Manchester Street School

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 105, 5 May 1937, Page 3

Manchester Street School

MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE SCHOOL RESUMES TO-DAY The committee of the Manchester Street School met at Feilding on Monday night Mr. G. J. Fitzpatrick (chairman) presiding. There were also present Messrs. J. Campbell, L. J. Carmine, G. Watts and R. Burne and MesdameP. G. Guy and S. McDowall. The headmaster reported that the roll stood at 3SI, with an average attendance of 333.8. On instructions from the Health Department, the school was closed on April IG. In the mean time the buildings had been thoroughly disinfected and cleaned out, the caretaker leaving nothing to chance. The moving picture plant, with 18,000 feet of film, had arrived, and the headmaster suggested erecting a platform for this and obtaining material to darken the quadrangle. The chairman stated he had received instructions from the health officer at Palmerston North to close the immediately, when a case of infantile paralysis was reported as affecting a pupil, and this was done. The Education Board’s secretary had written on April 28 stating the school could be reopened on May 3 provided no further cases occurred in their district. Tb* day following the receipt of this letter the Minister of Health had published an announcement that those schools which had been closed should remain closed, but whether this applied to their school he would not be sure, lie had therefore decided to await tho meeting of the School Committee before re-opening the school. The committee decided to re-open the school providing permission was obtained from the Health Department. Advice was received yesterday that the school could re-open and the necessary steps were taken to announce that the school would resume this morning. A letter was received from the Feiiding branch of the Bible-in-Schools League thanking the committee for a courteous letter and expressing delight that religious instruction was being given daily in the school. The secretary of tho Wanganui Education Board wrote stating that application had been made to the department for a grant for levelling class-room floors and improving the lighting in these rooms; also that fire grates would be provided as requested. Notification that Miss M. Feickert had been appointed .as an additional assistant to the staff was received from the Education Board. The chairman reported that he had arranged for necessary repairs to be done to the drill area, and these had been carried out at a cost of £7 ss. The Education Board had applied to the department for a grant to put the area in permanent, good order, and a reply was awaited. The chairman said the area would be in good order for the winter, but needed top-dressing to protect it from again breaking up.—The action of the chairman was approved. In connection with the observance of Coronation Day it was stated that arrangements had been made to distribute to the children on the morning of May 12, buttons with a picture of the King and Queen. The headmaster applied for permission to use the quadrangle for bad minton, the teachers having formed a club.—Permission given, with good wishes. The headmaster reported that some of tho children had adopted tho correspondence classes, and a great deal of good work was done, but many pupils were not sending in any work. A better response was hoped for if the school had to remain closed. The committee expressed thanks to the Press for publishing the lessons.