HALF-DAY AT SCHOOLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22026, 5 February 1935, Page 8

HALF-DAY AT SCHOOLS

ACTION BY MINISTER AUTHORITY TO BOARDS ATTENDANCE THIS MONTH [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION'] WELLINGTON, Monday Authority has been given,by the Minister of Education, Hon. S. G. Smith, to education boards tp keep the schools under their control open on mornings only during February in the interests of health. The Minister has jjent the following telegram to all eduoition boards in New Zealand: —"In viey/ of the exceptionally warm prevailing, and the possibility of this weather having an injurious effect on the health of children in certain districts, I have decided to exercise the powers conferred upon me by regulation and to give education boards the right during February to I keep schools under their con trol open on mornings only, from 8.30 to noon, or from 9 a.m. tq 12.30 p.m., the rolls to be marked for mornings only. "In view of this arrangement it is hoped that parents will show their ap. preciation by sending their children to school every morning, thus assisting to maintain the schools' average attendance." VARYING EE-OPENING TIMES MORE SECONDARY SCHOLARS After a holiday augmented by a day in honour of the Duke of Gloucester's visit the primary schools will reopen to-day. The advisability of relaxing tho school hours if excessively hot weather continues to be experienced will- be discussed by the Auckland Education Board to-morrow. Most secondary schools will reopen to-morrow, but the Seddon Memorial Technical College will not reopen until Thursday. There is every indication that this year attendances will be considerably higher than at the opening date last year. The Technical College lias already received 1360 enrolments, compared with a total of 1320 on the opening date last year. "The numbers are such that the school will be crowded to the utmost in every department," said the principal, Mr. G. J. Park, yesterday. He said that all courses would be well attended, but special interest had been shown in the engineering, motor engineering and trades departments. Figures at the Grammar -Schools were not available yesterday, but the opinion was expressed that the numbers of scholars would be in excesa of last year's figures.