Gore HIGH SCHOOLS BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 23025, 20 October 1936, Page 4

Gore HIGH SCHOOLS BOARD

SPECIAL GRANT FROM DEPARTMENT The monthly meeting of the Gore High Schools Board was held yesterday. There were present: Messrs E. C. Smith (chairman), F. Wallis jun., Henry Smith, J. H. Clark, H. E. Mac Gibbon and Hugh Smith. The chairman reported that the Gore Rotary Club had made a grant of £1 1/- as a prize for a speech on an international subject to be chosen by the rector.

The Education Department advised that a special grant of £3O had been approved towards the cost of concreting an area 74 feet long by 28 feet wide on the east side of the school grounds. It was decided to accept the grant with thanks and call tenders for the work. The Director-of Education (Mr N. T. Lambourne) wrote stating that from staffing returns available, it was obvious that a number of secondary schools would come- within the provisions of the regulations that where the roll number decreased by more than eight per cent, of the minimum roll for the grade the staff should be reduced to that provided for the next lower grade. The Minister had decided, however, that in all cases where this year a reduction in staff would otherwise be necessary, the retention of the full-time staff as provided by the grading of the schools as at March 1 last was approved. Higher Leaving Age.

The secretary of the Southland Education Board (Mr H. T. Thompson) wrote stating that the Education Department had requested information of the effect of raising the school leaving age to 15 years. An analysis of leaving ages in the district indicated that in the second year there would probably be an additional 95 pupils at the Gore High School and information was sought whether there was sufficient accommodation at the for such an increase in the school roll and if not how many additional rooms would be required. ~ The secretary (Mr F. Young) said that the accommodation was stated to be sufficient for 275 pupils and the roll at the beginning of the year was 25b. It appeared that at least one extra room would be required. It was decided to supply the inThe Eastern Southland Basketball Association advised that it had laised £5O towards the cost of extending the asphalt courts at the school hostel and was prepared to hand it over to tne board when required. It was decided to call tenders in November for the work. , The Gore Amateur Athletic Ciub was granted permission to use the hostel ground for training purposes at a tee of £1 for the season. The Gore Pipe Band was granted permission to use the hostel grounds for practising for the forthcoming contest. Rector’s Report. The rector (Mr E. H. W. Rowntree) reported that he had been extremely gratified with the enthusiastic response on the part of the staff and pupils to the attempts which had been made to give the pupils a fuller school life. The kindly interest of many parents and ex-pupils, too, had been most encouraging. The rector stated that he had had occasion to go carefully into the rolls while preparing a departmental return and felt that the board would be interested in one aspect which, to him, was a very serious one. He found that no fewer than 55 pupils had left school since the beginning of the year. One or two might have been transferred to other schools, but the majority had left either _ to take up some situation or to assist at home. An analysis showed that 35 or 64 per cent, had failed to complete two years of secondary education and 37, or 67 per cent, had left before attaining the age of 16. That this should be so was exceedingly serious, not so much from the point of view of the school, as from the point of view of the child. Recent legislation might have had something to do with this abnormal demand for young people under 16 years of age, but the rector thought that when the people responsible for framing this legislation realized the evil effects . it was having on the youth in depriving them of necessary education it would be drastically revised.. It was necessary to prepare the child, not so much to meet conditions of to-day, but for what he would meet 15 years hence. Therefore, he felt that wherever it was possible, for the sake of the child, parents should see that the child started out as fully equipped as possible, with the best that the school could give. The departmental inspectors had paid a visit during the month for the purpose of considering free place recommendations, stated the report. The establishment of the house system had supplied a definite need in the school and had created a much greater interest on the part of the pupils in all departments. Each house, under its own prefects and house teachers, was developing a corporate life of its own and had its own distinctive badge and colour. An honours board, for house competitions had been kindly offered by Mr A. D. Reid. A wireless club and a dramatic club had been formed and both were useful. It was proposed to hold an open day, at which, parents of present and prospective pupils would have an opportunity of seeing the school at work. The proposed date was Tuesday, December 15. New School Desired. The question of a new school was briefly discussed. The chairman said that he thought the board should press strongly for new premises. The present building was definitely out of date and the problem of accommodation would shortly become acute. The present school did not compare at all well with similar establishments in northern centres. The chairman and rector were empowered to make representations to the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser). It was decided to urge the expansion of the school agricultural course by the establishment of a school farm. angling. The first Roche Cup competition conducted by the Gore District Angling Club resulted as follows:—C. Giles, 11 fish, 111 b loz (120 per cent handicap), 241 b 6oz 1, N. Fryer, 4 fish, 51b 14oz (105 per cent handicap), 121 b l oz 2, G. Strang, 10 fish, 91b 3oz (25 per cent, handicap), 111 b 12 oz 3. GOLF. In the opening summer golf match of the season, the best cards in a fourball bogey handicap were:— A. D. Reid and W. Cormack, 2 up. H. H. Doughty and A. J. Hawke, 1 up. J. W. Turnbull and J. N. Fraser, 2 down. L. G. Thomson and R. Ritchie, 4 down.