EKETAHUNA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1941, Page 7

EKETAHUNA

PLUNKET SOCIETY MEETING OF LOCAL SUB-BRANCH (“Times-Age” Special.) At the monthly meeting of the Eketahuna sub-branch of the .Plunket Society, Mrs E. Albrechtsen presided over a fair attendance. Accounts amounting to 6s 5d were passed for payment. Members stood in silence for a few minutes in memory of the late Miss Hoddinott. The resignation of Mrs L. Ives, who is leaving the district, was accepted with regret. The treasurer wishes to acknowledge the following contributions: — Mesdames J. Parsonson, L. Houlbrooke, A. E. Brittain, E. Evans, F. B. Lowes, J. Berney, Gunderson, L. Johansen, K. Perry, 5s each; Mrs Connor for firewood, and Mr W. Curry for repairing a broken window. . t Personal Items. Miss A. Anderson, Alfredton Road, is at present visiting Wellington. Mr B. Booth, who has been 1 local manager of Yates Cash Stores for the past three years, has left for Dannevirke Avhcre he has been appointed manager of the firm’s branch. Mr P. Amos, of Taranaki, has commenced his duties as manager of the local branch.

TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE AN INTERESTING ADDRESS. A meeting of the Pahiatua-Bush branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was held at Eketahuna for the purpose of hearing an address by Mr Ball, of the Education Department. Teachers were present from Nireaha, Rongokokako, Mangahao, Newman and Eketahuna schools. Mr D. R. Salter, president of. the branch, introduced the speaker. Mr Ball stated that a keen interest in education must be maintained, even in war time, because, he said, if we do not go on, 'we go back. “If a good standard of education is not kept up,” he said, “we are letting down the boys who are fighting to maintain our country’s freedom. The children now in the schools will have to take the places of the men and women who are now suffering the wounds and bereavements of the war.” Mr Ball then gave a brief sketch of many innovations and improvements to the education scheme. The revival of physical education not only brought happiness to the pupils, but -gave careful training in child-leadership. The film-strip projector, as an aid to teaching, could display pictures on any particular topic, or the teacher could send in photos or pictures of a topic in which he was interested, and have a film strip made for teaching purposes. A fuller library scheme would soon be launched. Occupational centres, he said, were being established for physically and mentally handicapped children. For those children suffering from deafness and speech defects the special school at Sumner provided excellent training. The “new freedom” in the classroom would convert the former timetable periods into streams of activities, in which groups of children could be organising a concert, preparing choral speaking, doing craftwork or social studies. Mr Ball was thanked for his address. French Broadcast. The pupils of the Secondary Department of the Eketahuna District High School listen every Monday to the French broadcast for secondaiy schools. The broadcast includes a reading in French by M. Bouquet, the French Consul, as well as songs. The Secondary Department is grateful to Mr H. E. Greathead, for the loan of a wireless set.