GREY MAIN SCHOOL

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 February 1937, Page 10

GREY MAIN SCHOOL

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. The Greymouth Main School Committee’s first meeting .of/..the rcew school year, was held last evening. Present: Messrs A. E- Morgan .(chairman), W. Williams, M. B. ,K. Sheard, M V. Ellery. L. Patterson, G. Batty, and C, H. O'Call4gfl a!l (secretary). Mr J, Graham (headmaster) was also present. An apology tor absence was received from Mr H. Herring. The. .Headmaster, Mr J. Graham, reported as follows: Weekly roll at the end of last te'rni: — Main School, 331 boys, 279 girls—6l3; average attendance for last term: boys 308, girls 250—558. (The Blaketown returns are not available). During the recent storms,' many leaks appeared in the school roof, those above the main corridor being serious, making the wall in Standard VI;. ■ room damp and mouldy. The surface of the small lawns in front of the building require raising, as a large pool of water collects after a heavy shower. These lawns-also require top-dressing* The long grass on the football field iequires cutting before the school reopens. This year a special effort should be made to increase the number of library books in the schrool. A special library cupboard is required for the senior classes. On behalf of the. staff, I wish to thank the care-, taker (Mr Gleeson) for the efficient manner in which he has cai ried out his duties during the year. Referring to the report, the Chairman said the leaks in the school roof were really a very serious matter, and one with which the Board had to deal. Mr Elier'V suggested that, the Committee draw the, attention o£ the Board's Greymouth foreman to the necessary repairs to the roof. The Chairman said that the best thing to do would be to get the local Board member, Mr Bignell, to inspect the damage, and he could probably report to the next Board meeting. Mr Batty stated that it was noticed when the Jubilee sign was being erected in front of the school, that a lot of slates were off the roof near the entrance. ’■

“The slates have been a real curse,” said the Chairman, “and the sooner they are off, and replaced by iron, the better.” He undertook to ask Mr Bignell to inspect the damage. It was decided to ask the caretaker to attend to the raising of the level of tho portions of the front lawns, mentioned in tho Headmaster’s report, and that he be given extra pay for the job. Tho Chairman undertook to interview the Borough Council, 'in an enlieavour to have the long grass on the football field cut with the Borough mower. Replying to a query from the Chairman, the Headmaster stated that it was hoped to get a school concert off in the first term, though they would not have a great deal of time at their disposal, owing to the belated start of the school year. The- Chairman' suggested that' the of the concert might be devoted to. the school library and presentation fund. On the motion of Messrs Sheard and Williafns, it was resolved that the Headmaster expend the proceeds of the concert to. the best advantage in library requisites and school prizes. A suggestion by the Headmaster that a Library Commitee be appointed to act with him, and the rest of the staff in the control of the library,’was received with approbation, and Messrs Sheard and Ellery were appointed.

TEACHING STAFF. The Canterbury Education Board wrote confirming the appointment of Mr H. F. S. Silcock (Grade II assistant master), Mr L. B. Galbraith (Grade HI. assistant master), and Miss N. M. Havill (assistant mistress) to the school staff, the teachers to take up their appointments at the commencement of the new school year. - The resignations of Miss Annie Greenway (assistant mistress at the Blaketown School) and Miss Mary C. Daly (assistant mistress at the Main School) were accepted with regret, and it was decided to write to the two teachers in appreciation of their services, and wishing- them the best of health and prosperity in their married life. The Chairman spoke in appreciative terms of the work of the caretaker. He said that the school was spotlessly clean, and a credit to him. The question of extending the bicycle.shed was referred to the Finance Committee. It was decided to approach the Borough Council, to have more effective “school —go —slow’’ signs erected in Tainui and Turumaha Streets. -Air Sheard said that the paihTing of the sign on the roadway was not sufficient. Notice boards were the most effective.

KEEP TO THE LEFT! The Secretary drew Hie Committee’s attention to the fact that buses going up Tainui Street, pulled up at the stop in front of the Main School, practically in -the middle of the road. "The bus proprietors should bo asked to have the buses keep over to the left of the read near the kerb, as children waiting for. or alighting from, a bus were in constant danger from other traffic. The trouble was probably caused by the fact that the road was not bitunienised over to the kerb, and the drivers preferred to remain on the better surface. It was the only stop on the route, where the buses stopped in (lie middle of the road, and it was dangerous to the children. It was decided to approach the bus proprietors to remedy the matter. Members went into committee to dist ijks finance.