TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Grey River Argus, 4 May 1937, Page 6

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Board of Managers Meet

The monthly meeting of the Boa of Managers of the Technical High School was held last evening Mi I.K Coates (chairman) J' A were present Messrs W. ~ Adams J B. Kent, G. Kear, A. N. G*' more IV H. Barfitt - J ’ H ' NoH ’ E Morgan, and apologies were received from Hon. J. Goodall, M.L.C. and Sporting condition of the hostel Mr Kent said that the whole Sing badly needed painting but w the meantime the window sashes had “’nVaTaeSde"' that th. fiudow to £238 19s IM " Th/“Mueatto/ Department ‘ a y‘“ a that there appeared, to be tion for any decrease in staff at pre and suggested that th. MHteachers could be used for the evening classes to retain the full number The Education Department, noting •i press report of the last meeting, re " attention to a statement that a snb.ommitte. had been set up to “»**}[ applications for a vacancy on the staff and stated that the Principal > must advise f.he Board on such matters. The Department also trusted that the ev n ing 1 classes in matriculation would be The Principal read his reply, informin'' the Department that he had made U recommendation en the ma ter. which the board had adopted. lb replv was approved. The Education Department wrote stating that it would pay fid or Sd pel trip on the fares of manual 1 raining students travelling by means other than train to classes. The Canterbury Education Board advised that applications from Kumara, Ngahere and Totara Flat to have manual training classes had been received. The Principal stated that at pie sent further classes could nut be handled Thev had taken in Woodstock and Ranieri at the Hokitika Central, but additional staff and accommodation would b e required if other sehoo s were to be added to the present number. The Board also asked the possibilities of establishing new manual training classes and suggested that the Hokitika centre be made a full-time one with two instructors. The Principal was instructed to replv to the Principal of the Masterton Technical School’s request re insurance of pupils in trades classes. H was decided to purchase a new duplicator at a cost of £3O, less an allowance of £7 10s for the present, machine. . Reporting for the visiting committee. Mr Rear said that the M's'e grounds were in excellent order and the school grounds were already showing the benefit of draining. Messrs Gilmore and Adams were appointed a visiting committee for the month.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT. In his monthly report th e Principal (Mr W M. Stewart) stated: — Day School. The school has been fortunate in escaping any incidence of the infantile paralysis, our only losses in attendance being due to the tempoiary absence of a few pupils for reasons of contact. The numbers on the school roll shows a drop to 288, in spite of the fact that a number of new enrolments or re-enrolments have been made. The drop in numbers is due parity to removals from the district and partly to pupils finding employment. The average attendance for the month has been 92 per cent., which is satisfactory. The Education Department has advised me that it will not be necessary in the meantime to reduce the staffing of the school. The Canterbury Education Board’s architect visited “the school on April 23 to discuss the matter of equipment for the new domestic science, engineerng and woodwork blocks. On approaching the morft urgent matter of site and plans, however, I discovered that the site decided on for the domestic science block was quite unsuitable and offered a permanent interruption to the general lay-out of the school. The architect undertook to do what h e could to have the matter rectified as far as possible. The school registrar, Miss McMillan, has been absent from duty for two weeks owing to ill-health but hopes to resume duties on Monday next. The work of the office has been carried on through the kind offices of Mrs A. J. Wilson, a former registrar, to whose generous assistance the Principal and staff are deeply indebted. Th e Department, has approved the qualification of Mr J. D. Lyon, whose appointment to the position” of woodwork instructor is thus confirmed. The school hostel maintains its usefulness, the number of boarders being now twenty-five. It is likely that this number will be added Io in the second term. The health of all boarders remains satisfactory. R. Cooper, a hostel boy, suffered a bad fracture of the wrist while playing Rugby football in the first fifteen. I understand that further schools are proposing to apply for manual training work at the Greymouth centre. At present it is impossible to provide this as the manual block is in constant use throughout the week, and the manual staff is occupied for the whole of every day. When the new home science and woodwork blocks are available at this school, the manual block will be availabe for two further' days a week, and this will enable other primary schools to by brought in, providing further instructors can be obtained. In accordance with the Department’s instructions I have made such rearrangements in the proposed matriculation classes as will enable the Department’s requirements as to average numbers to b t > observed, while at the same time, keeping a fair degree of efficiency in thn course. Instruction is now available in chemistry, mathematics, English, French and geography. The trades, domestic and commercial classes retain their numbers and continue to do very useful work. The number of pupils attending the evening school now amounts to well over a hundred, which must be considered very satisfactory; at the same time, I feel that a great many mor e of the young people of Greymouth should be taking advantage of instruction offered at these classes.

A motion expressing congratulation upon the excellent progress Mr Stewart had made as Principal since he assumed office, was carried. Mr Kent and the Principal wer e empowered to procure a number of items of necessary equipment. Th e Principal submitted the estimates totalling £5BO. He explained that the normal expenditure had been about £3OO, but

that the school was almost entirely without books of reference, and the equipment was quite inadequate for present purposes. The estimates were approved on the motion of Messrs Kent and Parfitt. The following statements of cash accounts showing position of school and hostel as at the end of the year 1936, were submitted by the Principal:— Hostel Cash A/e.—Receipts: Hostel fees received £660 9s 6d; O.S. fees, 1936, £5l 19s; less £lO 10s —£41 9s. Balance of expenditure over income, 1936, £4O 8s lid; total £742 7s sd. Expenditure: Groceries £167 8s bread £l9 6s 9d, meat and fish £79 12s 2d, fruit and vegetables £42 9s Bd, other £52 Is lid, wages £122 10s 9d, light and heat £75 fid sd, repairs and replacements £72 18s lid, insurance £lO 7s 7d, other extras £32 2s 2d, outstanding accounts £6B 3s id; total £742 7s sd.

The overdraft on hostel is as follows —Overdraft at beginning of 1936 £232 Ils lOd, plus dr. balance for year £4O 8 S nd—£273 0s 9d; £4B 16s 6d fees for 1936 have been paid up to date in 1937.

School Statement of A/cs. —Cash in hand £457 9s Id, receipts 1936 £7155 12s lid, amounts owing by Education Department for incidentals £202 8s 6d, salaries £66 0s 6d, part time £26 6s 8d; total £7907 17s Bd. Payments. 1936 £7098 4s 7d, O/s. accounts £65 7s 10d, endowment income owing to Department £136 4s 6d, balance £6OB 0s 9<3; total £7907 17s Bd. The school has the satisfactory cash balance of £6OB 0s 9d. The hostel overdraft has to be carried by this, leaving the school a cash working balance of approximately £435.