HUTT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

Hutt News, Volume 9, Issue 29, 24 December 1935, Page 5

HUTT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL'B REPORT. '' A .SOLID YEA R \S WORK.'' '"•fr! . A very satlsfnotory year's work was ' reviewed by Mr. ,T. N. Millard, principal of the Hutt Valley High School, in his nrmtfal report presented at the breakin-up ceremony last week. The offl'.'inl roll on March 1, ho said, Was 438 (260 boys nad .178 girls), This was a decided drop on the record roll (474) of the previous year. During the depression the school was carrying about 40 senior boys who were uiiable to find employment. The position for boy employment hud improved to su-h an extent that this surplus had been used up, Also many other boys who • normally would have remained nt school hacLrtceeptod positions during the year, i • "Pupils who had passed their University Entranco (Matriculation) exam, and i had gone into Form VI and found it very easy during the year to obtain positions with very good prospects. If conditions remain as they are, parent# weald bo well advised to allow their ■children to obtain their examinations at school. They would then fnut it co'Uparatively easy to get a good start on careers. Another encouraging feature was that there seemed to be a prospect of promising students being required for the teaching profession. During the bad years the economies judged necessary in education had had the effect of depriving the profession of some very iine material. During this year (j- boys and 3(i girls had left and nearly all of these had gone into employment. Staff Changes, The loss of Miss Colgan and Miss Lmitbourne from the stalf had made it neeossary to appoint two new teachers. The vacancies had been tilled by Miss M. Campbell, 8.A., of Thames H;/i I School, and Miss N. Clibborn of New Brighton District High Schcjl Unfor- 1 tunately, on account of the drop in roll, Misß Clibborn had been forced to transfer to another school. Miss Mitchell had been on exchange in England during the year and her place had been taken by Miss D." Beale, of Romford High School, London. Miss Lieale had carried out her duties with credit to herself and benefit to the school, T Examination Successes, The schcjl year had been remarkable for very many interruptions, neverthe- j less the school had done a solid year's' work. Examination successes publish- I ed at tho beginning of the year s'iow- ' ed: University Bursaries University Entrance (Matric), 3:2; School Cerliiica'to, 27; School Certificate Partial Passes, .10; Accountancy, Chamber • of Commerce Shorthand, II; Pitman's' Shorthand Theory 31. The secondary school inspectors had awarded senior free places to 104 pupils, while 13 had been recommended for a year's extension of their junior free places. Many old pupils' names had appeared in this year's degree results, two had passed their master's degrees with first class honours, and many had been successful in the recent university terms exams. There was no doubt that they were holding their own with the pupils of other schools.

Manual Work, mentioned in last year's reportthat the schol badly needed a manual training room," Mr Millard continued. "We made a start this year by introducing dressmaking as a subject for all the third form girls, With the return of better limes the Education Department- has found it possible to give us -cookery and wood-work rooms. Wo will ni'.v be able to give the girls a bettor home science course and to give the boys a knowledge of the elements carpentry. Many a in;n would have ,iimde u much better husband if lie had learnt early not to practise ou his " thumb whenever ho had to use a hammer, and many a husband would .vo suffered less damage to his digestion if his wife had done her practising at school instead of on him. A certaiu amount of manual work should go liunil in hand with all academic training, and we feel that' we will be able to provide a better balanced type of education." One advantage of the smaller roll Humbert) had been the freeing of one of the class-rooms, and advantage of it had been taken to lit up a geography room, The library continued to grow. The practice started last year of pupils *Wviug a book when they leave had helped to swell the number of volumes; and nearly £70 of the school funds had been devoted towards the purchase of new books. A very important event in tlie history of the school had been the adoption of a school song. The words had been written by Mr 0. Hutchesou, and the music composed by Harry Brusey. Tho school was greatly indebted to these twi,' gentlemen for a very line song. The words were dignified and beautiful, and the music was in keeping with the words, Due to the efforts of Mr. Hutcheson and the voluntary services of Mr. Hollands, the artist, and Mr. Bowman, the engraver, the song had been printed in the form of a very Jlne niomento of the school, and it was being sold in aid of the assembly .'u\ll fund. s School Grounds. ' In reference to development of the school gl'unds, Mr Millard said «incc last year there had been added a rockgarden, two hydrangea beds, the rose garden had been enlarged, many ornamental trees planted, a large fence erected at one end t/f the western tenia ho courts, and the playing areas had received special attention. For the jflrat time tho school had been able to J** exhibit at the rose show, and hud Avon tho sir Alex Huberts Cup for the