HIGH SCHOOLS’ BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 4041, 25 August 1931, Page 9

HIGH SCHOOLS’ BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the High Schools’ Board of Governors was held on Wednesday afternoon and was attended by Mr W. R. Brugh (in the chair), the Mayor (Mr R. S. Black), Mr J. J. Mallard, Dr Marshall Macdonald, Archdeacon Fitchett, Mr D. T. Fleming, M.L.C., and Mrs S. M Park. Accounts amounting to £2247 5s 2d were passed for payment. Messrs M. A. and P. F. Kinney and Allen Bros., Rock and Pillar, wrote thanking the board for its consideration in the matter of rentals, which they stated would help to tide them over a difficult period. - -Received.

Mr John Milne, Middlemarch, wrote thanking the board for a postponement of his rent.—Received. A letter was received from the Director, of Education stating that the board’s suggestion that geography be included in the list of subjects for a third year’s course at the Training College would receive careful consideration when next year’s third year students were being selected.—Noted. It was decided to write to Mr John Reid, principal of the South Otago High School, Balclutha, expressing the hope that he would have a speedy recovery from his recent accident. SCHOOL BOOK PRICES.

The following letter was received from the secretary of the Hutt Valley High School The Board of Governors of this school is concerned at the high prices charged to secondary’ school pupils for imported text books. It finds that in 1930 the average price was 32.8 per cent., and in 1931 46.1 per cent, above the Eng lish published price. The board is protesting to the Associated Booksellers of New Zealand at the high prices charged, and would request your board to support it by writing to the association in a simi lar strain.’’ It was decided to reply stating that the Otago Board had written on a previous occasion to the Booksellers’ Association in regard to this matter, and had been told that the prices charged were not excessive. RECTOR’S REPORT. The rector (Mr W. J. Morrell) reported as follows under date August 14:— The total number of boys now upon the school roll is 760, including 271 seniors, 476 juniors, and 13 paying pupils. The corresponding totals for 1926-30 are, respectively, 640, 668, 699, 681, and 687. In accordance with the custom for several years past, a commemoration service was held in the school hall under the auspices of the Old Boys’ Society on August 2, the nearest Sunday to our Foundation Day, August 3. There was a particularly good attendance of old boys, though the number of present boys who accepted the old boys’ invitation was somewhat disappointing. A very appropriate and impressive address was given by the Rev. George Miller, of North-East Valley (pupil in 1885-87). The lesson was read by Mr J. M. Fraser, president of the Old Boys’ Society. , From Tuesday to Friday, July 28 to 31, the school was visited by Messrs E. J. Parr and J. B.- Mawson, inspectors of secondary schools, for the purpose of a full inspection. As a result of their visit 171 boys (including two recent transfers front other schools) were provisionally accepted for the award of senior free places and 68 for higher leaving certificates. In each case final acceptance is subject to the .report of satisfactory attendance and progress until the end of the session.

The report was adopted. LADY PRINCIPAL’S REPORT.

Miss M. H. M. King reported as follows under date August J 4 — The roll number at date is as follows: — Seniors 150, juniors 330, paying pupil 1; —total, 481. The corresponding figures for the past four years are as follow: — 1930, 447; 1929, 421; 1928, 435; 1927, 452.

The secondary schools’ inspectors visited the school on July 30 and 31 and August 3. As a result of their visit 120 recommendations for senior free places were accepted out of 177 pupils, of whom two were ineligible for recommendation. Of the remainder, 33 are eligible for extension of junior free places, and the remaining 24 will be required to sit for the intermediate examination if they wish to qualify for senior free places. The events of the month include a meeting of the “ Music in the Home ” Club, which was very successful, the members contributing items to the programme, both prepared and extempore. The interest in this movement is great, and I think its cultural value is very high. The winter sports have been most successful, the school teams being victorious in all grades of the netball competition, in the schools’ hockey, and in the Basket Ball Union matches. The trophies in all these competitions come to the school this year, while the A hockey team is also runner-up in the A Grade competition for Dunedin. I wish to express my appreciation of the work done by Miss Garratt, Miss Lawson, and other members of the staff in connection with the winter sports. The report was adopted, and it was decided to eend a letter congratulating the school on the success achieved in the competitions enumerated. Dr Macdonald: I think it is a great pity that they play netball instead of basket ball. It is a class distinction, and ought to be abolished.