CENTRAL SCHOOL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1940, Page 7

CENTRAL SCHOOL

MEETING OF COMMITTEE REMODELLING OF BUILDING. ■ MUSEUM TO BE INSPECTED. The monthly meeting of the Masterton Central School Committee was held last night. Mr J. E. MeV. Calwell (chairman) presiding. There were also present Messrs A. Newman. C. J. Braggins. A. I. Gibbs, W. L. Butler, and P. H. Shaw. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs W. R. Nicol. A. V. Dixon and J. H. Cole. The Masterton Trust Lands Trustees wrote stating that requisite repairs to the caretaker's cottage would be undertaken subject to the rent being increased by five shillings per week. It was decided to postpone full consideration

of the matter until the next meeting and Mr Butler was requested to inquire into the question in the meantime.

The Parents' Association made a generous donation of £2O towards the cost of installing a sink and wash basin

for the use of the school staff, subject to a grant being made by the Education Board to provide the balance of the cost. Appreciation was expressed of the action of the Parents’ Association and it was hoped that the board would be able to make the requisite grant and get the work done in connection with the present remodelling operations. The secretary was directed to apply to the board for a special grant to provide for the considerable increased cost of heating the school owing to the re- 1 modelling work now being carried out. The question of granting the use of the Assembly Hall to the Women's Emergency Corps was further carefully considered, and it was decided that the serious disorganisation which would be caused, especially during the time of the school holidays and the remodelling operations, prevented the committee from acceding to the request. although the committee much regretted its inability to meet it.

It was decided to ask the Education Board to take steps to have the interior of the old High School building painted and to repair a number of desks which were so dilapidated as to be useless, also to provide a rubbish tin for that, building. It was agreed that members of the Trust Lands Trust be requested to visit the museum, together with members of the committee to inspect the condition of the building and contents and confer as to what had best be done in regard thereto. The Headmaster. Mr E. G. Coddington. submitted a satisfactory report diowing attendance at the beginning of August as follows: Central School roll. 524; acerage 446.5: percentage 85.2. East School roll, 66: average 56.7; percentage 85. The attendance was fallinc. iff somewhat owing to the prevalen' attack of colds in the town. The report intimated that the remodelling work was proceeding steadily but only five rooms could be reoccupied out of ten and these five were not completed. Standard 6 boys were having a trying time, having to work by the side of another class in the Assembly Hall where the acoustic conditions wore no' good and the noise of the repair work made the conditions for the boys very hard. To make matters worse their teacher was in camp, and no Standard > could possibly work under worse conditions. The children assisted with the Paddy's Market and the ladies of the Parents' Association had charge of the School's stall last Friday morning. The School Band paraded by request, and iwas believed about £5O was raised by 'he School stall. Arbor Day was celebrated by planting some suitable trees in the recreation ground as recommended by Mr Hale, and a display of work at the East School was made for the parents. Messrs J. E. MeV. Calwell. C. J. Braggins and P. H. Shaw were appointed visiting members for the ensuing month by rotation.