Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1143, 26 March 1910, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

The large audience at the Wai-tuna school concert on Thursday night was a telling testimony to the necessity for a public hall in the district. There were fully two hundred present (including children), and it was a matte) of impossibility for more than . twothirds even to squeeze into tlie school. The windows were all packed on the oiitside with spectators who had paid for the privilege of a peep in, and inside there was not even standing room. A very fair building could be erected for about £200, and it seems a pity that steps aro not being taken to formulate a scheme with that object in view.

In to-day's issue wo publish a number of extracts from the annual report- of the Chairman of the Wanganui Education Board. Besides affording useful information as to the work -- of t-ho Board for the year, there- is some trenchant criticism of the relations existing between the Department in charge of he Minister and the Board, and a suggestion is made that a conference of Boards should be held to conider the position. It seems clear that of recent years the development of the Head Department- lias been in the direction of unduly curtailing the powers of the Boards and harassing men who give their abilities and time to educational work without fee or reward .

Miss A. W. Whitela-w, of Auckland, who has been appointed headmistress of tlie Wycomhe Abbey School, at present holds the position _of headmistress of the Auckland Girls'_ Grammar School. She is an educationalist of great ability. Her career has been one of uninterrupted success, and she is no\v to assume control of one of most important girls' schools in tlie Empire. Miss White-law was educated in Auckland, and was for nine years attached to the school to which slie has just been appointed, being house mistress for six years. When the Auckland College and Grammar School was divided into two sections she was chosen from a large list of applicants to undertake the work of organising nnd controlling the girls' section, and during the three and a half years in which she has acted as head-mistress splendid work has been accomplished. The Wyeomb'e Abbey school, to which she now returns, was founded By Miss Dove in 1896. The school is limited in numbers to about 230 pupils, all boarders, and these are divided into eight houses, -all in the grounds, which are some 33 acres in sze. Excepting Cheltenham, the school is the largest boarding school n England.