WEST CHRISHTCHURCH SCHOOL STATUS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21466, 7 May 1935, Page 6

WEST CHRISHTCHURCH SCHOOL STATUS

TO THE 6DITCIB Ot IHJS PIUSS. Sir, —On reading the account of the discussion over the status ol the West Christchurch School, I noticed that Mr de Berry made a statement to the Minister that "The roll has fallen to such an extent that we have lost three teachers." I wrote to a daily paper about the beginning of March asking for the roll number at the West Christchurch School compared to last year's. The reply I got was: "The roll number of the secondary department at the beginning of the year was 545, compared with 471 at the end of last year, the intermediate section of the school has now 260 .pupils, compared .with 284." This shows an increase of 50 pupils compared with last year, so I fail to see how the roll 1 number has fallen. I think Mr Sneppard went rather far in his remarks when he said that "the whole of Christchurch was unanimous in its desire that the school should be raised in status." I was pleased to notice that the Minister for Education 'the Hon. S. G. Smith) put the strength of the Addinfiton committee's support in a nutshell: "Grant the request so that Forms I. and 11. will be forced back to Addington. and raise the grade of the school." There are certain members of the present West Christchurch School Committee £who were on the householders' committee) who know from the bottom of their hearts that the district was never treated properly when the reorganisation took plpce, and that the greatest need in the district is a primary school. The primary attendance in the old school did not decline throufh the district becoming industrialised, but through enforcing the school boundary regulations.—Yours, etc., ADOLESCENT. May 3, 1935. ["I have absolutely no comment to make to anonymous correspondents," said Mr L. F. de Berry, the headmaster, when this letter was referred to him. Mr de Berry added that the statement and figures given previously were perfectly correct.]