MASTERTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8981, 15 November 1907, Page 6

MASTERTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

MONTHLY MEETING. I The monthly meeting of the Masterton School Committee was held, last evening, and was attended by Messrs R. Brown (chairman), W. A. Fendall, J. Carpenter, H. H. Cork, H. O'Leary, E. H. Waddington, C. Perry, and Rev. J. N. Buttle. The treasurer reported a credit balance of £56 Os lid. It was decided to refer to the headmaster the matter of making formal application to the Education Board for the establishment of advanced sewing and dressmaking classes at the school. Mr D. Dob.son, C.E., submitted a plan for grading, asphalting, and draining the school playground, and estimated the cost of the work at £315. The committee decided to proceed with the draining of the storm water at once, and instructed the visiting members to attend to the matter of grading the ground preparatory to the asphalting work. A report was received from the Inspector of Schools on his recent visit to the Masterton District High School, in which he described the organisation of the school as splen- ! did. The committee decided to place on record its appreciation of the excellent results disclosed in the report and the capabilities of the teaching staff. The Inspector also reported that ovrecrowding of pupils was apparent in one of the class rooms.

The committee instructed the visiting members to enquire into the matter, and see what could be done. The question of making another entrance to the school grounds to relieve the congestion on the present exits after the dismissal of the classes, was also reterred to the visiting members to report upon. Messrs Brown, Carpenter and Rev. Buttle were appointed visiting members for the month.

The headmaster reported as follows —Attendance Main School —Roll, 594; average attendance, 496; percentage of attendance, 84. Side School—Roll, 197; average attendane, 167; percentage of attendance, 84. Secondary Classes—Roll, 97; average attendance, 90; percentage of attendance, 93. Measles and influenza have caused a decrease in the attendance during the last few weeks. The epidemic appears to be now on the wane, and the attendance is improving. Every care is being taken in connection with the. cleaning and disinfecting of the class rooms. An additional assistant mistress is being added to the staff, in accordance with the provisions of the scale of staffs regulations. The school has become entitled to this increase of staff mainly through the excellent average attendance, which has been over 92 per cent, of the roll number for the past three quarters. The cookery classes have now completed their sessions for the year. A very successful course of work has Ibeen gone through in all the five classes. Owing to the closing of the Lansdowne range, our school cadets are unable to proceed with their clans-firing. The private range at Fernridge is not available for the use of our boys. This means that our three corps will be unable to earn their capitation this year, unless special arrangements can be made. When I haye obtained fuller information than I now possess regarding the miniature ranges recommended by the Government for school cadets, I will submit a scheme to the committee for their consideration. In the meantime I shall try to arrange for the use of the Fernridge range to enable our boys to qualify this year. The Board's truant officer visited the school last week, and inquired into all cases of irregular attendance. I have therefore no absentee report to present this month. Accounts amounting to £2B 7s 6d were passed for payment.