HAWERA HIGH SCHOOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 February 1927, Page 3

HAWERA HIGH SCHOOL.

MEETING' OF BOARD. The Hawera High School Board of Managers met last- evening. There were present: Messrs R. S. Sage (chairman), A. Lees, T. C. Hobbs, A. L. Campbell, J. Gray, AY. Crompton, J W. Harding, and All’s. Harding. It was reported that the board had attempted to- get passes to enable scholars from Elt-ham to attend the Hawera •school, but nothing definite had been decided yet. Mr. Hobbs reported that the total cost of kerbing at the' school had been £3O 12s. It had been found necessary to give' the original concreting a coat of plaster. It was resolved to make the matter of cracked ceilings the subject of a letter to the department.

HEADMASTER’S REPORT. The headmaster reported that tlie school resumed on Tuesday, February 8. Tlie numbers on the roll were Literary, senior 38, intermediate 22, junior ' 40 —total, 100. Commercial, senior 30, intermediate 31, junior 51 — total, 112. Agriculture, senior 1, inter, mediate 7, junior 10—total, 18. Engineering, senior 5, intermediate 15, junior 22 —total, 42. Home Science, intermediate 12, junior o—total, 18. Grand total, 290. Of these 133 were new students and 157 students previously enrolled. There were 31 fourth and fifth year students on the roll. The numbers entitled the school to at least two additional teachers. One of these should he a. commercial teacher and one a general teacher. The department having granted permission for the employment of temporary teachers, Airs. Tugwell and Air. AL Gray were acting in that capacity. Air. N. Martin was taking drawing. No permanent additional teachers could be appointed until after Alarcli 1, as the school was staffed on the roll number at that date. In addition to the two teachers mentioned above the school was entitled to a tenth assistant. The time due for this assistant would he made up by (1) part-time drawing tea cher, (2) part-time woodwork, (3) part-time home science, and (4) a further part-time general teacher. A good deal of trouble was experienced in filling the temporary home science position. The school liad secured the services of Airs. Bowler, who acted in a temporary capacity a year or two ago. The greatest handicap under which the school was working was the lack of space. The board was faced with the following arrangements: (1) The turning of the room in the engineering building into a full-time class room; (2) using a room in the Princes Street school; (3) renting and furnishing a room adjacent to the school. The ideal solution was tlie erection of the home science room, hut even if that were agreed to now it would not help much for the present. The examination results for last year were most encouraging. The outstanding feature in the examinations were the securing of a Taraanki scholarship with, a year to spare by J. Sargent, and the placing of 16th on the P.S.E. list for New" Zealand by R. Beatson. The excellent work that had been done at the top of tlie school had resulted in the formation of a post matriculation class of energetic students, who were working with a view to taking a university or Taranaki scholarship. The thanks of the school were due to the Egniont Tourist Company, which presented a motor-bus .for use in tlie engineering class. This was a very handsome donation indeed, and the engineers have already started operations on it. 5

The school was grateful to all who assisted to make such a success of the breaking-up ceremony. In particular it was indebted to the following for; special prizes: Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Pa coy (dux medals), Mrs. A. Coleman,; Mrs. Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Sage, Mrs. W. Thomas, and the Hawera Chamber of Commerce.

Special attention should be paid to physical work among the girls during the coming year. In this connection eurythmies should be taught. A suitaide visiting instructress could be secured .

Requests had been received from parents of girls coming from a distance to have lockers .built similar to those used by the boys. ADDITIONAL STAFF.

The report was received, and in the course of discussion the chairman said the position of home science instructress had been advertised. Various applications had been received, but all the applicants hacked out. No application had been left to submit to the board. . , , ~ Mr J. Gray said the board should have an opportunity of considering all the applications. . . The chairman said 1 the. present position was that the vacancy was temporarily filled by a teacher who had not applied for the position. Mr Harding said he was opposed to appointing married, in preference to single, teachers. . j „ Mrs Bowler was appointed to lid tire position of home science, mistress during Miss Earl’s temporary absence.. The headmaster’s action in appointing two temporary relieving teachers was approved. . . , The matter of advertising for two permanent teaciiers—-one .commercial, one general—on March 1 was ledt in the hands of the chairman. LACK OF ACCOMMODATION. Regarding the provision of additional accommodation, Mr Harding opposed taking the engineering room for a general class- room on the ground that it would militate against the engineering classes-. ' . „ In view of tlie large increase an the school roll, it was- decided that application be made to the department for the necessary additional class room accommodation. . It was- decided that, in view of the crowded state of t-lie. school, a tent be hired for tlie purpose of accommodating students, and that the department i ){ .° asked to contribute towards l the hire of it. „ , _.. SATISFACTORY RESULTS.

Upon, tlie motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr J. Gray, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the staff for its good work in the past year. Members stated that the results of the examinations were a. credit to the school and to the town. FURYTHMICS. The headmaster .said he. proposed that in summer eurythmies should take the place of singing. The- department was -paying considerable attention. to this branch of instruction. He would like the. girl pupils- to feel that something was being done specially for them. He proposed that the- fee of a prospective teacher he asked for. Mr Harding opposed cutting out singing. The matter was left in the hands' of the finance committee, -with power to act. GENERAL. A vote, of thanksi was paLSsed to the donors of prizes. The matter of installing lockers for

.girls was left, in the hands of the .oh airman. . Mr Harding drew the attention of; the headmaster to the practice of scholars riding bicycles several abreast, into High street, (Motorists complained of the danger of this proceeding. The -headmaister’s action l in applying for 15 additional desks- was confirmed. The acceptance of a tender was- left to the chairman.