GREY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1942, Page 8

GREY TECHNICAL SCHOOL

BOARD OF GOVERNORS. The Board of Governors of the Greymouth Technical High School met last evening, there being present: Messrs. T. E. Coates (chairman), J. B. Kent, A. H. McKane, E. B. E. Taylor, A. A. Adams, P. J. McLean, T. Pratt, D. S. Kennedy, Mrs. C. H. Lindsay, and the Principal, Mr. W. M. Stewart.

On the motion of Mr. Kent and the chairman it was decided to write tc Maxwell McGlashan, a student at the School, congratulating him on his recent scholastic achievements. Members remarked that his success was a credit not only to the student, but also to the School.

The- Finance Committee’s report was adopted. Accounts amounting to £261 •1/5 were passed for payment. It was stated ihat the School credit balance was £694/9/7, and the Hostel debit balance £9l/1/7. The Superintendent of Technical Education advised that a forthcoming issue of the Education Gazette will be a technical number, and asking that Miss McDonald, a member of the staff be asked to contribute a brief article on the use of the flat, which is a fea- ■ cure of the domestic course at the | School. The Principal slated that ; Miss McDonald had inaugurated unique method of using the hat in the course, that was being copied in othei clxools, and the fact that she had been a-ked to contribute the article was c compliment io her arid lo the School. .Ir added that Miss, McDonald had com.ented to contribute the article. The Education Department advised licit it was proposed to have the School Sertilicate examination as the culmindion of a three-, years' course, and tc ■w.c the Matriculation awarded on ccommendation at the end of foui rears’ secondary education. The Principal slated that at present the School Certificate examination was ioi recognised bv many employers as of the same account as Matriculation, and among those employers was the biggest employer of all, the Public service Commissioner.

Wing Commander E. Caradus, offerer in charge of Air Force education, wrote stating that on account of the ..mall, number of students it would not oe necessary to continue the Air Force classes at Greymouth after the present. students had completed their courses, but trusted that the School would be able to assist students taking die correspondence courses. The Principal stated that he had wirtten Wing Commander Caradus pointing out that he had instituted the classes at considerable personal trouble, with a good deal of re-arranging of other classes, and at considerable personal sacrifice on the part of the two tutors involved, and pointing out that a discontinuance of the classes now might mean their permanent discontinuance. He had received a further communication to the effect that Air Force classes were to be discontinued in schools, and that in future educational training was to be given In the assembly camps. Tiie Grey Hospital Board wrote asking that the Boardprovide part of the old engineering workshop for the storage of equipment for the emergency hospital at the School. —The Principal stated that he had invited the secretary of the Board to visit the School while ihc Visiting Committee were present, and that the old workshop be inspected. It was found that by a rearrangement of the material stored in the shop already the necessary room could be made available. It was resolved ihat a portion of the building be allowed to the Hospital Board for the storage of the equipment. WAR EFFORT COMMITTEE. The War Effort Committee forwarded a circular letter setting out the objects of the Committee, as already published in the “Star,” and inviting the Board to send delegates to attend the next meeting of the Committee, when a permanent committee would be elected. Mr. Pratt said that the idea of the sponsors of the movement was to endeavour to foster the maximum war I effort.. There were quite a number j who thought ihat the maximum war I effort was not being exerted, and that only by a united effort by various orIgariisaiinns that necessary things that were not being done at present could be brought to official notice and put into force, and many of the weaknesses of the present organisations remedied. He stated that'it was intended at the meeting to elect a permanent commitItee who would organise public meet" lings and rallies where people would be able to put forward their views. He moved that the Board send delegates to the meeting. The Chairman said that three members of the Board were on the provisional committee, and two of them would be present at the meeting. Though members could not but be in full accord with the objects of the committee he thought that it was

hardly within the province of the Board to associate itself with the Committee.

Mi-. McKane seconded the motion, and said that he must differ from the Chairman in his remarks about thei province of the Board. People had to be roused to their responsibilities, and the organisation of such a committee was the way it was going to be clone. Over 300 different organisations in the district had been circularised, and asked to send delegates to the conference. He thought it was quite rightly within the province of the Board to associate itself with the committee, for the object of the committee was the winning of the war, which was the object of all, and if they could get 200 or 300 people at the meeting they would get the war effort that was really desired. Of the E.P.S., he said most of the committees were a fiasco, and that was not the fault of the people at the head of them but of the people generally. People were not in earnest, and many laughed at the efforts of some of those who were doing their best to be prepared for emergencies. At the recent trial of the B.P.S. services, block after block of wardens did not I turn up—they went to the races at Keelton, and could not be bothered with the trial, ft was time people woke up to - the iacts. He had heard ,nany people say tnat the best, thing mat could be done if the Japs landed was to give them a civic reception. J'nose people were Fil th Columnists, and that attitude had to be killed. The organisation of the War Effort Committee would be an excellent means of educating the people to their responsioilities, and. would be a real assistance in organising the war effort. Mr. Kent also spoke to the motion. Mr. Adams asked if the organisation of the committee suggested tnat the Government organisations set up to deal with emergencies were not doing meir job? He thought that there were some unfortunate aspects of the committee that were not likely to inspire confidence. He asked if it would not be a better idea lor the members to join up with the existing organisations and “ginger” them up where necessary.

Mr. McKane said that most of the sponsors of the committee were on the other bodies. He thought Mr. Adams aad got the wrong idea that the committee was being organised to goad someone. They were not there to do that, but to assist them, and to get everybody in behind the war effort. He did not know the unfortunate aspects that Mr. Adams referred to, unless it was the fact that the Trades Council, and the L.R.C. took the matter up in the first place. However, at* the next conference a permanent committee was to be elected, and the power could then be taken clean out of the hands of the sponsors. There was no ulterior motive other than assisting in the securing of a 100 per cent, war effort, and they were not getting that effort at present. The object of the circular was to get every section of the people represented at the conference, and the idea of the committee provisionally elected was not to censure or obstruct Government or local bodies, but t) assist them.

Mrs. Lindsay and Mr. Taylor were appointed to attend the conference, as delegates from the Board. For the Visiting Committee, Mr. Kent reported that he and Mr. Adams, with rhe Principal, inspected the School, the Hostel, and the grounds. They inspected the trenches that were being dug in the grounds, and evidently Mr. Kennedy had lost no time in getting the job in hand. At the Hostel, everything was quite alright, excent for the fact that the downpipes and spouting were in bad state, and he had been delegated to have them attended to. The report was approved, and Messrs. Taylor and Kennedy were appointed a visiting committee for next month. PRINCIPAL’S REPORT. The following report by the Principal was adopted:—The number of pupils on the School roll at March 2, the date on which the staffing of the School for the year is calculated, was 362—189 boys and 173 girls. Luring the past two weeks one girl has been admitted, and eleven pupils have been withdrawn, one through removal from the district and ten to take up positions in commerce and industry, including one senior boy who has been admitted to the ground staff of the Air Force. The roll number therefore now stands at 352. The average attendance of pupils for the four weeks was 91 per cent. Miss J. I. E. McNiven, 8.A., senior lady teacher, who is on sick-leave, will return to duty on March 23, and Messrs. Hutton and Ormandy are still absent on military duty. Mrs. E. L. Reddell, 8.A., is still a relieving teacher, and Miss Valerie Barrell, M.A., approval of whose appointment to a war-time position has been received from the Department, took up her duties on March 2, so that the staff is still numerically one short, the deficiency being made up by the

telescoping of certain classes in several subjects. I wish to express my gratitude to Mr. Mitchell, the first assistant, wno has cheerfully uevoted many hours of extra work to helping with the many changes of timetable which these changes of staffing have involved. Since my last report, Maxwell McGlashan, the Dux of the General Secondary Course in 1940 and 1941, who had already won a University National Bursary, has been awarded a Gammack Scholarship, tenable at Canterbury University College, on the results of the University Scholarship examination. One further pupil of last year has been admitted to Training College, making a total of six actual or very recent pupils of the School to secure entrance. During February, opportunity was taken to conduct classes in life-saving, and in instruction to learners. The School Cadet Company, despite the absence on military duty of its two senior officers, is in regular activity. On drill days, the girls are doing much knitting and other patriotic work under the organisation of Miss Ray and the other lady teachers.' It is pleasing to record the fact that many pupils of the School, with the consent of their I parents, are enrolled in various forms iof emergency work, such as E.P.S. communication runners, Home Guard, Red Cross, etc. Since my last report, School subscriptions have been received to the amount of £l9/13/-, making a progress total of £35/13/-. Payments have amounted to £l9 16/9. One account of 5/- is outstand- ; ing, and the credit balance in hand is £97/2/8. The programme of woodwork and cookery classes for the Primary and District High Schools is in normal working order. The evening classes, which commenced on March 2, have received a good enrolment on the whole, particularly in the trades and dressmaking sections, which, with the exception of plumbing, where there are no students available, are well up to standard. The commercial classes are rather lower than usual, while the general examination classes in English, French, history and geography must show a great improvement if they are to avoid being discontinued. For the thirteen classes now in operation, a total of slightly over 180 enrolments has been received, giving an average enrolment of 14 per class, and enrolments are still being made. In view of the present conditions, this result must be considered very satisfactory.