LANSDOWNE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3111, 9 February 1909, Page 5

LANSDOWNE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

FIRST MONTHLY MEETING. The first meeting of the kansdwone School Commitee was held last evening There jwere nresent:—Messrs P. L. Hollings (chairman), J. Hunter. J. C. Ewirigton, C. C. Riss, J. W. Compto j and H. $. Gosnell (secretary). The char man stated that the Education Bo trd had approved of the boundaries for the school district as defined tentatively bv th j Committee. The acting-headmistress of the Rchool (Miss Wilkinson) sent a report on the formal opei.ing of the school, "the report stated that the schuol opened y?sterdiy morninc with an attendance of 81. which would probably rise r o 90 during the week. Mr Ashley and Miss Kobinson were acting on the staff sfs relieving teachers. The headmistress asked that the Education Board be asked to erect a more suitable fence at the rear of the school to protect children from falling over a dangerous cliff. She also asked that a janitor be appointed.

The Committee decided to 6ommunicate at ones with the Education Board in the matter of having a more suitable fence on the brow of the cliff, foiypreference an iron fence seven feet high. The headmistress wrote to ask if the Committee thought it advisable to frame a rule forbidding scholars from bathing in the river at the rear of the school. The CoTimitfee discussed the matter briefly, and unan ; mously deemed it advisable not to countenance the use of the river for bathing by scholars. On the motion of Mr Ross, it was decided to recommend the teaching staff to take scholars in classes to suitable bathing places, wheresoever situate during the sum.sner months.

The headmistress pointed out in her report that the playground was in a very rough and unprepared state for school purposes, and asked the Committee to have the matter attended to at once. The Committee were unanimous that there was urgent necessity for the grounds to be put into proper condition, and path-s made, and a motion was passed that the Education Board's attention be drawn to the matter, and immediate instructions asked. The question of appointing a janitor was left in the hands of the secretary and Mr Co in p ton. The chairman stated that he had postponed the question of holding a function to celebrate the opening of the school until the permanent staff was appointed. The hon. sec., of the Presbyterian School Teachers' Committee (Mr A-. D. Low) wrote to ask for permission to use the school buildings on Sunday afternoons for Sunday School purposes.

The chairman thought the request was one which should be granted, as a long-felt want in Lansdowne was being supplied by a Sunday School. It was unanimously decided to accede to the request. Messrs Hunter and Ewington w?re appointed visiting members for the month,