DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4185, 13 September 1939, Page 6

DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. LEVELLING GROUNDS. The monthly meeting of the Te Awamutu District High School Committee was held in the office of the secretary, Mr J. G. Wynyard, on Monday evening. The chairman Mr G. B. Melrose presided and there were present, Messrs S. H. West, J. Murtagh, A. S. Wyllie, G. Donaldson, F. Turner, G. S. Hall, J. A. Johnson and the headmaster Mr W. G. S. Smith.

A suggestion was received from Frontier Films, Ltd., who have at present in production the film “Rewi’s Last Stand” that it might be possible to arrange for a reception in Te Awamutu of the distinguished New Zealand composer, Alfred Hill, who is at present under engagement to the company. Mr Hill is now in Auckland. Frontier Films, enquired if a reception were arranged, would it be possible to have it in the school hall, as there was not another suitable hall in Te Awamutu. It was hoped that at the reception Mr Hill would give some examples of the compositions which have earned him such a wide reputation. The headmaster said he nad originally received the suggestion, but it was not one for him to deal with. The hajl could not be given free. It was decided that the hall should be available with an admission charge, the proceeds to go to. the funds of the school, and it was left to the headmaster to make any necessary arrangements. A letter of thanks and appreciation was received from the Old Boys’ Football Club for the committee’s permission to use the school hall, for itheir dance and for the support and help given. The position regarding the travelling by children in the town area in the school buses was set out as the re-, suit of an enquiry from one of the parents by letter. The letter stated that in the past in wet weather she had paid for her children to travel to school by bus, and it was desired to know if any privilege could, be extended to children in the present service. The reply stated that children in the town area could travel by bys lonly if a certificate were secured from a doctor and the committee’s consent were first obtained.

Some concern was felt by members of the committee that the opportunity of levelling the grounds in front >of the school would be lost indefinitely it it were not put in hand now while the ploughs and graders were at work on the rest of the school grounds. There seemed to be a doubt as to whether -the contractor was authorised to complete the work in the front of the school. It was estimated the the whole of this area could be levelled for £5O.

Several members expressed the opinion that this work should if possible should be put in hand at once even if the committee had to make a contribution towards it, and finally it was left in the hands of the chairman, Mr Melrose, to approach the authorities concerned, and draw their attention to the present opportunity of doing the work cheaply. He was authorised to meet part of the cost, if it could not be included in contract work of levelling the grounds. The Auckland Education Board advised that the total estimated school funds available for the coming year, payalble on account of the intermediate and secondary departments was made up as follows: basic payment, £5O; 10s per head on an estimated roll number of 290, £145, making a total of £195. An increase of 50 per cent., £97 10s; and the manual capitation brings the total to £327 10s Id.

Authority for the extension of the bus service towards Pirongia by one mile was contained in a letter from the Auckland Education Board, and the headmaster said that the extended servitee had been in operation since the beginning of the new term,' and although the Department had not sanctioned the mile and a half asked for he understood that a suitable turning place had been found Iby the driver. Information was received from the Prisons’ Department that it had notified the Education Department that one of the new houses to be erected at Waikeria would be available for the school bus driver-teacher on the Waikeria route.