SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 122, 21 April 1927, Page 11

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

ANNUAL REPORTS. HOKOWHITU. The thir annual report to be presented at the hou eholders’ meeting of the Hokowhitu ec ic >1 is as follows: “The :o amitteo elected at last householders’ n seting were as follow: —Messrs W. S. Wodroofe (chairman), F. 0. Amos (secretary). M. 'Voss (treasurer), J. T. J. Heately, J '. Robbie, G. Lane, V. J. Hepburn, H. Vhitehead and A. J. Shailer. “Improvement*.—During the year the playing ai ;a at the rear of the school required £.tl ‘ntion, and it was found necessary to tc j dress same with 300 yards of soil and i 3?ow, cost of same being approximate! / £64. This season the ground should lie in good order for football and hockey. To relieve the stormwater that accumulit :d off the concrete a drain lias been laid to the pit with good results. “Throuph the good offices of our Borough Cn ricil we have been granted the use of ;h i domain, which has proved a great boon to the children. The St. Andrew’s F( otball Club have levelled and sown dow l half of this ground to be used by the i;d 00l children during school hours, the club retaining the right to use same on Saturdays and holidays only. , “Electric light, costing £lB 10s, as per balance-sheet, wa6 completed prior to last annual n eeting and proved a great boon to the committee for meetings and social functions, “Sociil —It is reported that parents have not supported the fortnightly socials held durj lg the year as compared with last sea sc i. At the same time a credit balance ol 556 19s 7d has accrued. To the ladies’ sc rial committee under the leadership of J rs James and Miss Andrew (sec-, retary) tl a committee extend their grateful thalnks f< r the financial success of these functions The annual picnic took place at Foxton 1 2 ads and a most enjoyable time was spm by both young and old. “Spodi —Teams took part in all competitiors DUt were greatly hindered by the rough it; te of the grounds. This year’s improven ent should show beneficial results. Th committee purchased jerseys for the juric • and senior football teams to be used onl; when matches are being played. “Arboi Day was celebrated in the usual way, the children entering into the planting of tl ses with great enthusiasm. Messrs McPhers n and Uren (of the Forestry Department gave very interesting addresses otn plant life in general. Anzac Day was fittingly taken in hand by Rev. Rugby Pratt, w lose discourse proved of great interest :o the children. During the Gunn cc iducted a health camp at Turakina, un I several children selected from tin school to attend. The committee granted inancial assistance and visited the camp oi several occasions, the opinion being fc med that excellent work was being dc le by Dr. Gunn, and the committee re3o nmend that parents give this moveirei t their wholehearted support. “Edtic tion. —The children made splendid prot ress through the year, 26 gaining proficion y and nine qualified for competency. Four children sat for the junior national scholarship and three secured free places. < wing to the work of the headmaster, Vlr Hamilton, and his efficient staff ve have every cause to feel elated at the grer . progress made during the year. It is sii cerely regretted that the services of Mr Hoi lilton could not have been retained f >r the ensuing year. At the same time wc felt that his qualifications warranted t much higher position. At the present tin 3 the school children are doing good wc k under the temporary leadership of Mr 5 . Fairbrother.

“Attei dance. —The average attendance for tho year was 323.5, as compared with 315 last year, and in consequence tho school i jso a sub-grade. The attendance dropped considerably during the first quarter of this year. We must urge tho parents jf this district to do everything to keep uj the attendance. We understand that if ve can secure an. average attendance of 361 the staffiing will bo liberal enough to permit the headmaster to bo free to trpervise and help where his assistance of 361 the staffing will be liberal charge )f a class, with which he spends most ol his time.” KOPANE. Tho eport to be placed before the annual n leting of householders at the Kopane S hool is as follows: You committee report hat during tho year they have undertake i and carried out the following work::, chiefly by working bees—Digging and pi nting shrubbery, erection of sixfoot be rd shelter fence between sheds and school, ploughing, working, grading and sowing to grass the threo acres'of playing area. This -was a specially big undertaking and we wish to thank those who came : long and gave us their assistance in cur: ,’ing it out, more particularly Mr Bush, vho spent considerable time working tl : grader, and Mr Milligan, who plough d the ground for us, although this was 3U side the terms of his contract. We wish f • thank also the engineer of the Manav itu County Council for the use of the gi ider, without which wo could not have 1 oped to have the surface as good as it :. .. Dun lg tho year our attendance has grown sufficiently to warrant the extension o the school and later the appointment i f two teachers. At the present your comiry tee are using every endeavour to obta.n a further extension and have now the re ommendation of tho Wanganui Educaticn Board for this very necessary further i ldition. Your committee have had in sit v for some time the concreting of the a ea between tho school and playsheds, but are awaiting the completion of the s hool extension before putting this work before the householders. The concret n of the floor of the wood shed has been lone by working bee. Your committei wish to thank all those who havo so ge erously dome forward to assist with the v nrk and at the same time wo wish to ::e find those who have not yet been able o assist that the school belongs to tho c mmunity and that all ■work in the intere ts of the children is really a community duty. The annual picnic was held on February 8 in< was a pronounced success, every comn ittee working with clockwork precision Your committee desire to offer warm congratulations tio individual member i >f committees for their efficiency. A speeii word of thanks and appreciation is 35 ended to the ladies for their very exc3l! :nt work. To enable the children to see the Duke of Y >rk, your committee hired a lorry. Tho ;eachers organised the children and a ve y enjoyable day was • spent in Palme :S1 jn North by the children and teachers. Going as a school the children were ass rr d of a good view of the proceedings. Our thanks are due to iour teachers for 1 leir supervision and to the Palmerston Vorth committee for providing refreshmenl Your committee is very proud of thf liscipline, organisation and progress of s< lolars. This view is endorsed by Inspect ir Crawford’s report. Mrs Stewart ha i ixpressed to your committee her satisfa< ion with the achievements of the ch ic -en at the primary schools’ spiorts at Feili ing. Mrs Stewart wishes us to thank all hose who assisted towards making th a lay a success. Mr Morgan, Mr Jones and Mr Brook were deputed to assist Mrs St3v art in arranging preliminary details and in carrying out arrangements.

Y >ur committee -wish tio thank Mrs Sle' art for her earnest and excellent worl carried out under great difficulties up i j the end of the year. The temporary app intment of Mrs Thompson as assistart from the beginning of the year relit V'd Mrs Stewart iof a considerable burdtn and your committee appreciate Mrs Tlic npson’s work during the month she wis here. Mrs Peterson was permanently app inted from March 1 and we feel sure W! have now a combination second to non . We look now to the board to provide sufficient room for the comfort of botl . pu'pils and teachers. F >r the inooming committee we recommei i that the following improvements be kup in view: Concreting area between she s and school. This work will have to 0.171 t the extension of the building as it