DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 February 1932, Page 3

DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

JHANY NEW PUPILS AT LEVIN.

MEETING- OP THE COMMITTEE

CONFERENCE WITH H. & S. ASSOCIATION PLANNED.

The monthly meeting 0 f the Levin District High School Committee was held on Monday, there being present: Messrs A. C. Kennerley (Chairman), j w Procter, W. Walloon, D. J. McLean W. E. Jack, 'and W. Meddings (secretary), Mesdames Ilosie and Bartholomew (minute secretary), , a nd Mr r J Foss (Headmaster). ’ SUBSIDY ON TAR-SEALING. Replying to the Committee’s application for a subsidy of £32 on the cost qf far-sealing*, the Education Board wrote that an inspection was made on the 3th inst. and the work was found satisfactory. A cheque for the amount sought was forwarded to the" committee. STATE OF CONVENIENCES. With regard to the Committee’s representations concerning the need f° r improvement of the boys’ conveniences, the Board stated that the matter would receive its attention in duo course.

The Chairman stated that he had accompanied Mr W. J. Guiuan, Health Inspector, on a visit of inspection of the boys’ and girls’ lavatories, and some of fhe systems were at fault; the (flushings were not as good as they should be. The condition of the arrangements, nnd the inadequate space in the boys’ conveniences, were pointed out in a letter to the Board’s architect. The Health Inspector received a similar notification to that which the Board forwarded to the Committee.

Several inoimibers were of opinion that 'the improvements would be deferred It ill after March 31st.

NO PRESENT SUBSIDY FOR GROUND IMPROVEMENTS.

In reply to the Committee’s applies tion for a subsidy of £2l 12s f° r ground improvements, the Board wrote .stating that it had been advised by the •Department that, owing to the existing financial situation, no further subsidies would be paid until further notice.

HEADMASTER’S REPORT. The Headmaster, in his report, stated that the various departments ot the school 'were now organised and AA-ell under Avay. A special feature Avas 'the large number of original entries—s 7. The Secondary Department had uoav a roll of 140. last year’s February figures being 142. The primary roll Avas .624; last year’s figures, 615. There had attended, on an average, 724 children each time of roll-call. The three motor services continued to .give satisfaction. The present numbers of children convoyed Avcre: Hokio 42 j (December, 44Heatherlea 31 (31), Gladstonc-Kimberley 33 (35). The furniture of the School had been added to by the provision of 58 new desks from the Education Board. The old Avorn-out desks had been handed OAmr to the Woodwork Instructor for use in the manual training ‘branch. No handwork material had come to hand; the infant department was indebted to Mr L. Moffatt for the gift of a roll of brown paper to help in this respect. Miss L. K. Cambourn and Miss O. M. Kerr, relieving substitute assistants, joined the staff at the beginning of the month.

■The Chairman thanked the Headmaster for Ms report, and commented ‘on the satisfactory progress of the school as a Avhole.

It Avasi resolved (that a letter of thanks .be sent to Mr Moffatt for his gift of ‘paper. The Headmasiter said it was customary for the Board to supply handwork material, but under the straitened circumstances 110*11,6 was coming forward this year. HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION. Consideration was given to the resolution of the committee of the Levin Homo and School Association, conveyed by letter, regretting that the subcommittees which it had appointed to assisti with the organisation of the Junior Red Cross and Home Gardens plots had not been advised of the activities of these clubs, nor called upon to give the assistance and advice of which they were capable and which they were prepared to extend; and trusting that there would be more complete co-ordination between the School Committee, the staff and the Association in future.

The chairman said that, at the last meeting of , the School Committee, Mr Meddings moved that this committee approve of the work that the Association had been doing in the past and

a'sk 'the Association for its co-opera-tion. That was unanimously passed. It was conveyed in a letter ‘to the Association, and this was supported by himself at the last meeting of that body. The speaker had asked that it meet as early as possible after this meeting of the School Committee, as r e Headmaster (who was not present at Ithe Association’s meeting) might ' Solne, thing to bring before the ■School Committee which they would like to discuss afterwards. He (the Chairman) told the Association that the Headmaster had informed the Committee that he welcomed the co-opera-tion of the Association. The latter body would have liked its representative to have had the opportunity of accompanying Wynn Hesse on his inspection 0 f the garden plots or of being on the committee to arrange the also £ 0 p ave 110 ted the progress of the competition. As to the Junior 'Red Crosd, they would have liked to 'see the portfolio which it had made to send abroad. The Chairman said lie thought that, if the Headmaster bad been ;at the meeting of the Association, ] ie -would have been able to igive the members more information than the speaker had been able to do. Prom what he could gather, the Association wanted the Headmaster to advise it on one or two little matters.

The Headmaster stated that he had not known that the Association had ilicld tile meeting.

.The Chairman said that the AsSoeia^*on' would meet again on March 11. Mrs Bartholomew thought tliat, if a plan of activities were not submitted to the Association, it would disband.

Mr Falloon remarked that the organisation would have had plenty to do if a school picnic had been decided on this summer.

‘We have not. brought down our proposals for this year yet, ” the Headmaster said. la reply to a question iby the Chairman as to whether a member of the Association could have gone round the garden plots with the Comimittee secretary, he stated that they had been invited to go. The Association had been invited to all the activities of the school and its co-operation had been enlisted.

Mr McLean said it seemed that there AA'as a little dissatisfaction on the part of the Association, but he did not understand it. This Committee was represented on the Association’s committee, AA'hich also had the school staff represented; and any dissatisfaction should be cleared up there. The Headmaster stated the Association had (been imated to be represented on the tour of the gardens, but bad said that it Avas not conA'enient. The object of this committee’s last letter Avas to show that there Avas no ill feeling at this end. Mrs Hosie said it appeared, from the report in the “Chronicle,” that .the Association had not had replies to correspondence.

The Headmaster stated that all correspondence had beeii replied to. He had not, so far, seen the report. | Mr Falloon: They had no reason to be dissatisfied about the garden plots .and the Red Cross; Ave have our two representatives on their committee. The Chairman: I think that, if avc could meet them ou March 11th, Ave .could discuss things on mutual grounds. Mr Meddiugs said he thought that a misunderstanding had crept in, but Avhere it had originated nobody seemed to knoAV. As a voluntary organisai tion, the Association had done excepI tionally good work in connection A\ T ith | the school, and it Avould be a disaster |if it were allowed to disband. He ! (thought that representatiA T es of this Committee and the Association’s committee should be appointed to meet I the Headmaster and talk things over. 1 They Avould then probably come to an agreement for the benefit of all concerned. He Avould be sorry to see, not only the financial assistance, but par- * ticularly the social assistance of the Association lost. effort should ■be made to reach a satisfactory Avorking basis again, and clear up this mis- ■ understanding. Mrs Hosie endorsed this A r iew.

The Headmasiter: I have always taken every opportunity to put them into everything that was going on. I have never had a function here without inviting them officially. On the motion of Mr Jack, seconded by Mr McLean, it was resolved that ia committee be set up, consisting of 'the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman (Rev. J. ;S. Pate), the secretary, Mes■dames Hosie and Bartholomew, and the Headmaster, to meet representatives of the Association at an informal conference at the School on Friday, March 4th, at 8 p.m.; and that supper be provided.

In view of this fixture, the grounds

committee (Messrs Procter, Palloon and Jack), with the Chairman, Secretary and Headmaster, were appointed to meet on Wednesday, March 2nd, to formulate a policy “of improvements. COOKERY VISITORS. With reference to the movement, in accordance with the Department’s request, to set up a committee of ladies to visit the school and view the work done by the cookery classes, it was reported that Mrs W. Bull had been appointed as the Home and School Association ’s representative. Other representatives were agreed to as follows: —W.D.P.U. and Ohau School, Mrs R. V. Brown; School Committee, Mesdames Hosic and Bartholomew. The Plunkct Society and the Women’s Institute are also to have each a representative. The Headmaster stated that invitations would be issued for the visits. He would confer with Miss Mcphec, domestic science instructress, and a communication could be expected in the near future. GENERAL. A circular was received from the Board, intimating that it had under consideration the indenting of supplies of white chalk) —It was decided to order, through the Board, two dozen boxes, representing about a year’s su,pPb'- . The secretary was requested to obtain a price for building outside seats along the eastern Avail of the High School; and to apply to the Board for a grant covering the cost. The painting of the new woodshed AA'as authorised.

Messrs Falloon and Jack were appointed as the Adsiting committee for the ensuing (month. The next meeting of the School Committee Avill be held on March 21>st, ■oAving to the 28th of that month being (Easter Monday.