CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LIX, Issue 89, 8 November 1938, Page 3

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL

COMMITTEE MEETS AT LEESTON

PUPILS WIN TWO LIFE-SAVING

TROPHIES

The conur-lttco cf the Leeston Consolidated School met last night when there were present Messrs D. J. Ridden (chairman), G. Bray, D. H. Reid, R. T. McMillan, D. M. Mackay, D. S. Reid, C. A. Dellow, and A. McMillan (secretary). An apology for absence was received from Mr W. S. McLaughlin.

The chairman extended a welcome to Mr R. T. McMillan, who had been appointed to the vacancy caused by the removal from the district of Mr H. R. Barnett.

Discussing swimming bath affairs, the committee favoured the installation of lights for evening swimming. Another decision was that children under 12 years of age should not be allowed in the bath after 8 o'clock in the evening, and that the responsibility for the conduct of the bath in the evenings should rest with the Swimming Club.

Mr Mackay reported that the whole of the five acre reserve allotted to the school by the Ellesmere County Council had been planted in trees. The ground had been cleaned up and fences erected, the council supplying material for fencing. Valuable voluntary assistance with the carting of firewood from the reserve and soil for garden plots had been given and thanks were due to the carriers, Messrs Scarlett, Manson, and Patterson. The committee expressed its thanks to the carriers, to Mr Ryde for sharpening tools, and to Mr Mackay for the valuable help he had given in connexion with the work done at the reserve. In his report the headmaster stated that the attendance wasl still being affected by sickness, the roll number being 216 and the average attendance 195. Nurse Francis had taken up duty at the dental clinic. Dr Baker McLaglan and Nurfce Worger. had visited the school last month. A further visit was to be paid this month and Dr. McLaglan would like to meet the parents of the children. Advice had been received from the Royal Life Saving Society that the boys of the school had won the Collins cup and the girls the Canterbury rose bowl for life-saving. It was proposed to take the children on an educational visit to a coalmine this .month. Mrs Crawford, vocational guidance officer, had addressed the senior children on October 27. The help and advice of the vocational guidance officers was at all times available to parents; and children in assisting toward a wise choice of a career. A donation of trees for planting had been received from Mr A. Scarlett.

The committee agreed to suggest Tuesday, November 22, at 2 p.m., as a suitable time for the mothers to meet Dr. Baker McLaglan.

Mr Mackay referred to the success of the children in the competitions for the Collins cup for boys and rose bowl for girls at life-saving. This was the third occasion on which the school had won these trophies. He moved that the committee's congratulations should be extended to Mr Cartwright and the staff on the great interest they were taking in the welfare of the children. It was a meritorious achievement to win the trophies against all the other schools in Canterbury.

Replying, Mr Cartwright said that he and the staff felt amply rewarded by the fact that a test taken earlier in the year showed that 87 per cent, of the children of ten years or over could swim. He hoped to reach 100 per cent, this summer.

Mention was made of a notification received by the headmaster from the Education Board advising him that because of the re-grading of .the school he was, to hold himself in readiness for a transfer should a suitable position become vacant.

It was agreed that the chairman and Messrs R. T. McMillan, D. H. Reid, Bray, W. S. MeLaughlin, and Mackay should wait upon the appointments committee of the Education Board to urge that Mr Cartwright