STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 33, 10 February 1915, Page 7

STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL.

PROPOSAL FOR DISESTABLISHMENT.

With the progress and growth ot Stratford and district, educational affairs have moved in sympathy, and residents arc now face to luce with a question which is vitally important to all. Every man, woman and child the latter most particularly, as of course the welfare of his or her future is indelibly wrapt up in education—these will hna m the Headmaster’s Report which was presented to the 'School Committee last evening a suggestion worthy of tneir best consideration and most energetic efforts to-

wards realisation. This is no less than j the disestablishment of the High I School, which means the erection of a| building suitable for the purpose and 1 worthy of the high attainments tiiat j uive been so prominently associated with Stratford’s educational instituion for many years. The mention of .uch a project will, assuredly, meet with the approval and support of the district as a whole, the first stop towards which must, of course, be the holding of a public meeting, when the question of site -and structure will he discussed. -Members of the School Committee last night recognised the importance of the matter, and immediately set about taking the initiative by netting up a sub-committce to arrange preliminaries. Mr Tyrer wrote as follows: —I have to report a considerable increase in the number of children attending our school. We have now in the primary department 592 children, in the secondary 163 children—in all 755. The school now is really too big, and in my opinion the time has come when our present... District High School should be disestablished, and a High School .•rected in the town to take its place. l recommend the committee to take steps to have this change brought about, and make the recommendation, now, with some pleasure, ns owing to he liberal provisions of the Education Act passed last year, the salaries of iur assistant teachers in the primary ichool will not, in any way, be affect'd by the separation of the two schools. In fact, my own is the only salary that will be decreased by the change. I suggest that yon appoint a sub-committee to deal at once with the question of a “site” for a new school; and that, when the request to have i High School established at Stratford is forwarded to the Education Board, i definite scheme outlining the committee’s wishes shall accompany the implication. The Chairman (Mr P. Skoglnno), speaking to the report, said the time iad arrived when Stratford should lave a separate High School. There was one place, and the only one, where he building should lie erected, and that was on the vacant section between Miranda and Portia Streets, near the saleyards. The land, he understood, was under the jurisdiction of the Do main Board, and arrangements might to made for an exchange for an Education Board property. Details in tins connection would bo considered at future meetings, and the public sympathy would, naturally, be enlisted at the first opportunity. Members in a general way agreed with the Chairman, and it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Lawson, seconded by Mr Jackson, that a subcommittee, consisting of Messrs Skoglund, Smart and McMillan, be set up to consider the question of site, etc.