The Star SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1923. EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 13 August 1923, Page 4

The Star

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1923. EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES.

Delivered every awning by 5 o'olock In Hawers JM&naia, Normauby, Okatawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kapooga, Awatuaa, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurley ville, Pstea, Waverley, ■ Mokoia, Whakamara, Ofcangai, ■ Mexemere, t'raeor Road, and Ararat*.

For some time past the Hawera School has been fully taxed in the matter of accommodation, and it has been by no means an easy task to find adequate space for its increasing number of pupils. The growth of Hawera during the last few years is reflected in the demand upon the schools. It is not long since the Tawhiti School was built, and though it provided relief ■and the disestablishment of the High School in favour of the Technical High School released a certain amount of space, both the town school and Tawhiti are at the present time full and the pressure upon them is likely to increase. A few months ago additional accommodation was provided at the Tawhiti School, but it is probable that still more will have' to be done there unless relief is found in another way. We are not keen on the very large school, and the Hawera School with some eight hundred chil- j dren attending it .should not be madej larger. When such an institution grow? too large the teachers cannot possibly exercise the care aaid oversight ■ of the children necessary for-4heir wel- • fare. We think that the effort to hare ' a school built' at the northern end of Hawera de.serv.es support, and we are' glad to find that the members of the! Education Board who met representa-' tives of the people of that part of the town showed that they were in sympathy with the proposal. For small children the distance to be covered from Turuturu Road to the Hawera School. is considerable, and as there are quite \ sufficient pupils in the area to justify' the erection of another school, we hope that the board will favour the proposal and enable th© people to secure a suitable school as soon as possible. The Government has found it impossible to meet all the claims made upon it for increased educational facilities throughout the Dominion, and though each year sees a large amount spent in this dlrec- ! tion the increasing numbers of children ' attending the schools will mean that' heavy expenditure will have to be' made for years to come. There could be no better way of spending public money, for it is very important that New^ Zealand's children should be well provided for educationally. We suppose that very large schools cannot be avoided, but we think that a lower limit should be fixed and every effort j should be made to overcome the over-' crowding, which is not good for the' children or the teachers. The residents in the northern nart of the town hnve a food casp, fmd it is to be hoped that their rainiest for a school will he "ranted. The mipgtinn of establishing a dental clinic for the schools in

Hawera was also brought before the members of the board during their visit on Thursday evening, and no doubt this matter will receive favourable consideration. If the requests for a new school and the clinic are granted the town should be well provided for educationally for some years, though more may have to be done if Hawera grows rapidly as is expected when normal times return. The people who are tak-' ing a keen interest in the children and who have brought the educational needs before the board members deserve credit for what they have done, and we hope that they will continue to work for the welfare of the children— . the nation's great asset.