KOWHAI SCHOOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 14

KOWHAI SCHOOL

LARGER GROUNDS NEEDED "PLAYING CHILDISH GAMES" "Some of the children have to play childish games in limited spaces as there is no room for them to engage in more manly sports," said Mr. L. E. Falkner, when advocating an increased playing area for the Kowhai Intermediate School at the annual meeting of parents last night. It was stated that the school had originally been intended as a primary school, and two of the buddings had been added as an afterthought A resolution was passed urging the Minister of Education to purchase adjoining land as sojn as possible. The Mayor of Mount Albert, Mr. R. Ferner, who presided at the meeting, paid a tributo to the work of the school in the civic life of the community. The report of the headmaster, Mr. J. F. "Wells, said the opening number on the roll was 867, in spite of the fact that the third form roll dropped from 123 to 76. The proficiency examination was passed by 83 J per cent of candidates. During the year pupils deposited £240 in the Auckland Savings Bank. Teachers from abroad who had visited the school had been impressed with the method of classification, organisation and guidance. Efforts at vocational guidance had proved so successful that the school could not supply the requirements of firms wanting to place its scholars. This was an argument for allowing a sufficient number of fourthyear scholars to come back to supply this demand. These could then be placed in positions suited to the aptitudes the school knew they possessed, instead of being allowed to drift into positions for which they were definitely not fitted.

As a tribute to the late Mr. F. M. Wilks, who died shortly after leaving the school to take up a headmastership, said the report, a sundial engraved with the words "A Very Gallant Gentleman" had been erected. In spite of very grave war injuries, Mr. Wilks had carried out the onerous duties of first assistant cheerfully and conscientiously. The retiring committee was elected as follows: —Mrs. E. A. Smvthe, Messrs. A. A. Buckley, E. H. Page, L. E. Rhodes,- C. F. Quinnell and F. A. May. Three representatives of contributing schools have yet to be appointed.