SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 84, 22 November 1911, Page 8

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

MONTHLY MEETING. The School Committee met last night. Present: —Mr C. J). Solo (chairman), llov. B. Metson, and •Messrs J, McMillan, J. Butcher, S. Clark, P. Skoglund, G. Smart, and A. Stewart. The Chairman reported having received a message from Sir Joseph Ward, stating that ho would be in Stratford on November 27, and would have much pleasure in performing the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new school. The Visiting Committee (Messrs Sole and Moison) reported: lour Committee visited the school and found everything progressing satisfactorily. Considering the amount of work going on, it is impossible to do any clearing up owing to building operations. The technical grounds are in good order. The boys nave i ade a quantity of useful articles i oth in iron and wood, which will be exhibited at the forthcoming Show. We beg to call the attention of ■ he contractor to the number of boulders not required which are lurching the play ground, -and trust some will be removed as speedily as possible. The Headmaster (Mr F. Tyrer) reported :—Since your last meeting the attendance ■ at the school, considering the inclement weather, may .bo considered satisfactory. Our average for the primary department is 525, and for tuc secondary department 93, making 618 for the school. The Truant Officer visited the district and took a number of parents to Court a fortnight ago. At his request 1 am forwarding to the Education Board a weekly irregular attendance return, and he assures me that he will take action against every parent whoso .lame appears on that paper without proper explanation. Kb .. the’ school ground: Owing to the necessary arrangements 'for carrying on the new building'lehr ordinary play ground space is at present myich curtailed. At the present time, ft quantity of boulders; for which understand'the ■contractors has no use. .on' the ' School building, l 'takes i up a; I9 fit space. Could she committee-arrange:to have -these removed? In reference to the Visiting Committee—could the members appointed for the month pay a visit co the school during the present week. A number of details require arranging oefore the breaking up of the school for the Christmas holidays. The annual examinations conducted by the Education Department began to-day, when candidates for senior free places, senior Board's sohqjfirship, civil service 'jnniorpeand pupil leathers’ examinations presented tliymselveS. This examination will continue to the 29th last. On' the 30ch November and Ist December are to be held the junior scholarship examinations, the National, the Education Board, and tho Bayly Memorial. ft is rather unfortunate for ns that the Stratford Show is neld while these examinations are going 011. Our pupils ac taking great interest in the competitions provided by tho Show Committee. Wo have eleven competitors for the butter fat and moisture testing competition, who have to be at examination, and so cannot possibly lie at the Show grounds on 1 Wednesday; while on Thursday twelve junior competitors for the Show os(say competition must spend their day in the examinationroom. I. forgot to say that tho local examination is being supervised by 11. G. Whether, Esq., M.A., assisted by Mrs A. Clayton, of Stratford. On December 7th the annual examination of our primary school is to lie held by Inspectors Ballantyne and Whether. Candidates for proficiency certificates will then present themselves for examination. The examinations for the senior High School pupils will begin on tho sth December. We have six candidates for matriculation, and three for the -Taranaki scholarship. Tho standard of. the former examination is to bo raised this year, and many teachers are of the opinion that the examiners have agreed to take a high standard for a pass. The Rev. J. M. Thomson supervised this examination. The school electric light and telephone wires are attached to the drill shed, aand are in the way of the now building. They will need to be fixed some other wav. at once.