Masterton School Committee.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2878, 20 April 1888, Page 2

Masterton School Committee.

The monthly meeting of the Mas'

terton School Committee was held on Thursday. Present: Messrs J. O. Boddington (Chairman), E. McEwen, and A. W.Hogg. The Treasurer reported a credit balance of £5 2s 3d.

Correspondence was read from the Secretary to the Education-Board askingfor information re TelnperanceHall. and cost of removal of furniture from the present school room. A letter also received from Miss Gray resigning ' her position as pupil teacher owing to, the ill-health of her father, It was resolved to furnish the information required by theßoard, and to reply to Miss Gray accepting her resignation under the circumstances with regret, and conveying the opinion of her abilities and conuuct as a teacher.

The Head Master reported the attendance as follows.:—On roll, . 467.; . average, 438; highest, 487; lowest, 280. Miss Keeling reported re the Hall-street School : On roll, 121; average, 84 ; highest, 101; lowest 60; The Chairman suggested that the new Committee should be recommended to take steps to enforce the attendance of children. He was led to understand that a larger percentage of children ought to he attending school. Mr Hogg said the unfortunate thing was that the principal sufferers were the industrious, well-behaved and really deserving children. This was the.-; case where there were large families® The thrifty, diligent and deserving ? children, girls particularly, were kept at home because they were useful to their parents, while the incorrigables were sent to school to be got rid of. It was no uncommon thing to find the best child in the family surpassed as regards education by its brothers and sisters. Mr McfPm thought steps should be taken to enfotce the compulsory clauses. Mr Hogg objected to the existing method of making enquiries. The practice of sending children with printed forms to be filled in at the houses of absentees or truants was an infliction oil the young messengers, and it exposed families to a great risk, I seeing that children were often absent through illness, and the messengers sent with these notes were apt to carry infection back to their homes. The Chairman thought the matter should be looked to by the incomiug Committee.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr Boddington thanked the committee for the Mildly manner in which they had worked with him during the eight years he had successively occupied the position of Chairman. He had nojfe now the intention'of coming as a candidate for re-election, aM he might say that he resigned pect without a regret, He felt that lie had done his best in the interests of the people, and he now appropriately gave the opportunity for a change. Mr Hogg, in acknowledging Mr Boddington's remarks, said that he considered that gentleman's long and valuable services well deserved the sincere thanks ofhis fellow committeemen, but that, as the attendance was so meagre, he would leave a formal motion on the subject over until next meeting, when it could be passed • with the additional heartiness. that, a larger attendance would give it, and which it decidedlv merited.

The meeting then closed.