HIGH SCHOOLS’ BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 22576, 18 February 1937, Page 17

HIGH SCHOOLS’ BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING Tho monthly meeting of the Otago Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools Board was held yesterday afternoon. Ihose present were Mr W. 11. Brough (chairman), the mayor (the Rev. E- T. Cox), Bishop Fitchett, Dr G. E Thompson, Messrs J. Robertson, D. 1 • Bleming, F H. Campbell, .1. C. H. Somerville, and Mrs D G. M’Millan. Mr Brough was reappointed chairman. The Education Board wrote notifying the appointment of Messrs W* Brough arid D. T. Fleming as its representatives on the board. A letter was received from the Minister of Education stating that he had not'yet been able to reach finality in the matter of payments to newly-ap-pointed heads of departments m secondary schools. —Received. A circular memorandum from the Director of Education advised,that it had been decided that all schools should reopen on Monday, March 1, and that all teachers should attend at their schools duririg the week commencing February 22 in order to make thorough preparation for the new year’s work.—Noted. Mr Ivan G. Garden wrote undertaking that, on the expiry of the leave granted to him; he would return and remain in the board’s service for at least two years.—Received. It was decided that a letter of congratulation 5 be'forwarded to the Boys’ High School shooting team on again winning tho Victory Challenge Shield. The Secretary pointed" out that the arrangements made by the board for the dates of commencing'and, ending the terms did not agree with the proposals made by the department.—The chairman and the secretary were appointed a sub-committee to go into the matter. PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY. The question of a prize-giving ceremony for the Girls’ High School was discussed, it being reported that as the schools had closed early the board had decided to hold the ceremony early this year The school hall was too small and it was suggested that the function be held in a, theatre or the concert chamber. March 25 had been suggested as a suitable date, ’but Anniversary Pay was only a few days before that, arid might be tacked on to the Easter holidays. After the" matter had been discussed it was left to the chairman arid secretary to arrange a date and suitable form of ceremony; ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT. Accounts amounting to £6,096 9s 3d were passed for payment. RECTOR’S REPORT. The rector of the hoys’ school (Mr H. P. Kidson) reported: ; Owing to the infantile paralysis epidemic tnd : school will not reopen until March 1. Tile staff assembles-on February 22, and I have planned some useful work for them in the way of discussions on the technique’of instruction in the various subjects o| the curriculum; ' It is' hdped;' too';* to’TiaUe the School organisation complete before the opening day, hut this depends entirely on’Tlie cdiripldtteriesA of information as to the roll number? It is to be .hoped that" parents ■of last year’s pupils will inform ; iis"-’immediately'* whether the boys are returning or not; and that parents of this "year's' new pd-pils who 'hhve*as yef failed to do se will immediately enrol them. News has been received that " the school shbotirig team again was successful in winning, the. Victory Challenge Shield competition for the best team in the secondary school cadets of the Southern Command. Referring to the public examinations, thC'fepbft stated that the’ results are satisfactory, the university scholarship ones beirig especially 'good. Following are" the detaimd' results': —In] tho university scholarship examination there were - 13 candidates; of thhte'five secured scholarships, and the remaining eight passed with credit and secured university bursaries. One other candidate for a bursary alone waS' successful in obtaining it. The winners of university schblarships were: E. R. Dalziel (fourth on list), H. W. Henderson (eighth on list), N. G. Marshall, W. D. Hawsbn, and C. Craw. F. N. Fastier was second on the credit list. There ’ were 69 passes (including one completion) iri the University entrance examination. The percentage of passes Was not so good as "last year, butwas up to the usual standard. Again a large number sat for the examination whose chances of passing were nil. Of 30 boys recommended not to sit, only four were successful. Seventy-one hoys passed the school certificate examination, and 21 secured partial passes. Forty-five boys were awarded higher leaving certificates. There were 16 candidates for the Training College entrance examination, one securing a full pass and 14 partial passes. One hundred and two boys were awarded their senior free places by recommendation and two by examination. The report was received, it_ being stated that it was the best examination return for some years. KING’S HIGH. Reporting on the results of the 1936 public examinations, the rector of the King’s High School (Mr D. S. Chisholm) stated: Owing to the preponderance in numbers of juniors in the school, the number of candidates was small. Seven boys sat the university entrance examination, of whom two were successful. Two boys gained a full pass and one a partial pass opt of the six candidates for tho school certificate, It was recognised that the candidates, as a whole, were not strong, but the result was slightly below* expectation. Forty-two hoys were , granted senior free places by recommendation and seven an extension of their junior free place. Four examination candidates were unsuccessful. GIRLS’ HIGH. The principal of the Girls’ School (Miss M. H. M. King) reported on the results of examinations as follows; University entrance scholarship; Five candidates, one scholarship (J. Manson), three bursaries (credit), one pass. University entrance: 53 candidates; 38 passed (72 per cent). Of the others, four gained school certificates and three partial school certificates. Three are applying for reconsideration of papers, having failed by a narrow margin. Training College entrance: 27 candidates, of whom 15 passed and 12 gained partial passes. These results seem on the whole very satisfactory. The report was received.