High School Board to be Scrapped?

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1938, Page 6

High School Board to be Scrapped?

It was possible that last night’s annual prize-giving of the Whangarei High School in the Town Hall would be the last such function in which the board of governors as at present constituted would participate. This remark was made by the chairman of the board, Mr H. C, Rishwprth, when addressing parents and pupils.

It was the intention of the Government during the coming year to make alterations in the control of the school, he said. As far *as was known from the contents of a bill that had been circulated, and which would come before Parliament at the next session, it was proposed to abolish the High School Board of Governors and to establish an education board which would control th£ whole of Northland. There were 200 prim'ary, district high and technical schools in the province which would come under control of the new board, as well as the only secondary school of the area, the Whangarei High School. Time would show, whether or not this new scheme would be in the best interests of any school, but he had a feeling that for one secondary school to be administered along with the primary schools might not be to the best advantage. Under the present administration of the High School more attention could be paid to detail. If the new scheme were carried out, the present board would pass away under its present constitution. Sixty Years’ Work.

The aboard had been formed on November 2, 1878, and for the past 60 years had continued without alteration to its constitution, except that two more board members were now being elected by the pai'ents than when it was first formed, Mr Rishworth referred to the work of a number of past board members. Mr McKinnon, he said, had been a member for 25 years, from 1892 to 1917, and had been secretary for 24 years.

The late Mr W. A. Carruth had been a member from 1894 and 1921, and had been chairman for 11 years.

Messrs Carruth tend H. W. Craw-

ford had been the members to whom the board and district owed the acquisition of the splendid property on which the school now stood. Through their efforts 50 acres had been acquired when the Rt. Hon. W. F, Massey was Prime Minister, and Sir James Parr Minister of Education, the Government having paid £BOOO and the bo'ard £2OOO. The latter sum had been raised by mortgaging the board’s endowment. The mortgage had now been paid off. v Personal Note, Striking a personal note, Mr Rishworth said it would be a sad reflection to himself, after 21 years on the j board, of which 11 had been spent as chairman, that the old order should

change. He had seen the school grow from a small institution, and had watched the march of young manhood 'and young womanhood from its doors year after year. To assist the boys and the girls had been a work well worthwhile.

Mr Rishworth spoke warmly of the beautiful surroundings of the school, which, he said, was set on an endowment of 60 acres. The bush-clad hills and the Waiarohia Stream made an ideal background. Time for Change.

The constitution of the school board had now passed its diamond jubilee, remarked Mr J. G. Barclay, M.P. for Marsden, in addressing the gathering. “While we all admire what has been done in the past, I do not know that that is an argument as to why a change should not take place,” he asid.

“It is probably time the constitute was changed,” added Mr Barclay. “I cannot say whether the bill will be made an Act, although personally I think it will.” As far as the present board’s wishes were concerned, Mr Barclay assured members that he would be always willing to assist (a deputation on the matter to approach the Minister of Education. Board Members’ Service. “I only hope that the method of electing the board will not change,” said Mr R. G. Hosking, president of the Parents’ Association. He spoke appreciatively of the manher in which the business and profes-

sional men of the town devoted their service to the interests of the school, entirely voluntarily, and with no remuneration but often a whole hatful of abuse.

“The old-fashioned way does me for most things, and educational control is one of them,” Mr Hosking concluded.