BIRKENHEAD NEWS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 456, 11 September 1928, Page 2

BIRKENHEAD NEWS

The Birkenhead School Committee held its monthly meeting last evening, Mr. J. McDonald presiding. Mr. A. G. Menzies, headmaster, reported that the school staff had agreed to hold a concert early in October to help to raise funds for the completion of the playing area. The roll number had increased by SI, now standing at 362, the average attendance for being 301, an increase of 17. Owing to epidemics during the' quarter, the average would fall below the average on which the school is staged at present, so that it would be necessary to apply for exemption on this quarter’s figures, as the number affected had been considerably over 10 per cent. A letter was received from Mr. E. C. Purdie, secretary of the Education Board, stating that, consequent upon the additional Government grant having been continued, the board had resolved to increase the allowance for incidental expenses 5 pr cent, for the year 1928. The increased allowance and arrears would be placed to the credit of the school fund account on October 31, with tlie grant for the December quarter. After discussion, it was decided to write to the Education Board drawing its notice to the increasing prevalence of the use by the Daily Press of the American spelling of words. The chairman, who brought the matter up, stated it might do in magazines, but he objected to its being used in the papers, as it was really slang. One word he had noticed repeatedly spelt the American way was. the word honour, generally spelt now honor; this was only one of many in which the u was being left out. In reference to public functions having been held to raise funds for the schools recently without the committee’s consent, it was resolved that in future the sanction, of the committee must first be obtained.