NAPIER MAIN SCHOOL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 108, 21 April 1911, Page 11

NAPIER MAIN SCHOOL.

"J COMMITTEE MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the committee of the Napier Main School was held on Thursday evening. Present : Messrs. C. H. Edwards (chairman). J. C. Thomson. J. K. Thomson. A. B. Gibson. E. P. Smyrk. J. K. Archer, and Dr. Caro. Leave of absence was granted to Mesdames H. Oldham and E. M. Ingram. HEADMASTER’S REPORT. The Headmaster reported as follows ; - -

The average attendance since last' meeting has been 728. the highest attendance being 739. The present roll number is 776. , Miss Higgins, who had been acting as relieving teacher for some time, severed her connection with the school on March 31st, and Miss Smale has been retained temporarily to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of Miss Hannay. Miss McVay, who was absent on leftro frtF iurrt mrtnthft her

duties on the 3rd uast. A number of pupils were tested for swimming certificates, and all >vgcceeded in completing the distances for which they had entered. The distances were 2| miles. 2 miles, 1 mile. 880 yards, 100 yards. ; With regard to fire drill, it is practically carried out every day, the only form of drill practised be- ( ing the ordinary marching out drill, i This is done by the various classes. J A surprise test was carried out. ' and it showed that both the main • building and the infants’ school I can be cleared in 60 seconds with- [

out the least confusion. J The matter of the exits should be i very carefully gone into. The exits : are numerous enough in both build- ■ ings, but the doors are swung in ’ such a way that a serious block - might occur in case of a fire or an 1 earthquake. In the main building' there are 22 exit doors, but only i eight open outwards, while of the i 10 in the infants’ school none open ] outwards. t Another source of danger is the f two very tall chimneys overhang- i ing two of the principal exits of the | main school. If they came down I while children were leaving the building the consequences would be serious. The danger of fire in the building ’ has been reduced to a minimum. | owing to gas stoves being substituted for coal fires. -A CORRESPONDENCE. | w From G .Crawshaw, secretary of j the Education Office, Napier, stat- j ing that on the recommendation of ’ the Hawke’s Bay branch of the; Teachers’ Institute the vacations f for the current year have been ;

fixed as follow: —First term 2inh to 28th May, both days inclusive ;; second term, 9th to 17th Septem i ber; summer vacation. 21st Decern-; her to February 4th. It was also] decided that in future schools re-' main closed on Easter Tuesday. A 1 further recommendation of the In- i stitute that the total holidays in any year shall not exceed fifty days

was adopted by the Board.—Received. From Education Office, Napier, stating that as the a verage of the school for the last year was 70s. the committee be advised to call upon the householders of the school district to nominate and elect a committee of nine members. —Received. From Secretary of Education Office stating that the question of the purchase of a school site at Napier South had been referred to the Finance Committee for inquiry and report.—-Received. Re school committee allowances. —The letter of the 28th ult was

before the Board at its last meeting, when it was resolved that r the letter be received, and thati the committee be informed that the r matter of allowances to school com-; mittees is now under consideration : by the Board.—Received. From Mrs. £. M. Ingram stat-, ing that owing to ill-health she wished to decline to be nominated as a member at the next annual ; meeting of householders.—Her action was received with regret. The visiting committee reported that their attention had been called to the sewage drain which occa-

wvr «sbt- uisuu wijmvu sionaliy gets I locked on account or a defective connection. This «s certainly a nut’e’ of iinportanc?. i»n 1 they referrei it to the inc.ns ng committee. Several of the door., of the classrr oms open inwar is *n-. stead of on -aids.—Rece ; r.-*d. It was derided to draw the al tent ion of the Board to the danger of the doors opening inwards. Votes of thanks were passed to the Press for the full reports given of the meetings, also to the chairman for the able manner in which he carried out the business for the year.

The accounts for the year were passed. They showed* receipts £202 15 8 (Education Board grants £123/9/-. proceeds of entertainments £29 52. stationery fees Colenso bequest £B/6.6). The expenditure totalled £2lB/6.6; (cleaning £92 13/6, fuel £2l/9/5. re-; pairs £9/1/11, committee’s expenses

£2l, prizes £22 16 9. stationer) £35 10 10, rates £lO/1 10, sundries £5/12 3).