TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1940, Page 12

TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

BOARD OF GOVERNORS. « NO DISMISSAL OF TEACHER. .The Board of Governors of the Greymouth Technical High School met last evening, there being present: Messrs T. E. Coates (chairman), J. B. Kent, w. H. Parfitt, C. F. Shapcott, E. B. K. Taylor, J. H. North, J. E. White, Mrs C. H. Lindsay, and the Principal, Mr W. M. Stewart. The 'financial statement showing a credit balance of £2BO/0/11 i Q the school account was adopted. Accounts amounting to £ll4/2/7 tor the school, and £293/0/9 for the hostel, were passed for payment.A motion of condolence was passed with Hon. J. Goodall, a member of the Board, in the death of his wife. Regarding the granting of leave to Mr Tweedie, concerning whom a letter, over a nom-de-plume, appeared in the “Star” last evening, the Principal presented the following statement:— Mr Tweedie applied for leave to go into camp,, and, after making careful enquiry as to the date when the Third Echelon would be called up, made ms application for March 31st. This leave he was granted, with the Board s and his colleagues’ congratulations anti good wishes. There, has since been delay in the calling-up of the Thdrd Echelon. Attei waiting for two weeks, Mr Tweedie, on the advice of the chairman of the Patriotic Committee, took steps to secure temporary employment. Any suggestion of dismissal is fantastic, and either maliciously un truthful or idle gossip. The Principal added that Mi Tweedie had called on him that evening, and was highly indignant at the suggestion made in the letter , that he had been dismissed, and! was deeply concerned about the reflection on his professional ability. He (Mr Tweedie) mentioned that he knew the Board was not at fault. The whole position arose through the unexpected delay in Mr Tweedie’s being called into camp. On the advice of the Patriotic Committee, Mr Tweedie registered’ as unemployed'. He (the Principal) had contacted both the Registrar of Social Security and Mr J. O’Brien, M.P., and both had said that the situation was not avoidable, and that there were others in a similar position. Mr Kent moved that the action of the Chairman and the Principal, and the Principal’s statement be approved. The Board had been asked' to grant leave for a certain date, and had done so. The Board had no further power to re-employ the teacher when that date arrived, and when his successor was actually at work. To Mr Shapcott, the Principal said that if the Board had! chosen to let Mr Tweedie remain when it was ascertained that he was not going into camp on the date previously arranged, the Department would almost certainly not have paid his salary, as Mr Tweedie’s successor had already taken up his duties. . Mr Parfitt said that the Principal had said 1 that Mr Tweedie registered as unemployed on the advice of the Patriotic Committee. He (Mr Parfitt) was secretary of the committee, which as far as he knew had not dealt with the matter.

The Chairman said it was very wrong of Mr Parfitt in the first plac© to ring the Principal and ask if a staff member had been dismissed. As a member of the Board, he ought to h]ave known the position, and explained it when he was asked; about it instead of ringing up Mr Stewart, and asking “what is this I hear about a member of the staff being dismissed?” Mr Parfitt should have explained the position. Mr Parfitt: I did not know the position; I was not present at the previous meeting of the committee. The Chairman: Wh.at earthly use is there in your being on the committee if you do not know what’s going on? Mr Parfitt reiterated that he was not present at the previous meeting. He was asked by people about the position, and he ’phoned! the Principal to find out the facts, as the suggestion Lad been made that the teacher had been dismissed. The Chairman: You know well enough that the Principal could not sack a teacher.

Mr Parfitt: I merely asked for information.

The Chairman said that as a member of the Board Mr Parfitt should have known the position and been able to explain it, without ringing the Principal and! asking about a staff member being dismissed. The whole thing was a reflection on the Board and the Principal, and also on Mr Tweedie’s professional ability, when the Board and the Principal had every confidence in Mr Tweedie. The Principal, in explanation to Mr Parfitt, said that'it was the Mayor, who was chairman of the Patriotic Committee, who had advised Mr Tweedie to register as unemployed. Mr Tweedie worked up to and. including April 1, and his successor started on April 2. The acton of the Chairman and the Principal was endorsed, as also was the Principal’s statement, published above. It was decided to purchase a secondhand safe for the office for £5. EXHIBITION ENTRY. Mr Kent asked if it could not be announced who Rad made the exhibits from Greymouth in the Exhibition, and where they had come from. One exhibit from the school was the finest in the Exhibition, and he had heard many highly complimentary comments on it. He knew that no names could be -mentioned when the exhibit was sent up, but he thought that an anoiincement might now be allowed, seeing that the Exhibition was nearing its close. The Principal agreed with Mr Kent’s comments on the exhibit in question, but thought it would be advisable to .wait until after the Exhibition had closed.. He added that he had been asked' to prepare a statement of the cost of cartage and packing of the exhibits sent to Wellington. The Board did' not have to meet the cost. A letter was received from the Director of EducaXional Services, stating that he would be pleased if the School could give any necessary assistance to Air Force students of the correspondence courses. The Principal said he had advised the Director that the . instructors would! be pleased to give any possible assistance. The Director had replied, stating that he had advised correspondence - students in the district that they could receive assistance at the school, but, said the Principal, none had yet applied. USE OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS. The West Coast Sub-Council of the Methodist Bible Class wrote, asking ;

permission to use the Schpol Hostel for a Bible Class. Summer camp from December 26,-1940, to January 1 or 2, 1941. ' . .. An application was also received from the Chjurch of Christ, stating that the annual Young People’s camp of the Dominion Churches of Christ would be held at Greymouth during Easter, 1941, and asking for the use of part or the school building. ~ \ *i. Mr Taylor said he did not think the school buildings should be let. The objects were no doubt worthy, but the school buildings were for use for school purposes. • Mr Kent said the trouble was that if the present applications were granted, the Board would be creating a precedent. They might get similar applications every year, and if some were granted they could hardly refuse others.

Mr Taylor said there would be a multiplicity of arrangements necessary if the hostel were to be let, such as the use of bedding, preparation of the building, and the cleaning-uj) afterwards. Personally, he would not like to see the application granted. The Principal said he did not agree with the principle of letting school buildings, but it was a matter for the Board. , The Chairman said he did not like to refuse the applications, but the Board had to think of the future. It would be different if sports teams competing against the school teams were concerned. Mrs Lindsay said that the applicants could probably get a hall. School buildings were different from other buildings. Mr White said that the applicants should be advised that it was against the Board’s policy to let its buildings. It was resolved, on. the motion of the Chairman and Mr White, that the applications be refused, and that it be explained that it was against the Board’s policy to allow outside organisations the use of school buildings. _ The National Patriotic Fund Board wrote asking the co-operation of the school in its campaign for the collection of npn-ferrous metals —lead, brass, copper, etc. It was decided to give full co-opera-tion. The Principal said! that the children were already collecting. The Shaw, Savill and Albion Shipping Company forwarded a copy of “The Flag of the Southern Cross,” a history of the company. The publication was accepted with thanks. Mr D. A. McLean forwarded his resignation as a member of the Board, on account of his transfer to Gisborne. He thanked the Chairman, the Board and' the Principal for the many kindnesses extended to him, and wished the Board and the School every prosperity and success/ The resignation was accepted with regret, and it was resolved that • a letter be forwarded to Mr McLean expressing thanks for his services. It was further decided that the Principal take the necessary steps to have the vacancy filled'. MANUAL TRAINING. The Canterbury Education Board, in reply to a letter from the Board, advised that the unsatisfactory state of some of the equipment at the manual training centre in Reefton, had been referred to the Board’s architect for a report. The Department of Education wrote regarding the extension of manual training proposed by the Board, and th;e application for additional parttime instructors, asking that further information regarding extended timetables, transport arrangements for the students, instructors, etc.„ be forwarded.

The Principal said that the manual training had now been extended to a stage, where an additional full-time assistant could be employed. It was decided that the Principal supply the required information, and apply for the extra instructor. For the Visiting Committee, the Chairman reported that the hostel roof needed painting, and! that goalposts were required for the hostel grounds. Otherwise everything was satisfactory at the hostel and at the school.

The Chairman was instructed to arrange for the painting of the hostel roof, and the Principal to procure the goal-posts. Messrs White and Kent were appointed the visiting committee for the coming month. It was decided to send a letter of congratulation to Mr M. A. Jermyn, a former pupil of the school, on his being awarded' a senior University scholarship. The arrangements for an official opening of the Home Science block were left to the Principal. PRINCIPAL’S REPORT.

The following report from the Prinj cipal was adopted:—Since March 1, two pupils have been admitted, and . 30 have been withdrawn, several having left for other districts and schools, but the majority have found positions in the industrial and' business life of the community. The roll now stands at 332—161 boys and 171 girls. The average attendance for the period has been 92.1 per cent., which, in.view of the great amount of wet weathej’ and the interruption to railway traffic, must be considered very satisfactory. Mrs Sumpter, on exchange fro,m the Takapuna Grammar School, has tendered her Resignation to the Auckland Board as from the end of this term, and! it is expected that Miss McDougall will resume her position here in the second term. Mr Tweedie relinquished his duties at the end of March to go into camp with the Third Echelon. Tfye' pupils and his colleagues of the staff took an opportunity of expressing to him in a tangible form their congratulations on his decision, and! their best wishes for his well-being and safe return. As empowered by the Board, I secured the Department’s approval of the qualifications of Mr R. G. Pilling for appointment to the temporary vacancy. Mr Pilling took up ibis duties and has entered, enthusiastically into the classroom and outside work, for which he is exceptionally well qualified. It is with pleasure that I report that Mr M. A. Jermyn, an old boy and dux of this school, has been awarded a senior University scholarship in chemistry. Mr D. A. McLean, whk> has been transferred to Gisborne, having submitted his resignation as a member of the Board, it will be. necessary to take steps for the election of another representative of the Association of Employers. The new Home • Science Block is nearing completion, and it seems likely that the equipment will be able to be installed and the school work to be begun there, at the beginning of the second term. Thp repairs to the school buildings are now practically completed. Enjoyable matches in cricket and tennis were played against the first teams, of Christchurch West High School. Our boys were defeated at cricket, but the girls were successful at tennis. I

have great pleasure in extending the thanks of the school to those parents and friends who helped in billeting our guests. The-athletic sports were held on March 13, and! the internschools’ athletic sports on April 3. Both meetings proved very successful, providing excellent contests and good finishes. In all three of these engagements, pupils and parents were once more generous in providing thie materials for afternoon tea, arrangements for which were carried out by the girls of the school, upd er the capable direction of Miss Macdonald. To all of these, the grateful thanks of the school are due for their unselfish support. Cricket has now finishted foi the season, and tennis is drawing to a close. The school first eleven was declared runners-up in the Saturday first grade competiticpi. Basketball and Rugby and Association, football are beginning, and all three show promise of the usual numbers and enthusiasm. In the School Activities Fund, receipts have amounted to £2B 3/1, comprising £25/1/6 from subscriptions (progress total, £5-j 18/-), and sundry £3/1/7. Payots for the period amount to £l9/9/iu, leaving a balance in hand of £7J 16/-, with one account ot £3/18/0 outstanding. The number of pupils entered at the hostel is 46—16 girls (one of whom is not in residence owing to illness) and 30 boys. The general health of all has continued good. Enrolments for evening classes continue to be made, and the average membership of classes is now just about normal. I regret to report that, owing to insufficient enrolments, the second! class in plumbing, and three of the examination classes have had to be discontinued. As authorised by the Board, submitted to the Department proposals for the extension of _ the scope of the primary manual training work, which would entail the engagement of further full-time or part-time teachers. ’ The Department has requested full particulars of the proposed extended time-table, and of any additional outlay thp,t would-be necessary for travelling; these are now in course of preparation.