NELSON TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13592, 6 October 1914, Page 6

NELSON TOWN SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

— --• CHRISTMAS VACATION.

-REVERSION TO LONG HOLIDAY SYSTEM. I

A meeting of tho above-named comwitte© was hold last evening, there being present Messrs Boyes (chairman), Easdalc, VTinn, Wimsctt, Stringer; MeConchie, Karstcn, and the R<w. J. H. MacK.enaie. The school reports for the fortnight W ore:—Boas' division: Total on the roll 53-1 tm-ragc attendance 502, percentage Q'J 5 pd'nitted 5, withdrawals 11, or tvhom 10 had left the district. Girls' division : Total on roll (09, average attendant 642.4, percentage 90.8, admitted 17, withdrawals 4, of whom 6 had left the district. Mr Knapp noted: "MJea'ies are somewhat prevalent among tho younger children, and tho, attorn; nice has consequently fallen oii, especially during last week." 4 letter was received regarding home lessons. , The opinion was expressed that som<* of the children were being overworked so far as home lessons were concerned. The chairman and the Rev, J H. Maclvonzie were appointed as sub-committeo to inquire into the matter, and bring up a report. The Rev J. H. Mackenzie pointed out, as 'regarded thy outbreak of measles, that keeping children away from .school for four weeks was not goki« to stop the spread of the-disease, as"the children affected mixed with the other children. If the disease be-; came general he thought a fortnight; was quite long enough to keep the. children from school. He moved that the Department be asked to leave the, timo of absanco from school m the hands of a local doctor or the health 0£ ()nrbeing seconded, the motion *-vas carried.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

The Rev. J. H. MacKenzie moved that the committee revert to the system of <4ivm^ a long holiday at Christ-; mas Ho contended that in ever? way the long holiday was in the best interests of the education of the children. He said thov had had an experience of a short holiday at Christmas, and it had not been satisfactory. He pointed out that January was not a good month m which to have children confined m school buildings. He strongly urged that it was not the business of the committee to provide. c + hli d ,lafe r f^ any industry. He pointed to the fact that owing to the short holiday last Christmas'the Hampden street and Haven road schools had to be closed tor some days owing to the absence ot some of the teachers at their annual examinations. He hoped, it the committee would not accept his motion, that they would take a vote of ttie parents and guardians on the question. He could not see why the school work, ehould be disarranged, when only about; 100 children went hop-picking and 1100 children did not go. -.It was not tanto send the town children into the country to compete with the country children in the hop gardens. \lr McCont-hie seconded the motion pro forma. Personally he favoured a long holiday at Christmas, but in duty to th© householders he thought the matter should be referred back to them for their decision. Mr Stringer moved as an amendment that a referendum be taken of the parents and guardians on the question. Mr Wimsett seconded the amendment. If the war continued a good many would be very glad of the hoppicking money. It would be giving the parents and guardians a square deal to let them have a voice m the matter. Mr Karsten thought the committee should have sufficient backbone to say what should be done as regards the holidays. Personally he was in favour of hop-picking holidays. Mr. Winu agreed with a good deal that the mover of the motion had said. He thought there was surely a way to .be found by which those who wanted their children to go hop-picking could be allowed to do so legally. The chairman said that certainly a very small percentage of the children went hop-picking last year. As far as he had been able to gather a number of parents had changed their minds on the holiday question. On the amendment being put, Messrs Stringer, Karsten, Wimsett, and McConchie voted for it; and Messrs Winn, Easdale, MacKenzie, and the chairman against it. The chairman gave his casting vote, and declared the amendment lost.

The motion w^s then put, and carried. The schools therefore will have a long vacation at Christmas.

SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Mr. Knapp wrote regarding increased ventilation at the Girls' Central School. He pointed out that last year the matter was brought under the notice of the Education Board. He urged that something should be done before summer. It wag resolved to again call the Board's attention to the matter.

Mr. Xiupp drew attention to the overcrowded state of the Hampden street School, there being 227 pupils on the r«H, and 00 in the infants' room, being about 40 more than there should be according to the Department's floor space, soale. It was resolved to refer the matter to the Education Board.

The teachers' requirements were graafeiL

Tfao Committee then adjourned