SCHOOLS’ LIBRARIES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 63, 8 December 1930, Page 6

SCHOOLS’ LIBRARIES

Fusion with Wellington HUTT VALLEY PROPOSAL The Hutt Valley Headmasters’ Association unanimously decided last week to set up a sub-committee to investigate the practicability of tho schools Unking up with the Wellington system of school libraries. The meeting was attended by Mr. H. I*. Kldson, principal of the Hutt Valley High School; Sir. Mclfadyen, Petone Technical High School; Mr. Marry atty Wilford; Mr. Thompson, Petone Central; Mr. Vaughan, Talta; Mr. Wilson, Waiwhetu; Mr. Miller, Hutt Central; Mr. Burke, Boulcott; Mr. A. E. Werry, Itandwlck; Mr. A. Mcßain, Eastern Hutt. Also present were: Mr. W. Nash, M.P_ Mr. J. Norrie, chief librarian of the Wellington Public library, and Mr. J. S. Perry, librarian of the Newtown Public ■ Library. ■ .. Mr. Nash, at tho invitation of tho association, outlined a scheme involving the distribution of books from a central library for the whole of the Hutt Valley. The number of children involved, he said, would be over 5200, made up as follows: —Boulcott (Lower Hutt), 180; Eastern Hutt, 850; Epunl (Hutt. County), 82; Hutt Central, 593; Kaitoke, 13; Karapoti (Upper Hutt), 80; Koro Koro (Petone), 47; Mangaroa 1 (Upper Hutt), 13; Murital (Eastbourne), 303; Normandale, 14; Petone Central, OSO; Petone West, 590; Randwick (Lower HUtt), 309; Silverstreain, 108; Stokes Valley, 32;, Talta, 148; To Mania (Upper Hutt), 33; Trentham, 202; Upper Hutt, 409; Wainul-o-Mata, 23; Wallacevllle, 18; Waiwhetu (Lower Hutt), 423; Whiteman’s Valley, 21; Wilford, 228. Additional to those schools would probably be tho Hutt Valley High School, Petone Technical High School, Sacred Heart Convent (Lower Hutt), St. Peter and St. Paul’s (Lower Hutt), Chilton St. James (Lower Hutt), Sacred Heart Convent (Petone), St. Joseph’s Orphanage (Upper Hutt), St. Thomas’s (Boys) School (Lower Hutt). “The Hutt Valley Headmasters’ Association,” said the chairman, “has dealt with the question of formulating some scheme of schools library before.. With tl;e object of improving our school libraries the headmasters approached the Lower Hutt and Petone borough coun- , cils for their support. Unfortunately both councils had already framed their estimates, but they were most favourable - to our requests and assisted us materially. Petone made a grant which will be annhal, and so also with Lower Hutt. The Lower Hutt Council also gave us control of all books in the juvenile section of its public . library.” Mr. Norrie said he was delighted ' to assist in the formation of a schools library in the Hutt Valley. .“The experience I have had I cheerfully place at your disposal,” he said. “I am not tied to any particular scheme, but I feel that a library inside the school is not always a distinct advantage. ... Whatever scheme you decide upon it,is essential that the library should work hand in hand with the headmasters and the teachers. If for no other reason than that the success of the scheme will depend wholly on the teachers.” The chairman suggested that the schools in the valley should join in with WeL llngton. He did not think the local bodies in the valley Would be offended If the schools went past their libraries. On the motion of Mr. Miller it was agreed to set up a sub-committee with a view to investigating the practicability of joining with Wellington.,'