OTAGO HIGH SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3763, 27 April 1926, Page 75

OTAGO HIGH SCHOOLS.

MEETING OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS. The monthly meeting of the High School Board of Governors was held on Wednesday afternoon, when there were present: —Dr G. E. Thompson (chairman), Messrs T. K. Sidey, M.P., H. L. Tapley, M.P., J. M. Galloway, Herbert Webb, the Hon. D. T. Fleming, W. R. Brugh, and Mrs Park. The financial statement showed that from March 15 the receipts had amounted to £2732 14s Bd, which was £471 19s lid in excess of the expenditure. An application by the lady principal for extended leave of absence till the end of the term for Miss Aiken was granted.

Mr J. C. Stephens wrote stating his willingness to accept re-nomination as a member of the University Council—Received. An application for a supply of hockey sticks and basket ball equipment for the pupils of the Girls’ High School was granted, Mr Galloway remarking that the board had provided boxing gloves for the boys. The cost of the goods, he said, would be £lO 16s.

The Lady Principal forwarded an application from Miss Jones for an exchange with a teacher from Canada. Miss Jones intimated that she was prepared to .leave New Zealand after July.—The board approved of the provisions for the exchange, with the addition of a clause that it was desirable that Miss Jones should not depart till the end of the year. A request was received that text-hooks should be provided for the masters in the Boys’ High School—The Rector wrote stating that in view of the fact that textbooks were provided for the mistresses at the Girls’ High Schools he could not see how the request could be fairly rejected. He estimated the cost at £1 per master per annum, there being 22 members of the staff.—The board acceded to the request.

The report of the rector (Mr W. J. Morrell) was as follows: —I have to report that the total number of boys now upon the school roll is 669. including 211 seniors, 436 juniors, and 22 paying pupils. The corresponding totals for April, 1921-5, are respectively 531. 582, 620, 616, and (May 1, 1925) 646. I wish to express our deep sympathy with the parents and family of Wilfrid J. F. Cox, who entered from the Arthur Street School in February and died of appendicitis, after a very short illness, on Saturday, March 20. In connection with the military pageant and torchlight tattoo, held on the Exhibition Sports Ground from March 22 to March 27 inclusive, the school wr.s represented by 30 first-year cadets, who took part in the ceremony of the changing of the guard. Mr Clifford Sanderson, who had for some two years held the position of drawing master, left at the end of last month for Auckland to pursue a course of study for the degree of architecture. Mr Sanderson did very good work during his time of service upon the staff, and won the like and respect both of nupils and colleagues. Mr T. H. Jenkin, who was appointed in Ins place, took up the work at the beginning of The present month. On the afternoon of April 1 we had the pleasure of receiving at the school a party of some 25 boys of the Napier High School, who were visiting Dunedin to see the Exhibition, under charge of Mr Strack, ji»~ Arrangements were made for a number of our own boys to show them hospitality on the Sunday. We trust that the whole party thoroughly enjoyed their stay in Dunedin. The report was adopted. Miss M. H. M. King (principal of the Girls’ High School) reported as follows: The roll number is—senior free place 157, junior free place 316, paying nupils 2 a total of 475. At corresponding dates the totals were—l92s, 475: 1924, 504; 1923, 476; 1922, 449. The school lawn tenuis representatives did well in the Easter tournament, reaching the final round, and are maintaining a good place in the Junior Associnti n’s tournaments. The beginners’ swimhiing classes are being held at the municipal baths, and to all appearance the arrangements are satisfactory. The general work of the school proceeds as usual.—Adopted.

The following report of the Rectory Committee was adopted:—We beg to report having met to consider the sketch plans for the preposed girls’ hostel. We had before us n summary of «nts on the plans, made by the manager (Mr F. 11. Campbell) and matron (Mrs Kirkland) of the Rectory boarding-house. These we Lave forwarded to the Education Departme c. with a request that, if possible, a conference between the Government architect or other officer responsible for the plans, Mr Campbell, Mrs Kirklar.d, the lady principal, and the Rectory Committee (with he Hon. D. T. Fleming), be held in Dunedin at an early date.