SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 773, 23 March 1910, Page 5

SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

WELLINGTON BOARD'S POSITION. A CALL FOR REDRESS. In its report for the year 1909, the Wellington Education Board thus deals with the question of building grants:— "The building programme of the year was compiled. with care, and, as tho board believes, with a due regard to the best interests and the most pressing, requirements of the district. It included the reconstruction; of several rooms in different schools, which became necessary, because at the same time enlargements of these schools wero required. This programme it has carried out only to be. informed, for the first time after the end of the financial year, that the maintenance of buildings grant, which for five yearß had averaged £5000, and last year amounted to £5501, was reduced to £3455 through the omission of amount for reconstruction. Further, the necessary expenditure of large sums in the purchase of sites during past years has seriously reduced the sum available for building operations of a pressing chaiaoter. If the full amount of the board grant.is required in districts where the expenditure on sites is inconsiderable, how can it suffice where there is a steady,drain on the building funds of a board which finds that, owing to improved conimuni-

cation rapid settlement of suburban <j areas has taken place, the s costly sites has become not a luxury, a but a costly necessity. The purchase ( of such sites cannot be delajed, nor can 5 it be undertaken piecemeal.. , The board must either purchase, a sufficient- Bite c or to some extent sacrifice the future ,■ interests of ihe school. In five years it has' expended over £4800 beyond the j amount of-grants allowed, which have , not in any instance exceeded half-cost. t Now, the report of the Education Cominittee in 1903 does not appear to have j contemplated the purchase by the board of costly sites, seeing the allow- j ■ ance it had in view was one for pro- ; per maintenance and reconstruction of buildings. ■• In these two matters; there- ' fore, the board submits that in its case equitable financial redress is justly due to it. At the same time the board recognises that its 'representations re- [. garding the necds.pf growing districts have received the fairest consideration. Scholarships. ' ] There qualified at tho December ( examination for junior free places 130 ] candidates, and for senior free places i 37 candidates. Junior board scholar- ( < ships were awarded to 31 competitors, and senior to 13 competitors. There : continues to.be a noticeably smallnum-. : ber of entries in the' G class of junior i scholarships (for schools up to 40). . District High Sohools. The total attendance in the secondary departments at district high schools for the years 1907, 1908, and 1909 were 463, 441, and 374. The decrease last year was due chiefly to the disestablishment, of the Terrace School and the opening of the new Boys' College. The number' of district ihigh schools remaining is nine. Manual and Technical Instructions. During the year capitation'under the Manual and Technical Regulations was earned by 116 schools, as compared with 121 iu 1908 and 116 in 1907. The total number under' instruction during the year in the various manual and technical subjects was 16,569. • The board observes with pleasure the report of the inspectors as to the steadily growing recognition of the high educational value of the school garden, and as to the excellence of the agricultural work accomplished .at a number of schools. ' ■ Physloal and Military Drill. The inspectors report that in most of our schools breathing exercises are taken daily, and physical drill, consisting'mainly of free exercises and. exercises with wands and clubs, is generally satisfactory. Military drill is taken in the larger schools, in most ot which tlie reports range from good to very good. Ceneral. The year began with a debit balance of £">l7 4s. Bd., the receipts were £106,184 19s. '4d., the disbursements £109,819 4s. 5d., leaving a dobit balance of £3417 os. od. The board acknowledges with satisfaction the ful and altogether admirable efforts ot very many of its committees to improve' the equipment, to beautify and improve tho school grounds, and to promote in their respective districts' that most valuable of educational assets—an atti-. tude of warm loyalty to the school and all it represents. If only the most indifferent of the committees, those whose horizon is limited by their merely administrative duties would become as the most enthusiastic and energetic, great would be tho gain to education The board also acknowledges the faithful services of its teaching staff, and the substantial support accorded to education in their respective districts by tho Masterton and Greytown Trust Lands Trusts and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.