HIGH SCHOOL

Feilding Star, Volume 8, Issue 2506, 20 March 1930, Page 5

HIGH SCHOOL

BOARD OF MANAGERS THE MONTHLY MEETING REVIEW OF THE WORK Mr H. Mclntyre was in the chair at the monthly meeting, of j lie Board of Managers of the Agricultural High School held last night, and there were also present Mcsdames J. E. Barltrcip, and ,T. S. Tingoy and Messrs Jas. Knight,, O. Aldis, A. C. Buist, A. H. Atkinson, E. IT. Brewer, and W. AY. Andrews. Apologies were rereived from Messrs H. Tolley and A .Williamson. PRINCIPAL'S REPORT Mr L. J. AYild reported for the month.: — Despite adverse' conditions, a. good beginning has : been made with the Year's programme of all forms, at least as far as I can tell under the existing difficult condition of supervision. An interruption, occurred last month when the week Feb. 17—21 (inclusive) was given over to the military authorities for intensive training . This method enables us, I think, to get. the maximum benefit from the training with minimum in von venie nee. The building in Fergusson Street, besides, being used as a day school, is silso a, night school, and following is a statement of the (position in regard to evening classes. Classes in the fol lowing subjects commenced on March 10 with the roll numbers shown. Shorthand and typewriting 20, bookkeeping p 5, woodwork 8, English and arithmetic 7, dressmaking, afternoon 17, evening 8 • At present“there are only seven students on the roll holding junior free places. Thjs is pmhaps due to the large enrolments at the day school Ho far no advantage has been taken of Clause 2 of vhe regulations relating to f*%e places under which junior free places may be held by any students who are over 14 years of age, and have been In regular attendance at a public school up fo a date not more than six months prior to the date of admission to the free place. The wood-work roll is particularly How, but judging from previous classes is expected t° increase. However, the number is up to the minimum enrolment rquired by the regulations. The book-keeping class js three below the mimimum enrolment. Art classes commenced the week before, the noils now standing as follows: Thursday, 7; Friday, 9; Tuesday 7, Wednesday 4. Three of these are oclow the minimum enrolment (8), although practically all students who commenced with one night per week at commercial art are now taking t w oThrough lack of funds our programme .of improvements has been steadied up, though the concreting of the margin of the baths has been carried nearly to completion and, , with the help of a grant from the School Council, a start has been made "with netting-in the tennis courts. The School Council has again been constituted and elections completed. The president for the first term is G. Hjoffmcister and the (Secretary, T. Thompson. SCHOOL LIBRARY Mr Aldis reported for the Library Committee that the grant made by the Board towards the school library last year had enabled a fine selection of books to be added and this had encouraged more use being, made- of the library. The Committee recommended the Board to make a grant of £ls for the purchase of more books, chiefly on New Zealand subjects.—The Board passed the grant without discussion.

AGRICULTURAL COMMITTEE The Agricultural Committee reported : As elsewhere in the district, lack of rain is the chief trouble at Merry Hill just now. Grasslands and ploughed lands both need rain, which will be too late for the swede crop. The farm is now fully stocked up, partly with 29 breeding ewes and partly with a line of 110 2-tootlis from which it is intended to build up a flock. Besides these 200 ewes there are 46 S.D., 14 iiomnev and 25 Ryeland stud ewes. Considering the dry season, the farm is in. very good condition, the young pastures and the old rough pastures at the back of the farm still showing considerable feed. Cultural operations have been held up somewhat by the dry. weather, and the absence of the manager on leave, but early progress will be made with such work.

Speaking to the report, Mr Knight said the farm was now in good working order and being run as a farm should be iruiu.