PUPILS NEEDED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4105, 25 February 1949, Page 5

PUPILS NEEDED

PAEROA HIGH SCHOOL MAY LOSE ONE TEACHER URGED TO ATTEND AT 15 YEARS The serious risk of losing a teacher is being run by the Paeroa District High School. The roll at the secondary department now stands at 100 whereas the present staffing at the secondary school is based on a roll of not less than 191. Unless the roll reaches this number within the next fortnight the school is in danger of losing a teacher. “ This is a serious matter,” said the chairman, Mr S. Wheeler, at the February meeting of the school committee. He urged members of the committee to endeavour to secure more pupils for the high school. A very attractive agricultural course was being established this year and unless the roll could be increased to the minimum of 191 this course might possibly stand in jeopardy. It was known that there were

several children in the vicinity of Paeroa who could profitably spend another year at high school and parents are to be urged to reconsider the position and send their children back to school. Mr Wheeler informed a Gazette representative that Mr G. M. Ruscoe, headmaster of the school up until the epd of 1948, referred to this matter when speaking at the breaking-up ceremony last December. Mr Ruscoe said* he deplored the fact that so many children were leaving school as soon as they attained the age of 15 years. He urged parents not to be deceived by big . wages now being offered to children. He felt that these big wages would not last indefinitely and a good education would stand far more to the future of these children than good money today, followed by no particular aim or ambition later in life. The committee therefore makes a special appeal to the parents of children concerned to send these children •back to school for another year’s education.