RAISING THE STATUS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21330, 24 November 1934, Page 5

RAISING THE STATUS

WEST CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL COARD ALSO FAVOURS MILNE STREET SCHEME "That the board recommends the raising of the status of the West Christchurch District High School to that of a high school, a fully equipped intermediate school to be erected at Milne street and made ready for occitDation at the beginning of 1936, subject to other primary schools in that district agreeing to become contributing schools." The foregoing motion, notice of which had been given by the chairman (Mr C. S. Thompson), was carried by the Canterbury Education board yesterday morning. The resolution reaffirmed the attitude of the board expressed at a previous meeting. Mr Thompson's motion was conditional on the following motion, notice of which had geen given by Mr R. Wild, being lost:—"That the following resolution, carried at the August meeting, be rescinded: 'That the sub-com-mittee's report recommending the constitution of Christchurch West as a high school, the retention of the intermediate department, and, when necessary, the establishment of a fully equipped intermediate school in another part of Christchurch, be adopted.'" This motion was lost on the casting vote of the chairman. Cost to the Department In his motion Mr Thompson said ••hat the matter had been thoroughly threshed out and should require no discussion. Mr J. W. Preen said that district high schools should be more - important to the board than secondary schools. The raising of the status 01 the school would mean a cost of £2OOO to the department. "We should use that money on our district high schools, especially in the country," said Mr Preen. Mr W. A. Banks said that the dissatisfaction with the present status of the school was owing to ignorance of its success. He did not think the department would allow the status of the school to be changed. Mr H. J. Bignell declared that the board's action in reopening the matter was childish. Members did not seem to know their own minds. Mr Thompson explained that it had been decided to leave matters as they were for a year in the hope that there would be an increase in the roll number at West. Christchurch. It had since been found that the attendances could not be increased. "I cannot understand the board voting for another secondary school when it has consistently advocated the extension of the intermediate system under which the special aptitudes of pupils for academic or oilier courses are ascertained," said Mr A. Benstead. He said that the proposal of the board would result in 000 or 700 children being pitchforked into a secondary school without their aptitude for such a course having been ascertained. The raising of the status of the school would result in the board losing control of West Christchurch, said Mr Preen. Mr Thompson said the establishment of an intermediate school at Milne street would provide intermediate training for 800 pupils. There were only -100 at West Christchm-ch this year, and next year there would be 2(H).