HIGH SCHOOLS’ GOVERNORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22294, 21 June 1934, Page 2

HIGH SCHOOLS’ GOVERNORS

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Otago High Schools Board of Governors was held yesterday, and was attended by the chairman (Professor G. E. Thompson), the Mayor of Dunedin (the Rev. E. T. Cox), Bishop Fitchett, Messrs D. T. Fleming, J. 0. H. Somerville, W. R. Brugh, J. J. Mallard, and Mrs S. M. Park. MOTION OF SYMPATHY. Before commencing the business of the meeting the chairman referred to tht death of Walter E. Rogersoii, who, he said, had been dux of the Boys’ High School in 1931. After proceeding to the University he had given great promise, especially in science. It was a sad thing that a boy who had showed such great gifts of character and scholarship should have been cut off so young. _ A motion of sympathy with the relatives was passed, the members standing in silence. BISHOP FITCHETT CONGRATULATED. The chairman extended to Bishop Fitchett the congratulations of the board on his recent consecration, and expressed the hope that his many duties would not interfere seriously with the valuable work which Bishop Fitchett had performed as a board member for several years. Bishop Fitchett briefly acknowledged the chairman’s remarks. -CORRESPONDENCE. The principal of the Girls’ High School (Miss M. H. M. King) wrote stating that she wished to place on record, both for herself and on behalf of the school, her sense of the loss suffered by the community in the death of Mr J. C. Stephens, to whose influence in aud service to the community she paid a tribute—Received. Miss King also wrote mentioning that Miss Aitkeu had inaugurated a scheme for the provision of a glass of milk daily for girls whose constitution aud vigour seemed to need building up. The cost was in most cases being met by the parents, and one mother had offered to pay for another girl as well as her own. The writer thought the girls would benefit considerably.—Noted. The secretary reported that Mr J. C. H. Somerville had been elected to the board a s representative of the parents of pupils in the place of Mr J. C. Stephens.—The chairman -welcomed Mr Somerville, and said be was sure that Mr Somerville would prove a valuable member of the board. The registrar of the University' of Otago intimated that Mr W. R. Brugh bad been elected a member of the University Council in place of Mr Stephens as representative of the secondary schools of Otago and Southland. Mr Brugh’s term of office would expire on June 30. and it was therefore necessary for each board to nominate a successor. —It was decided to nominate Mr Brugh again for the position. The Education Department stated that approval had been given for an expenditure of £SO out of endowment income to cover the cost of converting a room at the Girls’ High School into a staff room and the present staff room into a class room. —lt was decided to ask the principal whether she and members of her staff really desired to have the suggested changes made. The department also notified that approval had been given for an expenditute of £l2 5s 4d out of endowment income to cover the cost of sundry repairs.—Noted. • Mrs I. E. Sainsbury wrote stating that, bn behalf of all the parents of country boys attending the High School, she would like to place before the board the conditions under which the boys had their lunch. They had to sit about in the plgy shed during the long lunch hour, and she thought some warmer place in the school could be found for them; —The rector (Mr H. P. Kidson) reported that he had decided to allow the boys to have their lunch in their class rooms on davs that were very wet and cold.—The rector’s action was approved.—Mr Somerville said it had been suggested to bun that the janitor might be able to supply cocoa to the hoys at so much per week. He would like to know whether this was feasible,—After some discussion, it was decided to refer the matter to the rector, the chairman to have power to act in the matter. i The Amenities and Town' Planning Society wrote drawing attention to the crowding of laurels in front of the High School. This detracted from the general appearance of the building from the road. —The rector wrote stating that something outside of tidying up of the trees aud shrubs in front of the school was necessary, and he thought the only thing to do would be to give - a landscape gardener general instructions and give him a fairly tree hand with details;—-It was decided to .approach Mr D. T. Tannock and request him to undertake the work. : FINANCE. The financial statement showed receipts since May 15 amounting to £2291 14s 4d and payments totalling £1797 10s Id. Accounts to be passed for payment totalled £1796 10s 9d.

The report was adopted. . Mr Mallard said he thought the secretary (Mr C. R. M'Lean) should be congratulated on the fact that the board 9 balance sheet for the year bad been returned by the Auditor-general without any tags. In the six or seven years during which he had been associated with the board only one tag had been placed on a balance sheet submittted by the board. RECTOR’S REPORT. The monthly report of the rector of the Boys’ High School stated that the total number of boys on the school roll was 760, of whom 281 were seniors, 461 juniors, and 18 paying pupils. The corresponding totals for June, 1929-33, were respectively 706, 697, 704, 768, and 729. A branch of Toe H had been formed at the school The members of the Dunedin Toe H Group was taking up enthusiastically the work of training the boys in the aims and ideals of the movement. The school orchestra had begun its practices. There are 34 boys with their owu instruments, ( and another 14 capable of playing in it if they had instruments. There was a good nucleus of competent players, and the success of the orchestra seemed assured. They were grateful to Messrs Charles Begg and Co. for a gift of 12 music stands and to the Old Boys’ Society for a donation to the orchestra fund. The meeting of the Music Club, the Debating Club, and the Dramatic Society (which is now independent of the Debating Club) had been resumed and singing was again in progress in place of drill on Friday afternoons. Winter games were in full swing. By closing down school a little early one afternoon a week and making use of the grounds in the city nearest the boys’ homes they had been able to give all boys who were fit a chance of ploying one of the winter games. About 620 boys turned out each week. A party of boys, accompanied by two masters, visited Mount Cook in the May vacation and took part in winter sports. A number of photographs which would be of great interest and value had been lodged at the school during the last few weeks. They included a valuable set of jubilee photos from the Old Boys’ Societ3’- and a number of interesting ones which had been in the possession of the late Mr G. M. Thomson. During the May holidays the artillery section had a voluntary camp at the Central Battery. Two masters and 52 boys attended. They had an interesting and enjoyable time in spite of the bad weather. Fortyfour other boys attended voluntary courses at the Drill Hall. Reports on the behaviour of the boys had been excellent. There where some noteworthy distinctions that had been gained recently by old boys of the school. Mention had already been made of the election of Archdeacon W. A. R. Fitchett to the bishopric of the Diocese of Dunedin. Two old boys (Mr James Begg and Mr R. J. Hudson) .have been appointed directors of the new Central Bank. Mr J. C. H. Somerville, who had been elected to the Board of Governors, was an old boy of the school. Professor H. H. Cornish had been appointed Solicitor-general. Mr J. B. Mawson was the new principal of St. Andrew’s College, Christchurch, Mr J. Renfrew White was chairman of the honorary medical staff at the Dunedin Public Hospital, Mr I. S. Cantrell was manager of the Dunedin branch of the National Bank, and Mr A. T. M'Naughton _ was director of the Board of Religious Education for the Presbyterian Church of Australia. The school Rugby fixtures for this year would probably be restricted to those with Christ College and the Christchurch Boys’ High School. Southland Boys’ High School and Timaru Boys’ High School intimated that unless the playing of University terms students was allowed they would not take part in the tournament. The Christchurch Boys’ High School and the Otago Boys’ High School were un-

willing to agree to this innovation. Waitaki Boys’ High School had adopted the same attitude as Southland and Timaru, so that it was unlikely that the match with Waitaki would be played. The cessation of these games would be regretted in many ways, but he considered that if either side had a feeling that the conditions were unfair the games had better not be played. The report was adopted. PRINCIPAL’S REPORT. The monthly report of the principal of the Otago Girls’ High School stated that the school reassembled on the assigned date, and the roll totalled 554. The attendance for term 1 averaged 641. Since the opening of the term there had been a certain amount of sickness, chiefly colds, severe and otherwise, but this seemed now to be subsiding. Withdrawals for the last two months and a-half were as follows:—Positions in offices 2, positions in shops 5; home (health 2) 4, private school 1, trades 2, left New Zealand 1. A netball tournament was held on Monday, May 28, and on June 13, those who wished to do so were given the opportunity of attending a special afternoon screening of the picture “ Romantic New Zealand.” That night the annual class choir contest was held, Mr A. Walmeley having very kindly consented to act as judge. The telescope offered by Mr A. G. Gifford on extended loan to the school had arrived from Christchurch, and wag a very fine instrument. Preparations were being made for its systematic use in the interests of observational astronomy. The report was adopted.