HIGH SCHOOLS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 221, 18 August 1937, Page 11

HIGH SCHOOLS

BOARD OF GOVERNORS. ACCOMMODATION AND GROUNDS The Palmerston N ol 'th High Schools Board of Governors and the Technical School Committee met last night. There were present Mr M. H. Oram (chairman), Airs Mi Aitchison, Alessrs A. J. Graham, G. Tremaine, T. D. Lynch, A. A. Langley, J- A. Nash and Colonel J. H. Whyte.

The chairman, in his report, stated: Girls’ High School; The Lawsonianas have been planted around the boundary of the playing field and the young trees appear to be in a healthy condition. Caretaker Girls’ High School: Air Spencer has taken up his duties as caretaker and from indications the arrangement come to should prove very satisfactory. Playing grounds: The Girls’ High School ground particularly is in a bad condition so far as weeds are concerned, and I should suggest that an officer of the Agricultural Department be asked to report as to what should be done by way of topdressing each ground. Girls’ High School improvements: Authority has been received for the expenditure from endowment income on replacing blinds with curtains and installing eight enamel wash hand basins. —The work is being put in hand at once. Accommodation, Technical School; I discussed this matter with Air Savage, when I was in Wellington, but we did not have time to go into the matter fully. He promised to look into it, however, and I shall have a further opportunity of discussing it with him next week. Educational conference: I had the advantage of attending the last few days of the New Education Fellowship Conference, which was attended by several of the teachers from the three schools. The conference was a great inspiration to all attending it, and should be of immense value to every branch of education in New Zealand.

In his report the rector of the Boys’ High School (Air J. Alurray) stated that the roll number was 378 and the average attendance 354. Six boys had left for positions, and two for other towns during tho month. One boy had entered. Special speech training lessons and debating had occupied the last periods on Alondays during the winter term. Alessrs E. Caradus and J. Learning, Education Department inspectors, were at the school from Friday, July 9, to Tuesday, July 13, in connection with the grading and the award of intermediate and leaving certificates. The first XV played two annual school fixtures during the month, losing against Wanganui Collegiate B—6, and winning Wanganui Technical College 9—3. The annual fixture with tho Napier Boys High School (Poison Banner) will be played at Napier on the 19th inst., and on Saturday, the 21st inst., a game would ho played with Te Ante College at Waipawa. Drama festival: The School Dramatic Club entered a team for the British Drama League junior festival and was awarded a C certificate. Tho principal of the Girls’ High School (.Miss E. E. Stephens) reported as follows’:—The roll number is now 251 and the average attendance 242.7. Owing to the steady demand for girls for office work and Government positions, our senior commercial forms are falling off very rapidly. In other classes the numbers arc steady, and tho attendance fairly good. Department’s inspectors: Air Caradus and Aliss Alay visited the school frbm July 9 to July 13, in connection with senior free place and higher leaving certificate recommendations. Sports: Wanganui Girls College played their annual basketball matches with us on aur own grounds on Saturday, July 31. Both games were fast and even, our A team winning, and our B team losing by a few goals. Grounds and buildings: Air Spencer took over the duties of carotaker on Alonday, August 2. The work of clearing and levelling the* grounds, beside the drives, has gone on steadily for the last few weeks, and appears to be nearing completion. - A dance Was held in the school, by the staff and tho senior girls, to give the girls an evening’s entertainment, and to enable them to return a little of the hospitality so often extended to them by tho Boys’ High School. I should like to record my appreciation of the kindly assistance of Air Alurray, and of Air Stubbs, to whose capable management I attribute a great deal of the success of a most enjoyable evening. Education conference: The school was closed, for a week to enable those interested to attend the conference. Eight of the staff attended the lectures and seminars, and I think we all derived some benefit. The intensity of public interest in the conference was in itself a revelation, and perhaps the most inspiring thing about it.

The director of the Technical School (Mr G. G. Hancox) reported : A donation of £1 Is has been received from the Motor Traders’ Association and one of £3 12s from the Old Students’ Association towards the cost of crockery. The Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Apprenticeship Committee visited the school on August 5, when the opportunity was taken to discuss many, matters relating to the attendance and training of apprentices in the evening school. Miss J. A. Young retires at the end ot next week and Miss IV. Cooper takes her place at the beginning of next term. At present Miss Cooper is visiting the Sydney Technical College preparatory to taking up her duties here. Woodville manual training centreThe work was going on satisfactorily at the Woodville manual training centre when I visited it on July 30. Several suggestions for improving the buildings and facilities were made to the Hawke’s Bay Education Board. Springboks match : I would like to express my appreciation of the accommodation provided by the Rugby Union to enable our boys and girls to see the Springboks-Manawatu game. The annual Daffodil Day effort will bo held early next term. It was decided that the hostel committee bring down a report on the future policy concerning the hostel at the Boy’ High School.

Appreciation was expressed at the old boys gift of a clock for tho Boys’ High School pavilion, and a letter of thanks is to be sent to the association. It is expected that the gift will be a great boon to cricketers in the iicld.