CENTRAL SCHOOL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1939, Page 4

CENTRAL SCHOOL

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The monthly meeting of the committee of the Masterton Central School was held last night, Mr J. E. MeV. Calwell presiding, there being also present Messrs A. Newman, W. R. Nicol, C. J. Braggins, F. A. Wesney, A. I. Gibbs, G. R. Beecroft, and A. V. Dixon. Mr Cole was granted leave of absence.

The finance report was submitted and received.

The secretary was requested to endeavour to obtain three men under Scheme No. 15 for work at the schools as hitherto.

Mr F. C. Brockett forwarded a very exhaustive report and estimates for improvement of the schoolground. The secretary was directed to express the appreciation and thanks of the committee to Mr Brockett.

The secretary was directed to report to the authorities that damage was done to the girls’ shelter shed by a recent fire, and to request that repairs be carried out as soon as possible.

Instructions were given to the secretary to draw the attention of the Trust Lands Trustees to certain repairs required at the caretaker’s cottage. - _ I Messrs Beecroft and Nicol were deputed to procure the requisite firewood for the school, and the repairing of the power mower was left in the hands of Mr Beecroft. The Headmaster submitted a very satisfactory report upon the re-open-ing of the school. The present roll was: Main school 504, East School 56, leaving a deficiency as at the end of the year of 46, which will, no doubt, be made up before August. No children were lost to the Central School on account of the oening of the Lansdowne School, and only one left the East School to go to Lansdowne on account of moving to the nearest school. Another interesting point is that a number of children were admitted from 15 different schools in distant towns and some of the Central School children transferred to other distant towns.

The Headmaster intimated that the schools would take an active part in the Fitness Week, and would parade, led by the band, on the Saturday, and would give folk dancing displays on the Thursday evening, while Friday would be devoted to combined schools sports, etc., the afternoons being devoted to displays of marching, drill and dancing parades. The progress made in swimming by the children had been excellent. Not one of the 60 children who left from Standard 6 last year were unable to s\Vim. If this rate can be continued every child leaving the school at the end of its primary career should be able to swim, which should earn the appreciation of the teachers and ’of the general public. Messrs Calwell, Braggins and Beecroft were appointed visiting members for the month.