HIGH SCHOOLS BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 22885, 17 February 1938, Page 5

HIGH SCHOOLS BOARD

FIRST MEETING OF YEAR The Otago High Schools Board held its first meeting for the year yesterday afternoon. Present were the chairman (Mr W. It. Brugh), the mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox), Bishop Fitchett ( , Messrs Fl H. Campbell, J. Robertson, J. C. H. Somerville, and D. T. Fleming. CORRESPONDENCE. The Director of Education advised that approval had been obtained for an expenditure, of £72 Is 4d out of the board’s endowment income to cover the cost of urgent repairs carried out at the Otago Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools and the King’s High School.— Noted. The Director of Education advised that approval had been obtained for the expenditure out p.f endowment income of the following amounts:—Renovation of class rooms, Otago Boys’ High School, £200; renovation of class rooms, Otago Girls’ High School, £230; repairs to entrance steps, Otago Girls’ High School, £2O; sundry urgent repairs already carried out at the three High Schools, £157 15s 9d.—Received. The Director of Education intimated that the Government had provided a grant of £263 for the provision of equipment for the cookery clashes at the Qtago Girls’ High School.—Received. The Director . of. Education advised that the department could hot make a grant for the installation of woodwork machines at the King’s High School. A grant of £44 10s was applied for in December.—Received. Mr W. W. Bridgman, of the staff of the Boys' High School, was granted permission to act as tutor of the W.E.A. drama class for 1938. GENERAL. Mr Brugh was welcomed to the meeting after his absence abroad, and a motion of appreciation was adopted in respect of. the services of Mr Somerville, who acted as chairman while Mr Brugh was absent. The chairman reported having authorised the purchase of scientific apparatus, estimated to cost £4O 8s lOd, for the King’s High School. PRINCIPALS’ REPORTS. The Rector of the Boys’ High School (Mr H. P. Kidson) reported as follows : The school reopened for the 1938 session on Monday, February 6. The total number of new pupils up to the present date was 115. Of these 110 were holding junior and five senior free places. The total entry at the beginning of the 1937 session was 130, in 1936 147, in 1935 204, and in 1934 264. The number of boys returning from last year was 306 (344 in 1937), the total roll thus amounting to 421. The corresponding total for 1937 was 474, for 1936 602, for 1935 760, and for 1934 808. With the primary school population as it stood to-day the roll was destined to drop considerably again next year. The enrolment at Campbell House was again satisfactory, there being 40 boarders in residence. The rector of the King’s High School (Mr D. S. Chisholm) reported that the present roll was 314, made up of 197 former pupils and 117 new boy?. Of the new pupils, 114 were in their first year of secondary education. Of this total 21 boys travelled to school daily by train. As it was evident that the school would be entitled to a numerical increase of staff the school had been organised into 12 classes. During this preliminary classification more opportunities than usual had been given for outdoor sport and recreation. A fourday course of “ barracks ” will be held in the week commencing February 1. At the conclusion of this course the school would be able to resume under a normal time-table.

The principal of the Girls’ High School (Miss M. H. M. King) . reported that the new (enrolment was smaller by about 40 pupils than for tho previous four years. This was doubtless in part due to the smaller number in the sixth standard of the primary schools last year, and might be to some extent also duo to the anxiety of parents to place their children early in employment. This seemed a retrograde step that children of 13, and even 14, should be going into employment. Quite apart from the acquirement of knowledge, a greater degree of maturity was desirable before entering industrial or commercial life. Miss May and Miss Oddio had both returned and Miss Moorhouse had arrived to take the place of Miss Lawson for the year. Advantage would be taken of tho permission of "the Minister to relax tho usual timetable during February, to the extent of bolding “ Health Week ” during the month, and as occasion warranted, arranging for ono nr two games afternoons or excursions. The three reports were adopted.