HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 241, 17 February 1911, Page 8

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth High School Board of Governors was held on Wednesday afternoon, when there were present: Messrs. N. K. MacDiarmid (chairman), S. Percy Smith, M. Fraser, A. H. Glasgow, and J. E. Wilson. The secretary reported that the Government had re-appointed Dr. Fooke* and Messrs. M. Fraser and E. Dookrill members of the Board.

The chairman was appointed to represent; the Board on the Technical School advisory committee.

The Board deferred consideration ol the salaries of the members of the school staff until after the inspector's report on the school was received. PRINCIPAL'S REPORT.

The principal of the school (Mr. E. Pridham) reported that the first term for the new year opened on January 31. There were on the roll 130 pupils—--72 from last year and 58 new ones. Of the new pupils, 19 came from the Central School, 19 from West End, 4 from Fitzroy, 3 from Omata, and 1 from each of the following: Tarurutangi, Dudley Road, Lower Kent Road, Waihi, Convent, Franklcy Road, Waitara, Raupuha, Feilding, Korito, Opunake and Lcpperton. The results of last year's examination were: One Taranaki scholarship (worth £u'o per annum for three, possibly four years); seven matriculation, including solicitors' general, medical preliminary, and engineering preliminary; eight Civil Service (two in the credit list); five Education Board senior scholarships; four others qualified for Education Board senior scholarships; twentyfive senior free places; six qauiified for junior Education Board scholarships (scholarships not open to the school); four others gained junior free places in scholarship papers; one Bayly Memorial scholarship (won by A Bacon). The agricultural course had commenced work with twelve members. CRITICISM OF THE SCHOOL.

| In reply to a letter from the Board I asking that an inspection of the school should be made in view of recent critiIcisms, the Education Department I gretted that at present it had no officer of suitable status available foi such an inspection, but it would enj deavor to have an inspection such as I was requested carried out later. I After this letter had been read the , chairman stated that he had obtained i and read the reports of the special inspectors who had visited the school since 1085. These reports were highly complimentary. | Mr. Wilson said that as far as he could gauge public feeling, the comI plaint was not that the work done in the school was not well done, but that it was not quite high enough, that the standard sought to be attained was too low. Mr. Eraser thought this was due to the modern "cram" system. Higher standards could not be attained with cramming. It must be remembered, also that the children did not attend the school long enough for a higher standard to be reached. The chairman replied that undoubtedly the school life was too short here for the pupils to attain the standard that mieht be desired. Ag.in, the school was not large enough or wealthy enough to specialise as was done in larger places where there were special masters for dillercnt subjects, and where the school life was longer. I n this school, the average duration of the pupils' stay at the school was only about two years