, and with him the staff deserve parents’ heartiest congratulations. Under such favorable conditions there can be no doubt that the prospects of the school for the ensuing twelve months have not been brighter. The new Committee, howewer, have an additional duty to perform ; that is to maintain the high standard of the past. Householders will be well advised, therefore, to be present in force on Monday evening and select the very best material offering for the personnel of the now committee.