COLLEGE ST. SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 194, 15 July 1930, Page 10

COLLEGE ST. SCHOOL

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the College Street School Committee was held last evening, when the chair was occupied byMr W. R. Taylor. Others present were Messrs P. Barnard (secretary), F. Tucker, C. Mowlem, F. W. Oliver, A. Worboys, W. F. Cutler and W. A. Swinboum, headmaster. THE SCHOOL BUILDING. The Wanganui Education Board wrote stating that the board regretted its inability to see its way to place College Street School at the top of the list of urgent works. It was further stated that a survey had been recently made of the older buildings throughout the district, and as, as a result of the reports received, the board had submitted to the Education Department a list of buildings, which should be rebuilt when funds were available. Of the nineteen cases reported on several of the buildings had been in use for fifty years or more, and were in such a condition of decay that money expended on repair would be a waste of expenditure. The board was bound to consider the claims of all portions of its district, and while it would like to see a new building erected at College Street it would be failing in its duty to other schools were it to advance College Street as the most urgent case, knowing that there were others of a more urgent nature. After careful consideration the board had placed College Street 14th on the list in order of urgency, and regretted that it must adhere to its decision. Mr Cutler stated that since the letter had been written the chairman and members of the Education Board had visited the school, and he was quite sure that they had gone away with a much different impression than they had come with. The chairman had amused himself by testing the soundness of the walls, and had poked away rotten parts of the building. He was most astonished and made a remark to the architect as to why he had not condemned it. That showed that he believed that the committee had not exaggerated the position. “So we can dismiss the letter,” Mr Cutler added, “and hope to hear something more assuring from the board. But if we arc not successful, we can sit on the Ministerial doorstep.” The letter was received. HEADMASTER’S REPORT.

Tho headmaster’s adopted report was as toilows: —“The roll to-day is old. The average attendance last week was 471.5 and tor the term so tar about 482, the limit for the present grade being 481. The attenuance in the standard classes is very goodj but it is poor in the infant department. 1 would ask the committee, as mentioned in my last report, to consider the advisability of circularising parents concerning the necessity ror the utmost regularity in attendance. Dr. Gunn has been examining pupils during the past week and will be here again this week. Mr Lange, agricultural instructor, paid a visit last Monday. The pupils of standards three to six were to have participated in the public welcome to the Governor-General, but as the weather was unsuitable, 1 considered it advisable not to take the children out. The school was closed on June, 18 one half-day for the Winter Show, on J line 20 one half-day, tho holiday being given by the Gover-nor-General, and for the whole day on July 10, by. order of the department on account of the death of Sir Joseph Ward. The public are making a thoroughfare through the new grounds,’ so I suggest that a notice be posted, and also that as soon as possible the gate and fences at the rear of the section be made secure. The door handles in the new schbol (on the out-j side doors) are too high for the children to reach. Two dozen more hat pegs are required. The radiators in Primer four room are still leaking.” GROUNDS A THOROUGHFARE. Mr Cutler reported that the public were making a thoroughfare of the school grounds, and that the practice was increasing. He suggested that a trespass notice be erected. It was decided to carry out liis suggestion, the notice to bear an inscription to the effect that trespassers will be prosecuted.

GENERAL. It was decided to communicate with the chairman of the Combined School Committees’ Association with a view to his calling another meeting, it being stated that some considerate time had elapsed since the last meeting. The chairman briefly outlined the proceedings that led up to the formation of the committee. A site had nowbeen secured for the proposed dental clinic, tlie amount required for tlie building being £ISOO, to which some 27 committees w-ould have to contribute a sum of £SOO. It was decided to apply to the Her; bert Smith- Trust fund for a grant of sports equipment in place of cups and trophies. Tlie headmaster stated that horizontal bars and other gear were required to improve the physique of tlie children. • „ . The headmaster reported that tlie school had been remarkably free from colds for this time of the year. A letter was received from tlie Railway Department in regard to train arrangenients for the children to visit the Wellington Winter Show. A letter was received from the Palmerston North branch of the No-More War Movement, asking for the committee’s co-operation in an endeavour to abolish compulsory military training. Mr Cutler stated that it was outside tlie jurisdiction of the committee to deal with the matter,, adding that lie thought military training did n boy more "good than harm. Howevei, that was a matter not to he discussi d at the present juncture. The letto was formally “received.”