MANAIA HIGH SCHOOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 22 April 1926, Page 5

MANAIA HIGH SCHOOL.

INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE.

ASSISTANT TO BE APPOINTED. Questions as to the continuation of the secondary department of the Manaia District High School were discussed at the mouthy meeting of the Taranaki Education Board at New Plymouth yesterday. It was decided to call for applications for th e position of permanent assistant to the secondary department. Messrs S. G. Smith, A. Lees and P. J. H. White submitted the following repaid of a recent visit paid to the school: •‘We visited Manaia on the 7th April, and met Mr Bakers, chairman of the school committee, and Mr Nairn, headmaster, in connection with the secondary division of the school. “There were 18 pupils (10 boys and 8 girls) present in the secondary division out of a roll of 19, with an average attendance for the March quarter of 18.3. There are 27 pupils in the present Standard 6, of whom 17 .signified their intention to attend the secondary division if they obtained proficiency certificates. The pupils were addressed, and the importance of secondary education stressed. “Other members of the community were interviewed, and the School Committee desires to hold a. public meeting and wishes members of the Boaid to attend and address the people.” In the discussion that followed the presenting of the report, the chairman (Mr S. G. Smith) said that the secondary school had, in his opinion, come to stay at Manaia. While it was gratifying to note the increase in attendance, and the good work being done in the class, he could not see results of any outside efforts. In all present-day secondary schools organised games were a. feature, and these had proved to bo of considerable benefit in the training. Unless the teachers arranged organised games, the school could not hope to compete successfully with other 1 : gh schools, and from the appearances this one important factor was lacking. Mr Lues agreed with the chairman, and said that those secondary schools which were producing the best results were those to which outside interest had been added to the syllabus. Mr White declared that the board should push the secondary departments of the school. All educationists agreed that the sixth standard of education did not qualify anyone for the exigencies of the- present day. The Opunake people had, after considerable delay, realised this, and if the board' could induce the Manaia people to do likewise the school’s future would lie assured. It was all very well 1° talk of conveying the ■children to Hawera, but this was not convenient in all cases, and the children who would be prevented from attending in these circumstances were quite entitled to the additional education. He suggested the calling of applications for the position of assistant secondary teacher.

M,r Lees, after discussing the unpleasantness involved by the children travelling on motor buses, moved that the applications should be called. Mr White seconded, and the motion was carried.