WORK OF THE SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17145, 26 April 1919, Page 12

WORK OF THE SCHOOLS.

REPORTS BY COMMITTERS, ■ i THE PONSONBY DISTRICT. ; I "*" s 'l OVERCROWDING PROBLEM. .- i The report of the Ponsonby Schools Con,*- : mittee, to bis presented to the annual- meet* irlg Oil homflsholders on" Monday evening, ,- states that tho average attendance' .at' tho Ponsonby School for the' year was 697, and 63 pupils qualified for tree places at a se'condiiry school, Tho committee hh* boon agitating in regard to overcrowding, and nonadmission of children into the three sohools. - of the district, and in respect to the lack of playing space in the school grounds. The report urges that the Education Board Should at once, secure Scott's paddook as a, playground, and expresses the opinion that many of the children attending the school have riot sufficient opportunity for phyuitrtl c development owing to lack of playing t spate. . . ' At 'the Richmond Road sohool, the report } State*, the average attendance was 746, aba 42 pupils qualified for free places at, a secondary school. The building is being used i« a normal school by the Education Board' until the end of the present year. , The siihool still holds the Leyland Chal- .- • lenge Shield for shooting, and ono pupil won ! ■ junior national scholarship. i J I Tho overage attendance at Baynqtd i' I school was 714. One pupil won a junior national scholarship and 48 qualifiod for I freo pilacos at a secondary school, hurtnot playing accommodation is urgently required and the report suggests that properties inthe neighbourhood should bo acquired. Gratification is expressed that the Education Department has been induced to purchase '» silo in Curran Street for tho erection of a fourth school for the district, and the committee urges that the erection of a . suitable* building be commoncod at onuo. ttoferencCis made to tho fact that the staffs and scholars of the throe schools have kept .in clone touch with old bays on military .service,, the number of these from tho three schools being over 700, The balance-sheet shows that ilia working expenses aittountod to £687 6s 9d, leaving a balance ill hand of £77 28 lid'. ;' NEWTON SCHOOLSTiw Annual report of tho Newtbn District 1 1 Schools Committee stores that with the cessation of h'ost.littes the committee lost no ' time ins requesting tho Education Board to 1 have the present old school buildings demolished and up-to-date building" erected. I Tho committee interviewed the wo&rd, and, as a result, was asked to recommend a site I for a new school Th : had' been' done, and | it was exported tho Board would acquire the site, which comprised about (our and a-half acres As a further - result of the committee a request! the board had bought additional eaiund adioinin? the Newton East school for -The purpose of enlarging the playgrounds, The roll mlmbfer of the two schools was 1590, with at overage attendance of, 1495. At the • national scholarship examinations Jack Carr and' John Edwards, of the Newton west school, gained scholarships, whilo all the boys wllo were examinc-d grimed free places. All the pupils of Standard VI of Newton West school ira'ned certificates of, proficiency. ) At' N«v't<ib Fa-t. s'liool 51 pupils were oxamined id Sl'ardnrd VI. and 48 ganed cortiflcatos of orofinoncy and five of corrtpotenoy. At the national scholarship cxaminat on two girls mid one boy qun'ifiod for free places in B»eondary schools Upwards of 200 pdPils of Newton Ea«t school w«re awarded food attendance cert'firotes. The Newton East school I'oofball leflm won the C (rrnde cha-n----piOtfshii)' f. r 1918. wl'h on unbeaten record, and wen sh« shield donated bv Mr. J. jf Gnnson. Th*' year stiiTtod with a credit bilnn-o of P39 4s 7s, ant', ended with a credit . of £30 'Is 8:3. I DIIIVONPORT SCHOOLS. The IDevunport District School Committee reports tlni.t 880 children wore on the roll at Kerr Street school and 269 at Stanley Bay, the respective overage attendances • being 810 »nd 551 An area of tour acros, opposite Narrow Nock camp, bad been purchased as ii site for a school, and tho erection of a triei! building to accommodate 2SO children w"* to bo commenced shortly. The inspectors' report, in which referonco was made to tine high level of efficiency of tho j schools am; tho excellent tone obtaining, is i , quoted by tho committee. Owing to tho ] i opidorai: tlio usual examinations could not i ! bo held, bit on the work for the yoar 74 ; Standard V L pupils at Korr Street and 17 ' at Stanley Boy were . awarded- certificates. Tho question of providing a HI of honour of a pormanent character would no doubt i engage" the attention of the incoming comi.tee. A- sum of £140 was raised in Nov- ! orabor ts provide funds for (hrjfltmas parcols. j 'io creation of a now urban area, which i carried with it the rinlii it >o representatives o'i th» board, wan followed by tho election of Mr. H. S. W. King to represent' the Uovonport and Bolmont Committees and Mr. J. A. Ponning the Takapuno Committee. > AVONDALE. The annual report of tho Avondale School Commit Ceo" states thai tho average attendance Wis again sulhc'ontly high to main-, tain tits school in tho highest grade, tho| average for main and sjtlo schools- being 475 and 32 respectively. In spite of bad weather and sicknoss a record number of ' good attendance certificates was issued, 9T children having missed not more than five half days. The report of tile visiting inspectors stated that the high state of efficiency that hud characterised the work of the school for many years was being nilly maintained. The inspectors allotted 49 certificates of proficiency and two of competency out of 63 pupils. The report stiles that the committee's efforts to secure additional playing area had been successful. Tho board had purchased the adjoining section fronting Lay- . ard Street. An application for the cor- , responding section fronting Groat North Road hud been forwarded, with a reasonable prospect of the section being also acquired. C,ratification was expressed at the action of the board in deriding to erect a now Manual i Training: School in Avoncale. BELMONT NOMINATIONS. . The following candidates have been nominated for tho Belmont flchool Committee —Messrs. F. N. Abcrcrombie, C. A, Crosher, C. F. Picldson. A. Heap. A. N. Honlrin, F. J. Murphy, T. Leitch. C. A. Woodward, J. Walker, and Mrs. E. A. E. Oaudin.