JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 12

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

KOWHAI AND OTAHUHU

HEADS.

APPOINTMENT OF PRINCIPALS

After considerable delay and not a little controversy concerning the qualifications demanded of applicants for the positions, the appointment of principals at the Kowhai Junior High School and the new Otahuhu Junior High School has been announced by the Auckland Education Board. It was stipulated that applicants had to be under 45 years of age, and this provoked opposition from the New Zealand Education Institute. Mr. J. F. Wells, principal of the Matamata Junior High School, is appointed to Kowhai, and Mr. 1. W. Maitin, headmaster of the Masterton Technical School, to Otahuhu. The holder of a B.A. degree, Mr. Wells is 40 years of age. He first served in the Wellington and Wanganui education districts, but in 192G entered the service of the Auckland Board as first assistant master at the Kowhai School. Fifteen months later he was placed in charge of the Matamata Junior High School, and has remained there ever since. Mr. Martin just comes within the age limit, beins 45 vears old. He is the possessor of M.A. and B.Sc. degrees, and one of the main reason; for his selection is his experience in technical school work. He has been in charge of the Masterton Technical School for over seven vears. Prior to that he was senior instructor at the Wellington Technical School. He has also had primary school and district high school experience, hi 3 apprenticeship in this connection having been served in the Taranaki district. Arrangements are being made for Messrs. Wells and Martin to take up their new duties by the end of the present month. It- is now a year since Mr. R. E. Rudman retired from the charge of the Kowhai School, and in the meantime a temporary principal ha« been in control. The two positions were advertised three times before the final selection could be made. The final step in the negotiations was taken on "Wednesday evening, when the Kowhai School Committee unanimously approved or the appointment of Mr. Wells. Sanction for Mr. Martin's appointment was not necessary, as at the moment there is no school committee at Otahuhu.