PARENTS INDIGNANT

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 157, 21 March 1923, Page 7

PARENTS INDIGNANT

CONDITIONS AT PETONE HIGH SCHOOL

An indignation meeting of parents to protest agUnst overcrowding of the infant department of the Petono Dis-

trict High School was hold at Petofie last night, and presided, over by the Mayor, Mr. J. W. McEwan. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., and members of the School Committee were present. The Mayor explained that the meeting had been convened to protest against the failure of the education authorities to take immediate steps to remedy the present overcrowding of the school, after repeated protests had been made by the School Committee.

Mr. Silbury., chairman of the committee, explained the inadequacy of the accommodation in tho infant department. Primers 1,2, 3, and 4, he said, were housed in one room 4 , with an. average attendance of 97, but last Friday 104 children had been present with two teachers and two pupil teachers. In the second Toom the kindergarten, 52 out of a roll number of 63, had been present on Friday, with one teacher and one pupil teacher. In the third room, the roll number was 55, and on Friday 53 had been present, with one teacher and one pupil teacher. Mr. Silbury said that the Education Department had been repeatedly approached, but had not made any effort to improve conditions. He explained the need of a rest room to which the teachers or any scholars taken ill could retire.

The secretary. Mr. Ashman, read correspondence received from the Education Board.

Mr. Wilford congratulated the parents on the live interest they showed in the affairs of the district, and especially in the education of the children. This school particularly, he sa'd, had not had a fair share of consideration. No ore could satisfy him that the accommodation in the infant department .was reasonable. The following resolution was carried unanimously: “That this meeting of householders strongly protests against the present condit’ons of the infant department being allowed to continue, and urges on the Minister of Education the necessity for providing at once a grant for alterations as suggested hv tho Education Hoard ;. that Mr. Wilford. M.P.. bo asked to interview the Minister of Education Privately and place th" matter before him, failing which a deputation interview the Minister.”