PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 97, 25 August 1915, Page 3

PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL.

THE MATTER OF A SITE. At. last; night’s meeting of tlie Stratford School Committee .Mr Skoglmul (chairman), reporting on liis recent visit to Wellington regarding the establishment of a High School at Stratford, said that he went south on Thursday, 'August I.2th, but the Minister of balneation was not in town and he waited till Saturday in hopes of seeing him, but lie had to come hack disappointed. Mr Skoglnnd said a very inopportune time had been selected, as during his visit final arrangements in connection with the Coalition Cabinet were being arranged and the new Minister, Mr Hanan, did not take office until Monday, August 10. Mr Masters, representative of the Education Hoard, who accompanied Mr Skoglnnd. said the Minister admitted he was not conversant with the . commitments and the financial position of his Department, and therefore he could not give a straight out grant. As far as the Act relating to the establishment of high schools was concerned. Stratford was in a

very strong position, as it states that t,hirty-live pupils were needed before u school could be opened, but there were about one hundred aud fifty students at the Stratford District High School at the present time, and he thought that if the college was opened two hundred pupils would be forthcoming. ,The Education Board and the School Committee ought to work together to select a fair area of ground. The coming .subject at the schools was agriculture, and the land was needed for, that purpose. The ‘Minister was very keen aud he thought that about 20 acres would he required. Mr Masters expressed the opinion that the School Committee ought to ask the Minister to visit Stratford, as he (the Minister) had practically suggested it himself. The speaker said that while with the Minister he brought up matters of general educational value to Taranaki, and if the committee could get Mr Hanan to visit Stratford he would most likely make a grant for the land. In concluding Mr Masters said he was going to move at the next meeting of the Education Board that Mr Hanan be invited to come up to Taranaki to discuss matters of educational interest. It was decided to write to the Minister of Education asking him to visit Stratford mnd inspect the sites under observation. Mr McMillan said the time was inopportune to ask the Minister to visit Stratford before a site had been selected.

Mr F. J. McDonald said that a subcommittee ought to be elected to

select a site. Mr Masters said that other towns in Taranaki were moving in the matter of the establishment of Higli Schools and the one which got in earliest would most likely receive the first grant. Mr Ward agreed with Mr McMillan and remarked that the Committee ought to get things ready before'the Minister arrived.

Mr Skoglnnd said there were only a few sites of 20 acres in the Borough, and it would he an easy matter to get particulars of them, “It / means money,” ho said, “and ( we should get

in early.” Mr McMill an said the Committee would like to know of any site availaide.

Mr Ward said the best site should he selected, as the ground purchased was not for use for to-day or to-rnorrow, but for all time. On Mr Fookes motion, it was decided to elect a sub-committee consisting of Messrs Skoglnnd, F. J. McDonald, McMillan, Fookes, and R. Masters (representative of the Education Board), to inspect the sites and report to a special meeting of the Committee to be called at an early date. Mr Fookes: Is it imperative to have 20 acres ? Mr Masters: No. Fifteen or twenty acres would do. The recommending to the Minister of several sites under observation was discussed, and members pointed out the faults attached to the sections. After some discussion it was decided to insert an advertisement in the newspaper applying for suitable sections of 10 to 20 acres situated in the Borough for the site for the proposed school. A motion of thanks was passed to Mr Masters for attending the meeting and reporting on. li is visit to Wellington and also for his offer to convey the members of the Committee to the different sites in his motor car.