HIGH SCHOOLS

Southland Times, Issue 20939, 23 November 1929, Page 11

HIGH SCHOOLS

BOARD OF GOVERNORS. MONTHLY MEETING. The montMy meeting of the Board of Governors of the Southland Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools was held last evening, the chairman, Mr R. M. Strang, presiding over the following members:—Messrs J. D. Campbell, J. Gilkison, J. T. Carswell and the Rev. J. L. Robinson. It was decided that the school vacations should extend from December* 13 to February 4. The secretary was instructed to send letters to all parents asking for donations towards the prize funds and the principals were authorized to spend up to £2O on prizes. Arrangements were made with Miss Samuel, who was present in connection with the staffing and internal arrangements of the new Girls’ Hostel. It was decided that the term fees should be £2l for the full week, less 30/- if paid in advance, and £lB for Mondays to Fridays, the same reduction to be made for fees paid in advance. With the latter boarders, only household laundry work will be done. The board’s architect (Mr J. J. Gough) reported inter alia as follows:—"The bicycle shed of concrete paving at the Boys’ School has been completed at a cost of £137 10/7. The estimated cost and the Department’s grant for this work was £l3B. Work on the girls’ hostel is proceeding satisfactorily and practically all carpentering work, plumbing, bricklaying and plastering the interior of the main building has been completed. From the commencement of the job good progress has been made in all trades and practically no interruptions have occurred.” School Curriculum. Dr G. H. Uttley, who will take over the rectorship of the Boys’ High School with the new year, wrote as follows on the question of the school curriculum:— "It is my intention, as soon as the necessary facilities are available and with the approval of the board, to widen the curriculum at the Southland Boys’ High School. I have been in correspondence with the Director of Education and he approves of the widened curriculum, but states in his letter to me that the present equipment at the Technical College may be available for some of our practical work. Many parents desire to send their boys to a good high school and a considerable number of those boys will get the fullest value from such a school only if it is fully provided with practical courses. Why should those boys, often of undoubted ability in other directions, be compelled to take Latin, French and a full mathematical course? We must provide for them. I suggest therefore that the Technical College authorities be interviewed on various aspects of the subject.” Dr Uttley also suggested that a definite school crest should be designed and that this should be used on school exercise books. It was agreed to follow Mr Uttley’s suggestion to interview the Technical College authorities. Principals’ Reports. The lady principal of the Girls’ School (Miss M. Samuel) reported as follows: — "The roll number at present is 231. Several girls left recently to take up positions. The attendance has been good on the whole in spite of the incidence of influenza. Arrangement will bri made for the girls to parade at the boys’ school on Tuesday, December 10, on the occasion of the visit of their Excellencies the Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson. On Monday, December 9, the school will parade as a body at Queen’s Park.” The acting-rector of the Boys’ High School reported as follows: —"There has ■been the steady fall in enrolment general among secondary schools towards the end of the year. The present roll-number is 253. The annual sports ineeting held on October 23 was most successful. Thanks are due to those friends who helped in many ways, particularly the outside judges and timekeepers, and most of all to Mrs Strang and the ladies who worked hard to make the afternoon tea function a pronounced success. When I hand over to Dr Uttley I expect to leave about £lOO to the credit of the various school funds, which will pay for the annual issue of the school magazine and leave a substatial sum in hand to start next year with.”