HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 262, 19 August 1930, Page 6

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

EXPERIMENTAL FARM. QUESTION OF FURTHER LEASE. HOPES FOR FUTURE STATUS. The Ashburton High School Board of Governors met this morning, when there were present: Messrs J. W. Bowden (chairman), R. Galbraith, J. Brown, P. Frampton, M. Bruce, A. Lane, R. Kennedy and W. T. Lill. The financial statement showed that there was a credit balance of £575 18s Id on the general account. The headmaster (Mr E. A. Cockroft) reported that the roll number was 107 bovs and 95 girls. The concert was a financial success, about £55 being netted. Next Friday the hockey and basketball teams would go to Dunedin to Girls' High School, and the Christchurch Cathedral Grammar School Rugby football teams would visit Ashburton the same day. The school would close from Friday next till September 15, for the term holidays and a week after the re-open-ing the inspectors would visit the school. The report was adopted and the Board congratulated the -headmaster and the staff on the success of their efforts in connection with the annual concert. The Fields Superintendent of the Department of 'Agriculture, Christchurch, (Mr R. McGillivray) wrote stating that the rather precarious tenure under which the (Department of Agriculture held the Board's Experimental Farm at Ashburton made it difficult to arrange further work on the farm. The Department would like the Board to consider a three years' or five years' lease of the farm. The chairman said that because of the possibility of the school becoming an Agricultural High School, the arrangement of the lease should be held in abeyance. Messrs Brown and Lill stated their opinion that the Department would assist the school in the experimental work in the event of the school being changed as'proposed. It was decided to reply to the letter that while it was at present impossible to give a definite answer regarding the lease, it was hoped that, in the event of the school being constituted as one of the six "Agricultural High Schools recommended for establishment in New Zealand by the Educational Commission, the Board would be able to negotiate with the 9 Department regarding experimental' work. The Auckland Grammar School forwarded a long circular letter regarding the changes in the education system as recommended by the recent Education al Commission. The letter suggested that while the first section of tlie report contained several recommendations in harmony with modern educational thought, a' careful reading showed examples of both faulty logic and hasty generalisation. The chairman said that the Commission's decisions were unanimous. It was composed of men of ability and the Board must respect their opinions. Mr Brown said that every member of the Board should be conversant with the section of the report dealing with agriculture. It was agreed to hold oyer discussion until members had obtained copies of the report. The Palmerston North High Schools Board forwarded a number of resolutions passed by it regarding the administration of schools and education, arising of the Commission's report. It drew the Board's attention to the fact that the joint administration by onb Board of Boys' High School, Girls' High School 'and Technical School in Palmerston North, had proved highly successful and most economical and the introduction of a similar scheme of administration in other centres would affect great economy and efficiency. Members agreed that the control of the two secondary schools in Ashburton by one Board would be more advantageous. Discussion on this matter_ was also held over till receipt of copies of the report. x