SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2568, 31 July 1909, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEES.

GISBORNE. The monthly meeting of the Gisborne. School Committee was held last night. Present: Messrs J. Somervell (chairman). G. Wildish, G. Spence. G. E. Darton, F. W. Riaoh, Rev. W. Grant, Mrs. Walker, Miss Morice, and Mr. W. L. File (secretary). Mr. F. J. RoAvley, headmaster, AA r as also in attendance. Tlie Education Board wrote asking for a receipt shoAving the cost of the dividing fence between the caretaker’s residence and the section, owned by the Seventh Day Adventists. A letter 'was also received from the Board stating there were no oertifificated applicants for the position of assistant, and that Miss White, of Port Aliuriri, had been asked to temporarily succeed Miss Puflett. The Education Board also wrote stating that a cheque for £34 Avould be forwarded, but stating that the cost of the attendance medals, £32 6s, could not be paid In* the Board. —Mr. Darton moved that the letter should be received, saying that the Committee Avould nrobably recerte a different reply at a short date.

The headmaster, Mr. F. J. RoAvley, reported as follows:—“The attendance lias been good considering the season of the year. It has averaged' 781, or 92.5 per cent of the roll number. Chicken 'X is prevalent in the district, and is responsible for a considerable number of absences. Miss Puflett severed ber collection with the staff of the school to-day to take up her duties at the Port Aliuriri School. The teachers met this afternoon to bid her farewell. Her place is to he filled temporary by Miss White. Arbor Day was duly obser\ r ed on Wednesday, July -,.-st. Further additions were made to the plantation of native trees and shrubs at the side of the school. A quantity of soil Avas obtained, through arrangement by your chairman, from the gasworks. The children put in four davs’ work preparing the ground for the trees, in planting, and in digging up the old asphalted and shingled footpaths that lay where the plantation is now. Mr. Darton gave a lesson to the children of Standards 111. to VI. on the care of trees' and plants, and subsequently a further lesson to Standai'ds V. and VI. on pot plants. I have to report the receipt from the sub-committee appointed for the purpose, of a silver cup, for competition among the girls in life-sav-ing. presented by Mr. John Townley. I "am enclosing hereAvith a report on works inquired in the school.” On the motion of Mr. Wildish, a vote of thanks rivas passed to Mr. John Foivnley for presenting the sih-er cup for the girls’ swimming competition, and te Miss Morice and Mrs Walker for their efforts in obtaining the trophy. The Committee also passed a v-ote of thanks, to Mr. G. E. Darton for his work in helping the scholars to celebrate Arbor Day, and decided te thank all who had donated trees for planting in the school grounds. The Works Committee reported on a number of repairs which had been carried out during tlie month, and also recommended a numlier of works for Avliich estimates should, be obtained. The Avorks which had been attended to were passed by the committee, and it was decided to have estimates prepared for the works outlined. The question of laying a drain neccss'lrv to carry the storm AA’ater from the playground was left in the hands of the' Works Committee with power to act. Mr. RoAvley reported upon a number of necessary Avorks, and the report Avas submitted to the Works Committee to obtain estimates as to the _ cost for the information of the Education Board. A balance-sheet of the school social was submitted, and showed the receipts to have been £BO 4s 3d, expenditure £45 4s Id, leaA'ing a credit balance of £35 Os 2d. A sum of £2O 5s had been paid towards reducing the overdraft on the Gisborne SAvimming Bath account, and the balance, £l4 15s 2d. had been paid into the Gisborne School account. —The balance-sheet was adopted. Accounts amounting to £3l 17s were passed for payment.

KAMI. The monthly .meeting of the Kaiti Schooj Committee Avas held last night, the folloAving members being present: Messrs R. Rowan, E. F, Sullivan, J. C. E. Turner, T. It. Jones, and H. E. Hill (eseretary). Messrs F. J. Fyson and K. Humphries sent apologies for absence. Owing to Mr. Fyson not being present. Mr. Turner was elected to tlio chair. _ ~, The headmaster (Mr. J. H. Bull) reported as follows: _ s “The attendance continues to bo very good, the Aveekly averages for the past four weeks, 151.6, 152.9, 154.8, and 160.9, giving an average for the period of J57..3. The roll has increased to 168. Yesterday the highest attendance in the history of the school was reached, there being 165 children present, out of the roll of 168 (99.4 per cent.). On three days of the present week the attendance -in the infant department reached 100 per cent. The ground about the school is xioav becoming fairly dry, and I think any tree planting that is .to be done might ho undertaken very soon. If anything is to be done Avith the piece of ground on the road side of the creek, it Avould he advisable to have it all dug over and graded, as it is not of - much use putting trees in it in its present condition. I do not think the cost of preparing it should be very great. A couple of AvindoAv panes need repairing, and two T square rulers are needed for class use.”

It was decided that a portion of the ground in front of the school be dug over and graded, and sown with grass seed, and that Mr'. Bull arrange for the work to bo done. The tree planting postponed from Arbor Day owing to the damp state of the ground, it was decided to hold on Thursday next, if the ground could bo got ready by then. Messrs Hill, Sullivan, and Turner were elected a deputation to wait on the Mayor and other prominent citizens to ask their attendance and support of the postponed Arbor Day celebrations.: - ' It was decided to hold a school concert at the earliest opportunity to proviso funds for a number of improvements to the grounds of the . school,

and tho secretary ivas instructed to write to Mr. T IT. Bull (headmaster) asking his supp/rt. A motion of .ediigrahiVt-hn was pissed to Mr. Malcolm MV: cod on his election as one of the d.strict representatives on tlio HaAvko’s Bay Education Board, and the secretary Avas instructed to write him to that effect. It was decided to instruct Messrs Horne arid Gray to replace a number of broken Avindows in tho school buildings. Mr. Horne wrote asking tlie Committee to pay the medical attendance fees that lie had incurred through his daughter having her finger crushed in the door jamb a*t the school. —After discussion, the letter Avas referred to the Haivko’s Bay Education Board. The Hawke’s Bay Education Board Avrote that Mr. Doleman had received £99 of his -original contract price (£105). and that Mr Winter had passed work done to that amount. —It was decided to hold the letter -over until next meeting. The Board also Ai-rote stating that Mr G. E. Darton had been asked to inspect the school chimneys and report thereon. Accounts to- the value of* £2 14s 9d were passed for payment. The meeting then terminated.