NEW GROUNDS OPENED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18895, 18 December 1924, Page 13

NEW GROUNDS OPENED.

THE KOWHAI HIGH SCHOOL.

PRAISE FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

SUCCESS OF THE SCHEME-

lhe new piaying grounds at tlie Kowhai Junior High School were opened yesterday afternoon by the Hon. C. J." Parr, Minister for Education. The Minister was received with three cheers hv the children, who then saluted the flag. lhe chairman of the committee, Mr. S. E. Chappell, thanked the parents for their efforts in raising money for the grounds, They should be proud that they had the first junior high school and that they were giving their children the best po> sible education.

Mr. I'arr, in declaring the grounds open, said lie remembered two years ago opening the school, and he had been rather appalled by the condition of the grounds, but now they had 0110 of the finest playing grounds in tho Dominion. He congratulated tho children, tho committee, and the parents on tho work they had done.

The school had been started with some trepidation. It was an experiment. But now he hail no doubt about its success. The inspectors, who were all men of wide experience, had stated tho work of the children had more than justified the expenditure and the experiment. The Education Board would be fully justified in asking lor more of theso schools. Mr. A. Burris, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, said it seemed hardly possible for such a transformation to have taken place in tho grounds. Tho whole of New Zealand was watching the junior high school experiment, and the headmaster and his staff should be proud of their achievement.

The ciicket cup presented by Mr. F. Earlo for the winners of the primary schools championship and won by the school team last year, was presented to the captain by Mr. Parr. A number of medals gained by the boys arid girls at the Industrial Exhibition were also presented.

A presentation was inado by the headmaster, Mr. R. E. Rudman, to Mrs. Wilson, the school's first secretary, for Jier valuable work in gaining the co-operation of children, parents, and teachers. An exhibition of folk dancing and of drill by the boys and girls was giveu at the conclusion of the addresses. A. striking display of the boys' and girls' handiwork shown in the workshop building evoked great admiration.