TAUPO DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 56, 11 February 1953, Page 3

TAUPO DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

NEW EDUCATION BOARD As from February 1st. the Taupo District High iSehool comes under uhe jurisdiction of the new South Auckland Education Board with headquarters at Hamilton, instead of being under the Auckland Board as liitherto. No Board has as yet been elected but the work is being organised and carried on hy a Gommission, of which Mr P. L. Page is interim Sec^etary-Manager, ihaving been loaned hy the Hawkes Bay Education Board under which he occupies a similar position. Members for the new Board will be elected iater in the current year. Representafcion is based on the Ward System, and members for the various wards are elected by School Gomimittees. The setting up of the new Board ishould result in it being possible for the needs of the sehools in what was the south ern portion of the Auckland Board's area to be more fully understood and met. Staff of Secondary Dept. In view of recent increases in the Secondary roll, which now stands at 4-8, it seems likely that- this Department may shortly qualify for a third teacher. To achieve this the roll nurnber must reach 51 by March 1st. Any parents in the district who plan to send children to the High School should do their best to ensure that they enrol as soon as possible, not oHly to avoid their missing the first part of the term but to assist in inakfrvg up the extra three puplls req-uir-ed to secure another teacher. Excellent School Library. A Times representatiVe visiting the school this week was interested in the excellent library which has been established in the past twelve months. Commenced with a number of books already in hand, the Library is housed in a rooni which has been suitably fitted with shelving, and has been augmented during the past year by the purchase of 588 books. This was made possible by a donation of £100 from the Home & School Association on which a sub~ sidy of £100 was received from, the Education Board. A further donation of £25 has this year been received from the Home & School Association, also carrying a £ for £ subsidy, and this £50 has also been expended on new books. The Library is run as a lending library, being open at regular hours so that children may choose books. Mr J. C. Kellett, of the school staff, is in full charge of the Library and trains a mim-ber of children as Librar ians. The object ref lects great credit on Mr Kellett, entailing as it must do a considerable amount of extra work, Loose covers are provided for al.l books taken out, and these bear the name of the school. Their cost was defrayed by advertising provided by local business firms. AH children spdnd a half hour reading period per tortiught in the library, and it has been noted that this practice has led to a number becoming book borrow--ers who had not previously evinced interest in reading. It would: be diiEcult to exaggerate the value of the Library as a contribution to the merita 1 development of the children.

Tar Sealing in Grounds. An improvement in the conditions of the school grounds is being effected by the tar sealing of the assembly area and of the approaches to it. This has been made possible by a grant from the Education Board to defray the cost, and the work is being done by the Town Board staff. Names of (School Staff. The school staff is as follows Headmaster, Mr J. R. Osborne, M.B.E., B.A. Secondary Department, Mr J. K. Bogue, Senior Secondary Assistant; and Mr R. P. Hoggard, B.Sc., Mathematics and Science olasses. Primary Department, Mr W. Ogston, Mr J. C. Kellett, Mr T. W. Curham, Mrs M. J. Stewart, Miss R. H. Walters. Infant Departfiient, Mrs Salt, Infant Mistress, and Misses J, Denise and M. Beale.