HASTINGS SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 66, 28 February 1911, Page 3

HASTINGS SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Th-- usual monthly meeting <> the Hastings District High Schoo ' Committer was held last evening : Messrs. G. Land tchair ri. • f. iloaei.. \\. Hart. T . S'G--. ?:;r.vkis. and ti.e secre ,J IMI. F. Cook 1. ; L-'.vx- . >f n.X'-< r-i'i- granted tx V rt. F. T:.. .-.-m Lixp-i. La<'-k i<■ r. Mr. T.. 1:. ..I’t -g I er. r<-ported as GHo v. s - 1. id-ii ni! ai. m' <“ I'd a Eo y - -d> - >. >ri,F - :; *7, ;r.i a i 7d ■; ; <■ • d ■ at present time : boys 37 J. gills 37 ' ■ total 75 1: a'.'-ratf at ter'.inn vt hows 2.*gi.2. xiri?- rt-. 1. total ; The attendance Las been very sat- • isfartorv. being over <>• per Vent, of tlie a v--race roll. 2. Staff. A!i<st s F. A. Fpj>-< and ■F. J. Taylor, fourth year pupil- ; .teachers. severed their connection with the school at tl.c end of the I year, the former to take up eliev- ; ing work in the < i.-borne district, jthe latter to begin a two years’ i course at the Wellington Train ij College. Their places were taken !by M iss MacDonald, third year P.T., and Mr. G. Parker, second I year P.T. Our full staff has been I in regular attendance with tie exi (-option of Miss Frude, fourth year I P.T.. who was absent for a few | days owing to illness. j 3. Examinations.- In the public | examinations the school has ,-rgain been very successful. Miss Epps ' and Miss Taylor both passed the teachers’ D examination, and Misses S. Donnelly and D. Frude. although only having one experience. obtained partial success at the ’same examination. In the secondary department our only candidate for the University tests was Miss Betsy MacDonald, who succeeded in passing the Matriculation and Solicitors’ General Know< ledge examination. Eleven students were successful in the Civil Service Junior examination, seven of whom qualified in the Senior Scholarship list. At the 6tb standard synchronous examination. 36 proficiency and six competency certificates were obtained. 4. Secondary Department.—The curriculum of work in the secondary department has been somewhat changed to bring in into line with the Education Department’s scheme that is specially adapted what changed to bring it into line tural centres. The following is the' list of subjects now being taught: English (including commercial geo- < graph? and history). Mathematics! (including Arithematic, algebra, { mensuration and geometry). Book-j keening, woodwork (for boys). 1 cookery (for girls), dairying and! practical agriculture (for boys), ( dressmaking (for girls), chemistry, i theoretical agriculture, physical J measurements. Latin (for those! taking a four years’ course for ma- 1 triculaf ion), and physical instruction. These subjects are sufficient, for a two years’ course for Givil I

Service Junior, and also are suit able for a four years’ course foi matriculation, (Latin being tin extra subjects in the latter case), Provision is thus made for both junior and senior free place schol ars. and it is honed, and expected, that Hastings parents will in futui r support their own secondary classes, instead of. as too often ir the past, sending their children tc outside schools. With a well equipped school, a competent staff, and a course of work suitable for all requirements, there is surely no need to seek elsewhere for secondarc education even as high as matriculation standard. 5. School Improvements.—The extensive alterations and improvements in the sanitary arrangements of the school are nearing completion. the rehanging of doors to open outwards is being attended to. and minor improvements in th**

playground are being put in hand. During the holidays a porch and the office were re-lined, and a partition extended to the ceiling. Increased duties will now be required of the caretaker, and alterations to specifications of work and agreement as to extra remuneration will be necessary. 6. General.—Stationery fees for quarter ended 31st of January, less usual petty disbursements, are enclosed herewith. I beg to make application to the Board for three sets of blackboard compasses. CORRESPONDENCE. A. Rosenberg, secretary of the Hastings Cycling and Athletic Club, asked the committee to grant a holiday on Wednesday, March 1, to allow children to attend the sports.- -It was decided to observe a half-holiday. E. V. Hudson, first assistant, applied for four weeks’ leave of absence. from June 16 to July 14. in order to allow him to increase his musical and gener.4 culture. He proposed to travel through New Zealand with the Sheffield Choir. - Ou the motion of Messrs. Land and Hawke, it was decided io recom-

mend the Education Board '>o grant the necessary leave to Mr. Hudson.

The Chairman reported on the sanitary improvemenrs done at the school. It had been decided, since their last meeting, to have the work done in brick instead of wood, as was originally intended, which necessitated an extra expenditure of about £3O. which the committee had sanctioned. —The action of the chairman was endorsed. It was decided to increase the salary of the caretaker from £92 to £96. owing to the growth of the work attached to the position. A discussion took place on clause 4 of the headmaster’s report, and the following resolution was carried :—That the committee desires

to draw the attention of Hawke’s Bay Education Board to the large number of boys and girls who leave Hastings for secondary education when the committee believes sufficient facilities exist for instruction up to the matriculation standard. Accounts amounting to £B/14/1 were passed for payment. Messrs. Hawkes and Leipst were appointed a visiting committee for the ensuing month. -