SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 88, 14 April 1938, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

• (Continued from page 8.) repeated enquiries we are still awaiting the department’s decision.” The report was adopted. At the first meeting of the new committee Mr. Grant was elected chairman and Mr. Haines secretary. Representatives to the ManawatuOroua School Committees* Association are to be Messrs. Dolg and Boniface. Mr. Track was appointed delegate to the dental clinic committee. Messrs. Grant, Haines and Christensen were selected as a visiting committee. WEST END At West End there was an attendance of 17. Mr. G. Tremaine, chairman of the retiring committee, was elected to the chair. In his report, the chairman stated:— School grading: From tho beginning of this year the school has advanced in grade, and this advancement entitled us to higher graded teachers and an additional assistant. It Is not anticipated that the school will suffer in roll numbers by the establishment of an intermediate schorl, as the numbers leaving will be offset by pupils coming into this district on the occupation of the State houses in the vicinity. Staff: There have been several changes in the teaching staff during the past two years and Mr. Jackson (headmastr), Mr. Dawkins and Miss Waters arc the only members of the staff who were with us at tho time of the last householders* meeting. Grounds and buildings: During the past two years we have completed the permanent surfacing of the grounds immediately behind the school buildings, and wo have now approximately 3000 squaro yards of concrete and bitumen there. This provides ideal basketball areas for the girls. We have been pressing the Education Board for the erection of at least one new classroom aud for a new teachers* retiring room, and we are pleased to report that the board has now placed these requirements at th head of the list of urgent works. It is confidently anticipated mat tne next few weeks will see a commencement with the work. In the meantime one class is being conducted in the assembly hall. At present we have* no room in which a library can bo housed, but upon the erection of a*iew teachers’ retiring room, their present room can be utilised for the housing of a library, and your committee recommends to the incoming committee that a substantial portion of the funds in hand be earmarked for the purchase or suitable books of fiction and reference. The playgrounds have been drained by the Public Works Department and the children should now be able to enjoy a playing area which will be free from surface water during the winter.

Finance: The balance-sheets show a greater credit than we have had for some years. As previously mentioned, part of this credit will be expended iu playing equipment. The healthy state of our finances is due to the activities of the ladies’ committee, who have held regular series of djmees and generally assisted in providing funds for the school. Our very best thanks aro due to the ladies’ committee for their continued interest in the school and for their successful efforts in raising very substantial sums of money for the benefit of the school.

Sports, picnics, etc.: Under Mr. Dawkins as sportsmaster, the boys have shown considerable improvement in sport and they can now compete on more even terms with the larger schools. The girls, undr Miss Waters’ tuition, continue to show excellent results at baseball and basketball. Your committee has continued to hold the school picnics and sports at the Sportsground, as it is found that more pupils and parents attend there than would be the case if the picnics were held outside the city.

Thanks: The thanks of your committee are due to Mr. A. A. Langley for his representation of the school on the dental clinic committee, Mr. Jackson and his staff for their co-operation with this committee, Mr. Oram and Col. Whyte (representatives on the Wanganui Education Board) for their keen interest in this and other schools and for the manner in which they have at all times considered and furthered requests by this committee to the board, Messrs. Stevenson, Kelly and Bailey, who during their respective terms as caretaker, have given such willing assistance in all matters relating to the school. Supplementing the report, the chairman said that last year the school had led all others in New Zealand in the matter of life-saving. So far this year 84 children had learned to swim, 33 could do 50 yards, nine 220 yards and 16 880 yards, while 31 had earned certi iicates in life-saving. On the motion of Mr. A. Penketh, it was decided to forward a recommendation to the School Committees’ Association that representations should be made to the Education Board that a special grant should be made for the heating of schools. For the nine vacancies on the committee there were 13 nominations. The ballot saw the old committee re-elected, namely Messrs. W. Collins, J. H. Balziel, A. W. Just, W. King, A. C. McLean, A. E. Penfold, A. Penketh, W. E. Schwabe and G. Tremaine. At a subsequent meeting of the committee Mr. Tremaine was re-elected chairman and Mr. King secretary. Mr. A. A. Langley w as re-appointed the committee ’s representative on the dental clinic committee, while Messrs. Penketh and Penfold will represent the committee on the Combined School Committees’ Association. EUNNYTHORFE SCHOOL There were only live nominations submitted for the Bunnythorpe School Committee, and as this was the required number, no election was necessary. The new copimittee is; Messrs. A. F. McKenzie, O. Jackson, A. O’Donnell, W. T. Maxwell and W. Andrew. At a subsequent meeting of the committee, Mr. A. F. McKenzie was elect-