COBDEN NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 November 1918, Page 3

COBDEN NOTES.

JOur Own Correspondent.] SCHOOL SITE. The Chief Inspector’s report upon Cobden School, as reported in yesterday 's issue of your paper, •must have been read with some interest, because for some time the Committee has been urging- an additional room and so obviate the use of the gymnasium, which was never intended to be used for class purposes. The stumbling-block to better things yvas that the' total floor space provided more tnan the regulation space of 10 sq.’ ft. per child. But the arrangement of the rooms of the school does not provide for abnormally large classes, with tfie result that the necessary light and air space are insufficient. The decision of the Chief Inspector that a larger site is imperative is no doubt the correct one, as no school is complete without adequate playgrounds for its scholars. The Board has forwarded the recommendation to the Department, and the reply of the Minister of Education will be awaited with interest, because in the course of the next few months the Committee contemplated further improvements of the schoolgrounds by way of tarring and sanding, but if the Department adopts the recommendation of the Inspector the subsidy money granted by the Department would be better utilised in being diverted to the new project. When it is remembered that it costs something like ,£6 per child ner year to impart State education the amount of time lost through epidemics is serious, and the wisdom of installing an inhalation chamber is one that should receive serious consideration by the authorities. THE CUMMINGS. The advent of missioners to Cobden is so seldom that when such does take place there is generally a readv response to come and hear. The Cummings have been so well received wherever they have been that nothing further need be said, except that they will shortly commence a series of evangelistic addresses lasting a week. THE EPIDEMIC. “Eighty scholars and five teachers absent and only the Headmaster and an assistant to carry on” defined the position at Cobden School on Monday. With a roll number of 250 children no good could be gained by keeping going, so the school was dismissed in the hope that soon more favourable conditions will prevail. The Headmaster, in dismissing the school yesterday, thoughtfully told the children to keep away from town as much as possible and to go to the soa-beach instead. There are no doubt manv wavs in which needless risk may be taken and such advice is timely and valuable.