THE SCHOOLS FROM WITHIN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 14

THE SCHOOLS FROM WITHIN.

NEWS AND NOTES. A very, satisfactory site for tho new school at Silverstream (Upper Hutt) has been- arranged for after much negotiation. The-site is two acres between the road and railway at. Heretaunga, and 2? acres across tho railway. The original idea was only to allocate half an acre in all. . The "social" and dance held in connection with Bulls High School last week was well attended, anil a most enjoyable evening was spent. During the evening the thanks of tho School Committee were conveyed by the chairman to these who had assisted in makics the gathering a. pronounced success. Mr. H. M. liathbone, chairman of the n aipawa District High School Committee, presided at a meeting held 011 Thursday afternoon to consider ways and menus of securing the money needed to complete the beautifying of the school grounds. A largo number of ladies attended the meeting, and these were formed into a general committee, with power to add to their number, to carry out a bazaar that it was decided to hold about the end of October. Tho truant inspector employed by tho Taranaki Education Boarrl, reporting upon tho school attendances for the June quarter, observed, inter alia: "I have had certificates of sickness from doctors, and yet tho samo children can go out to parties and dances till the early hours of morning, which plainly shows the necessity for tho appointment of medical officers throughout tho Dominion, when I am satisfied that there would bo a great deal less sickness reported and a much better avcrago attendance."

An incident of.a school dance hold recently in a township on the Manawatu side of tho Rangitikei liiver was tho disappearance of tile supper. T'lio ladies had provided amply. There .was more than enough of tho most tempting viands for tlio very large number present. The committee contemplated a sccond feast at the conclusion of tho evening's amusement., but were doomed to disappointment. Some individuals, taking advantage of the ■ absorption of the company . in tho alter supper dances,' invaded, the supper., room and made off with the remainder of tho least.

Tho Secretary for Education has informed tlio Taranaki Education Board that i;76S lias been granted lor tho replacement of the Wailii School-and for a residence in conncctiou therewith. Tho Department took into consideration the fact that tho board was partly responsible for tho replacement of the old school, tho Brant being .£3lO for the school.and,.£l2s ior the, residence.. Tho Ministeh-ivtaS. tlii■ablci t<# iigi'c2-!t6:'th'o board's build on a leasehold. ■ The Department considered that the school site .should bo taken under, tho Public Works Act, and the grant fras conditional on tho .board adopting .that course. At the Levin District High School the other day a presentation Was made to Miss Livingstone, M.A., from tho staff and scholars of the secondary classes. Mr. M'lnlyre, the headmaster, niado tho presentation, and remarked upon Hiss Livingstone's abilities as a teacher , and die goo'd work sho had performed in the secondary classes. She had previously beeu employed under tho old grammar school lines, and s,ince tho inauguration of tho rural course sho had made, herself perfectly familiar with every detail of the work. The presentation from tho staff consisted of a nice travelling cloak, ami from tho scholars of a handsome hand mirror. Miss Olive Millies, the senior scholar, made tho presentation on hehalf of secondary classes, and expressed their regret at her departure, and wished her success in her new sphere. ■ Jtiss Landrcss, M.A., is Hiss Livingstone's successor. Tho chairman of the Whangamomona School Committee, writing to the Taranaki Education Board with reference to the committee's application for a new school, remarked: "In about two months' time, when tho roads improve somewhat tho present building cannot possibly hold tho numbers coming forward. It .will therefore bo quite obvious that ana'ddition at a vorv early date is absolutely necessary. When building is being done could not an effort bo made to get a 'grant for a teacher's residence? At present tho teacher is living in a tent, which, to say tho least, is not a very dignified position for a teacher to occupy. The future of the district is now so assured that a decent-sized school and rrsidence will always be required, even after the railway workers have gone past." Mr. S. M. Mills, teacher at tho Whanga School, who also wrote on' tho matter, stated in hi? letter; that he was living in a tent be.vuso he could get 110 suitable accommodation in the township. Tho matter is engaging the attention of the board. Tho measles epidemic was tho principal topic of conversation at tho monthly meeting of the Napier Main School Committee this week, when the headmaster (Mr. J. Jlislop) stated that after being closed for a fortnigjit 011 account of the measles epidemic the school reopened 011 July 10 with an attendance of 471. This had improved week by week, but so far had only reached 077, out of a roll of 700. During the discussion it was mentioned that the Education Board stated that a fortnight, was finite sufficiently long to close the school on account of the epidemic. One of tluj speakers did not think the matter should pass without the committee's protest. ITe believed (ho chairman of the Education Board refused an extension of time; surely a committee closely associated with tlie affairs of tho school should know better than one man. A number of cases of measles had como about as a result of the school opening too soon. The chairman said the committeo could not be censors of the board, but they could protest against its action. As far as he was concerned, he thought it better to mix. the whole crowd together, as mothers in the older days were known to do. Sinco tho creatiou of a Health Department people were getting very timid, and they would soon bo too frightened to breathe. (Laughter.)