PLANS AWAITED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 211, 14 June 1940, Page 3

PLANS AWAITED

V. NEW COMBINED SCHOOL. REFERENCE AT TECHNICAL BOARD. The question of whether the building of the new combined secondary school in Ashburton should be held over till after the war was briefly discussed at the meeting of the Ashburton Technical High School Board of Managers last evening, when Mr H. Watts (chairman) presided. There were also present at the meeting Mrs- P. Curtis, Messrs W. S. Kerr, S. Mitchell, J. Shaw, A. T. Saunders, A. Brown, L. L. Ait-ken and E. Buchanan.

Several members were of the opinion that in view of the conditions prevailing, the new school should not be gone on with, and a motion to this effect was put to the meeting. It was defeated by five votes to four. Those who opposed the motion thought that such action as that contemplated by the motion was too precipitate, and that the Board should not take any action till the Department had been able to present the sketch plans for the new building and the Board had been able to consult the High School. Board on the question. The Methodist Bible Class Union forwarded a donation of two guineas for the use of the school for its recent winter session.

The Education Department wrote that it had made a grant toward the cost of asphalting the approaches to the new classrooms.

For the visaing committee, Mr Shaw reported that they had found everything satisfactory, generally. The (Principal (Mr W. Crawford) reported as follows: “The attendance in both the day and the evening schools has been satisfactory. Since the last report 12 students have left the day school. Of these, four boys and two girls have accepted positions, two have left the district, and one girl has had to give up school on account of the discontinuance of the ’bus service from her district. The day school roll now stands at 308. Our endeavour to form an evening woolclassiug class has been fruitless owing to insufficient enrolments. “Hot Dinners —The provision of hot dinners on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at nominal cost for students coming from a distance is being taken advantage of by 37 students. The use of the kitchen for manual training purposes does not allow of the preparation of dinners ou the remaining days of the week. “Discontinuance of Milk Supply —• Advice was received from the contractor at the beginning of the term that, owing to seasonal shortage and the de>mands of Burnham Military Camp, the supply of milk to this school under the milk-in-schools scheme would be discontinued. It is presumed that the discontinuance is only temporary. “Term Examinations —These will commence on June 17.

“Repairs and Maintenance —The asphalting of the area surrounding the new classrooms has been completed, and provides a much-needed additional physical drill area for the boys. “Equipment—The tables and.chairs required for one of the new classrooms have been delivered, and craft classes are now being given instruction in much more congenial conditions than formerly. The supply of stools for the new laboratory is expected shortly. Advice has been received that the supply from England of materials and equipment for the craft classes will he landed in Lyttelton shortly.

“Appeals for non-ferrous metals— A satisfactory response has been received to this appeal, some |cwt. of lead haying been contributed, and 131 b

of brass. Contributions of copper are still being received. “School Red Cross Club—This club is still carrying on with, the knitting of garments for refugee children. This has been made possible by contributions from the general body of the girl students of wool and of discarded woollen garments which have been unravelled and used. An appeal for funds for the purchase of wool has also been made, and I have to make grateful acknowledgment to the school Young Farmers’ Club for a donation of funds resulting from the nroceeds of a social and dance held in the school hall.’’