CENTRAL SCHOOL REPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 107, 27 April 1908, Page 2

CENTRAL SCHOOL REPORT.

The annual report to he presented toni«ht at the annual meeting of householders in the Central School district, states that at Ist April. 11107, the number of children on the roll was .")48, and on the 31st Jlarch of this year it stood at o-13. From the beginning »t U"' school vear a marked improvement became noticeable in the attendance, which in May rose to !>2 per cent of the number on the registers and' ivas 'l2 and hi in the months of June and July respectively. In August, the schools, in common with nearly all others in the Tarnnaki district and elsewhere throughout the Dominion, were seriously all'ccted by outbreaks of 'influenza, whooping cough, measles, and some eases of scarlctiua. The attendance continued to be poor until the lime came for closing for the summer holidays. The percentage of attendance was SI) and 1)2 for February and March, and it was hoped that the coming year, would show further improvement. The conduct ot the children was,, on the whole, excellent, and it was felt that the greater number of the children took pride in maintaining a high .standard of beliavour. The headmaster had occasion to expel one of the senior boys for gross misconduct, and a contaminating influence was thus removed. During the year the Central School suH'ered some inconvenience, and the work was to some extent disorganised by several changes in tin- t earning stall'. The two companies of cadets were now under the command of Captains Mcllroy and Davidson respectively, and had proved themselves proficient both on the parade ground and at the butts. The school team won the cup presented by the Now Zealand Kille Association for competition by the. several companies of the Taranaki" battalion. Miniature rifle shooting has been very popular, and much practice took place at the ranges erected in the gymnasium and in Lilydale. Many of the boys gave promise of becoming good marksmen, awl the training thus obtained cannot fail to prove valuable.

Swimming had been the subject of much planning and consideration, and it was hoped that before next summer the schools would have a bathing place m the Kccrcation Grounds which would" afford facilities for all the children to Jeiiii-u to swim under absolutely safe and wholesome conditions. After much thought and discussion the committee iiml headmaster w me lo the conclusion that, in view of the phenomenal sickness prevailing in the homes of so many ot the children and affecting the attendance ol even Hie healthy ones, it would lie better not to award prizes as in past years. It «-a.s decided to apply tuc prize money to giving a school pic-nic to Hie whole ol the pupils, and this was accordingly held in the Recreation .rounds in February, it would be seen by the accounts that the ordinary income of the committee barely sufficed, tow tor the cleaning of the schools, .nd that lor any further expenditure it as neessary to raise money from s ome o er course than capitation. The committee was assured that such special cl'oHs would always me et with Ui !ra - represents and the ready aid of the -toaster and teachers.' The con,,'!k owjedge many kindnesses fro/tl* '• 'lie. 11m Hoard of Education a ixxly more frequently eritieised tha„ had out of limited means, Itt in the uinmnttec in connect on with th„ i... Mufti",,,. ew , ■•"'■pitheiK.. Both the local '!•,.[: I'/ iWSISt,,,, ,lle "'""'"""eo not 1 " ,1 ll Lout, but not Ju.sl, the committee would evbreos appreciation of the earnestness 7t Mi. Dcmpsey and his colleagues \Ls X aur, . n S, W-WW h*l I'cen h « nte -ry ad 1