SCHOOLBOY RIDERS Heavy motor-cycles ‘deleterious to study’

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33093, 7 December 1972, Page 18

SCHOOLBOY RIDERS Heavy motor-cycles ‘deleterious to study’

The riding of heavy motor-cycles by pupils was obviously very deleterious to their studies, the retiring headmaster of Cashmere High School (Mr T. H. McCombs) told the school’s board of governors yesterday.

Mr McCombs said this when comparing a motor-vehicle survey carried out at the school with “approximate” numbers of pupils accredited University Entrance. Sixty per cent of all sixthformers who studied for University Entrance were accredited in five subjects, but only 31 per cent of those who ride motor-cycles over 100 c.c. were accredited in five subjects, he said. Ten per cent of all sixthformers were accredited in four subjects and 30 per cent were not accredited. Twentythree per cent of those who ride motor-cycles were ac-

credited in four subjects and 46 per cent were not accredited. Approximate figures for those who own motorcycles over 100 c.c. were 36 per cent accredited in five subjects, 9 per cent accredited in four, and 55 per cent not accredited. PUPILS WITH CARS However, those pupils who brought cars, or motor-cycles under 100 c.c. to school, did not show very much decrease in their success in accrediting, Mr McCombs said. Fiftyfive per cent of those who brought cars were accredited in five subjects, 11 per cent were accredited in four, and 34 per cent were not accredited. Mr McCombs told the board that he was aware of the defects in statistics. However, the attention given to “beautiful motor-cycles” obviously took interest away from studies, he said. In his report, Mr McCombs said the Department of Education had approved a considerable quantity of minor maintenance work at the school during the year, but much of it would not be done this year as the money was not available. Mrs J. F. Johnson said she

was concerned that this might be perpetuated next year, and that things might get Worse and worse. She described the department’s withdrawal of the money as a shocking, short-sighted policy. The board’s secretary (Mr P. J. Halligan) said that Cashmere High School had not been the only school affected by money running out BOARD THANKED Mr McCombs thanked the board and previous board members for the help and support given him in the last 17 years. The board’s chairman (Mr W. H. Bowen) thanked Mr McCombs for the help and general guidance he had given the board. “Mr McCombs has been one of the architects of the present educational system,” Mr Bowen said.