SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 204, 26 February 1914, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

At Tuesday's meeting of the Strutford District High School Committee, there were present: Messrs. I'. Skogluid '(chairman), J. McMillan, E. Jackson, J. W. 13. Jones, E. W. Hancock, George Smart, and j. Staples.

Mr T, C. Fookes was granted leave of absence for the remaining meetings of the year, which ends in April, and the secretary was instructed to convey to Mr Fookes the committee's best wishes for a pleasant and beneficial tour. It was decided to close the school, subject to the headmaster's approval, from noon on March 12, for the Fire Brigade Carnival. A vote of thanks was accorded the Stratford Fanners' Co-operative Association for donation of milk for the annual school picnic.

The Visiting Committee reported the grounds were in good order. Moro space was urgently needed for children' to hang their cloaks and hats. The room now being used was required for fallingin, and for riving infant children their lessons. The committee recommended that the Board be approached with a view of having, a lean-to put on to the infant class-room. This could be used for hand basins and cloak and hat room. The concrete floor of the infants' room required repairing, as it was breaking away in a number of places. The ground outside the. infants' class-room had 1 worn away. The caretaker had reported that the Territorials wore using the school grounds for cycling races, and they had ignored his remonstrances. The committee suggested that the committee should make an effort to persuade the Minister for Education to visit the school during his visit to Taranaki.

The secretary reported that the Railway Department had not yet paid over the commission due to the "committee in connection with the niciiic, and he had not yet paid all the amounts in consequence.

Ths chairman and Mr McMillan were appointed n committee to arrange for a deputation to the Minister for Education, urging on him the necessity for moving the headmaster's house in order to give extra playground accommodation.

The Board will be asked to provide the porch accommodation required, and to floor and seat the concrete-floored cloak-room, which, owing to the overcrowded sttae of the school, has frequently to be used as a class-room. An estimate will be obtained of the cost of re-asphalting the courtyard, and grading and asphalting another portion. Tenders wil] be obtained for the work. The chairman undertook to see the Defence. Department officer with regard to the complaint re cycling. It was pointed out that the children verc forbidden to bring bicvcles into the grounds.