COLLEGE HALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1943, Page 4

COLLEGE HALL

DECISION OF THE BOARD DISCUSSED AT MEETING OF PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION. STATEMENT BY MR A. O. JONES. A brief discussion on the action of the Wairarapa College Board of Governors in passing a motion which prohibited the College Parents’ Association, the Masterton West School and others from using the Assembly Hall, took place at the annual meeting of the College Parents’ Association last night. After hearing the president, Mr A. Owen Jones, and the secretary, Mr A. J. Towns, who are both members of the College Board, the meeting, without any resolution being passed, expressed itself as being satisfied with the board’s decision. Mr L. T. Daniell said that as a parent of a pupil at West School, and not as a member of the College Board, he would like to know what other parents had to say regarding the board’s decision, which barred the West School recently from using the hall. The voting was five votes for the board’s motion and four against. It was a foolish blanket motion, as it kept the association out of the College hall. Mr Jones said the association had netted £220 from dances held in the Assembly Hall. Inside the hall the behaviour of the dancers was perfect. The hall was situated in grounds covering many acres, and the whole school and the conveniences were thrown open to the public. Mr Gair (ActingPrincipal) would bear him out when he said that it required no stretch of the imagination to know what was going on in the grounds. The hall was built for the College and not for outside organisations. Were it not for the contributions of parents of pupils at the old High and Technical Schools, the hall would not have been the size it was. The events that took place in the grounds could not be measured in terms of money. The hall and grounds were being made a public nuisance. It would take a battalion of men to patrol the grounds. That was his attitude, and it would still be his attitude in the future with regard to dances, particularly so during the present year. Unfortunately, all had seen the trend of some —it would be wrong to say all—of the modern young women. People were disgusted with them, although they were not blaming the service men, as they were a credit to the corps to which they belonged. Unfortunately, some of the young women were not a credit to the community. Although it would mean a loss of revenue of £3OO this year, as president of the Parents’ Association, and not as a representative of the Trust, he could not countenance the hall being used. Mr A. L. Bennett said that Mr Jones’s attitude was praiseworthy. It was hard luck for the West School, but what the board had done was worth while. Mr Towns said he upheld the same principles as Mr Jones. Mi’ S. V. Playstead considered that the board’s decision was necessary so far as dancing was concerned, but so far as anything educational was concerned it was carrying it too far to debar such organisations as the Little Theatre Society. Mr Jones said that it was the duty of the municipal authorities to provide halls for the public use. In any case, the West School could have held its fancy dress dance in its own school. He said that as a parent of pupils at West School. After further discussion the matter lapsed.