THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1915, Page 5

THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

PROGRESSIVE BUILDING SCHEME. BOYS' AND GIRLS' REQUIREMENTS. AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. A special meeting of the New Plymouth High Schools (Board was held last night to discuss the building soheme that has been before the Board for some time, and as the outcome a decision was arrived at that should be satisfactory to all, and should prove of great importance to the town and district. It was decided to proceed at once witli the erection of the Girls' school, ißoys' boarding house, and girls' 'boarding house. The difficulty of finance it is hoped to overcome by asking the public to take up debentures. There were present.. Messrs E. Dockrill (chairman), M. Eraser, F. W. Atkinson, D. Hutchen, 11. Trimble, J. S. Fox, A. McHardy, E. P. Webster, W. N. Ewing and Dr. Fookes. A deputation, consisting of Mesdames Johns, Mouteatli, Pott, J. Wilson and White waited on the Board and placed before its consideration the claims of the girls. Mrs. F. S. Johns, as spokes woman for the deputation, made a special appeal to the members of the Board to consider the girls. The mothers had not grudged the boys any of the concessions, but they felt that the girls were now entitled to a just share of the schools' endowments. Mrs. Johns said: "Tf when the new school is finished, the present boarding arrangements are allowed to continue, the boarders will have to lie taken to and fro from house to school four times a day, a distance of about four miles a day. This is most undesiraible for several reasons. The health of the girls, and more especially the discipline, would suffer, for it might not always be possible for a teacher to accompany them. No mother who lias the welfare of her daughter at heart would dream of applying for board under such conditions. It the Principal and staff of the girls' school are not considered in this matter, it will be impossible to keep them, as no teachers of any standing will work under such adverse circumstances. We do not want to lose Miss Hodges, for despite the unsatisfactory conditions she has done -wonderful work with the girls, inspiring them with a love of work and of the school, but if things are not altered her resignation will be sent in and will Be final." The chairman agreed with the speaker, but pointed out that the Board for the past two yearg had been endeavoring to get the Department to build the class rooms for the girls as they had done for the boys. It was the duty of the Department to provide class rooms, but thsy made the excuse that the war prevented Jijir jgg-

mises. The Board had to provide frotUfa ings for boarding establishments. He said that it would cost £16,000 to pre* vide the three Ouiidinga required, and. they had only £9500 available. The question was whether the girta' bo«&' ing school or girls' class rooms were the most urgent. Mr. W. N. Ewing stated that Mr. JL Mr. Street was prepared to lease the Board three and a-half acres adjoining the girls' school site, for a, team of five or seven years, at £OB per annum, With a purchasing clause at £I2OO, or would, sell it with a deposit of £l6O, the balance to remain at 5% per cent, Mr. Atkinson moved that the offer to lease for seven years be accepted. The present site would no doubt prove inadequate. If they did not accept the offer now they would regret it, and in forty or Afty years' time their grand-children' . would be pointed out as thofse whose forefathers had not known how to ttkq adanvtage of an opportunity. Mr. Ilutchen seconded the motion, Messrs Ewing, Webster and Fox strongly supported, pointing out that a saving could be made in the cost of foundation if the buildings were erected thereon. Mr. Eraser considered that it was * good proposition to secure thg lal»d if ■ they intended to build the girh' boarding house. If not, it would be folly, be* cause if the boarding house was not' erected now .it would never be built. The resolution was carried, but an endeavor will be made to have the lease '• extended. a Mr. W. H. Moyes wrote that he had * learned, through the medium of the (Press, that it was the wish of some ' members that he should live in a house v away from the school. While realising that this proposal had been made with 'i the best of intentions, lie would never", . theless state that he would not agree to such an arrangement. He submitted several reasons in support. He also > pointed out that even should' another house be taken the difficulties would in no way be overcome. There would still be no dining room, no laundry, no gtore rooms, no servant's quarters. He also < asked if the Board would instruct bin* as to what answer he was to forward to ; parents who wished to enter boys for next year. He had already written the parents asking them to postpone enter* ing their boys until definite arrange* ■ ments were made, and in all probability more would come to hand during the - next fortnight. Mr. D. Hutchen then moved that th< \ lowest tenders for the building of the girls' school and boys' and girls' board* ing houses in concrete be accepted, sub- - ject to such modification as the Board may consider to be advisable; that, for the purpose of providing tho necessary) funds, the public be invited to subscribe a sum of £BOOO, payment of which, with interest at 6 per cent., shall be secured by debentures lover the whole of the available property of the Board, the currency of the debentures to be for ten years, and to .tie reduced at the rate of, say, £250 per annum, and that an* money to be thereafter received from the Government on account of the g»rlr school be applied towards paymept oB the debentures. In 1 support he said that • if one of the boarding houses was t6 be discarded, he would vote for the erectiop of the girls' boarding house, which was an urgent necessity. Jit it was put off now they must abandon the idea of ft girls' boarding house for all time. The , ladies had given the strongest possible reasons in favor of its erection. He pointed out also that they had no assurance they could retain Indefinitely their present premises. When the Board first decided to erect a boarding school for the boys the house which was doing duty for the purpose was not fully taxed, whereas the girls' accommodation now was. The Board had borrowed, money to start tlifl boys. (The chairman: "We had £140,0 saved for the purpose.") He knew that the headmistress had refused applications from parents of daughters. The prospects of the girls' , school depended almost entirely on the ' support received front country people,, and to obtain ihis they must provide accommodation. The Board had passed a resolution previously agreeing to expend £3OOO on the boys' boarding establishment, and £3OOO on the girls' establishment. He asked why that had been disregarded. Regarding the esbenture scheme, he considered that the Board could give ample security without pledging their endowments. No doubt the members of the Board could subscribe to it. He put the proposal be-, fore people of means as a mode of investing capital. Mr. E. I*. Webster seconded. The ißoard must be progressive. If they did not build the girls' boarding house It would set the girls' school back. Quite a number of those who had been' writing to the'papers would now be given an opportunity of helping the school along. The two schools were a splendid asset to the town, and every business map should support the proposal. When they began to lose confidence In themselves, people began to lose confidence in them also. Mr. Trimble favored the scheme because the girls boarding house was es- ' sential. He doubted if the Board could give as high as 6 per cent, by law. ' Dr. Fookes considered all the buildings were necessary. For .many years the New Plymouth High School had received no support from the New Plymo/irn public, but rather the reverse,, Now was , the time for the public whose enthusiasm iiad been aroused to take a hand and , help them out of the financial bog. The Government apparently would not help, , so they must be determined to help themselves, ■ Mr. Fraser considered that they must either adopt the scheme and erect the three buildings, or else merely erect the girls' school out of the money available. Mr. W. N. Ewing opposed the proposal, as lie did not think the finances would stand it. He did not see how the girls' boarding house, which would only accommodate 24 girls, could be made to pay as suggested, and lie gave figures in support. The boys' boarding house calculated in the same way would give a profit of £l2O. He was astonished at the number of ladies who set him down as an obstruction. He had done what he thought best for the school. Mr. McHardy also opposed. He" could not see the necessity, for a girls' boarding house, aa more girls were leaving than there were new applications coming in. They should consider renting a building nearer the school. Mr. Ewing then moved, aa an amendment, that the Board build the girli* school and boys boarding house, the girW 'hoarding house to be left in abeyance, This could 'be built if they later obtained the £4OOO grant from the the Government. Mr. McHardy seoonded this. After further discussion the amend* ment was lost, and tbe wa4 carried, Messrs Swing and McHardy vofc ing against it. A committee consisting of the chair* man, Messrs (Fraser, McHardy, Atkiiuton, >; Webster and Hutchen was appointed taj ■ confer with the architect (Mr. tfeueiM ger) and the lowest tenderers in eacH ease, with a view to mf»>fVjns the -lir~ MAxttlusißft tbaaaifc