HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 274, 16 May 1912, Page 7

HIGH SCHOOL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth High School Board was held yesterday afternoon. Members present were: Messrs. S. Percy-Smith (in the chair), E. Dockrill, 11. Eyre-Kenny, D. Hutchen, M. Eraser, and Dr. Fookes. CHAIRMAN RESIGNS. A letter was read from the chairman (Mr. N. K. MacDkrmid) resigning his position as a member of the Board. "The time has arrived," he remarked, "when 1 must ask you to permit me to I retire from the Board. The increase in work and the responsibility in connection with the High School has grown to such an extent that it has become too great a tax upon my time. As I was appointed a governor as far back as October 7, 1891, and as on May 20 I will have completed my ninth year as chairman of the Board, I may now fairly claim a rest. My retirement will make room for a younger man, who will have an opportunity of bringing vigor [ and' energy to bear upon the work. In i bidding you, my colleagues, 'good-bye' f officially, I wish to thank you for the ( very valuable assistance you have renI dered me during my terms of chairmanship, and for your leniency with my many failings and errors." Discussing the matter, members were unanimous in the opinion that Mr. MacDiarmid should be asked to reconsider his resignation. Eulogistic references were made to his valuable record of assistance. In remarking that with the advent 'of the. Local Government Bill it was possible that the life of the Board would not be prolonged beyond another four or five months, Mr. EyreKenny said that Mr. MacDiarmid might be induced to remain in office until at least that time. Although he had sometimes disagreed with Mr. MacDiarmid, lie believed there was not a member who had the welfare of the Board more at heart than the chairman. The Board then unanimously carried the following resolution, which was moved by Mr. Eyre-Kenny: "That the secretary be instructed to express to Mr. MacDiarmid the great regret with which the Board had received his resignation as a member. The Board realises ' the very valuable services rendered by Mr, MacDiarmid to the school during the past nine years, and the great attention which he has given to the interests of the school and the largo amount of work that has been performed by him during his 'term of office. The Board trusts that he may see fit to withdraw his resignation and to continue a member of the Board, acting as its chairman, until the constitution of the Board is remodelled in the course of the next sitting of Parliament, or if Mr. MacDiaraiid should see fit —if things are left as they are—to remain on the Board, at any rate until the end of the current year. The Board is convinced that it would be in the best interests of the school if Mr. MacDiarmid would accede to its request." REPORT BY THE PRINCIPAL. Reporting on the school generally, the Principal (Mr. Moyes) stated that the attendance had been highly satisfactory, some pupils had, through sickness, failed to obtain 80 per cent, of the full number of attendances. The work -done in the school had on the whole been satisfactory. In the middle and lower forms arithmetic was perhaps the weakest subject, while the writing throughout the school was distinctly bad. Steps w r cre being taken to bring about an improvement in the directions indicated. THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.

Good work had been done out of school. The cricket ground had been ploughed and levelled, and a fence had been erected along the southern boundary. He asked the Board to obtain a lawn mower, at a cost of £B, with part of the balance of £SO voted for the ground. Excavation work had been carried out at the bottom end of the gully, and by the close of the next term a portion ViOft by 50ft would probably be completed. He personally was indebted to the manner in which the boys had entered into the work, many of them coming back during the holidays to carry it on. In the centre a miniature ! rifle range had been erected, and the [ upper portion had been fenced 'off and [ would ultimately be levelled for tennis courts. The hillside had also been cleared of fern. He thanked the Board

for supplying a target and for having a drain put through the swamp. The recent school concert resulted in a profit of £4O being realised. IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS. "Although I myself am pleased with the work done during the term, I cannot help feeling that much has still to be accomplished before the school can compare favorably with the leading educational institutions in the Dominion."

Mr. Moyes then made several important suggestions, the first of which was as follows: "That a junior assistant master be appointed at a salary of £BO to £IOO a rear, with board and residence. Sufficient attention cannot be given to junior scholarship candidates unless the staff is increased. These at present have to be taken in conjunction with Form IV., whereas in other schools they have separate teaching throughout." Continuing, Mr. Moyes said that there were seven teachers under the present conditions and they had to teach eleven forms, and this could be done only by taking the upper forms together, a practice which made it impossible to give Form VT. the individual attention it required. The headmaster was thus compelled to teach the whole time and was therefore unable to devote sufficient time to general supervision. At any rate it would be necessary to have an assistant resident master in the boarding house.

Mr. Moyes also asked the Board to provide him with £l2 for the purchase of an arc lantern. He himself would provide the slides. A lantern was now recognised as part of school equipment. A horizontal ladder was also asked for for the school gymnasium to replace the one broken. PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT WANTED.

Mr. Moves also recommended that the Board consider in the near future the -. ivisahility of starting a preparatory department in connection with the school. All other schools of any standing had a department of this nature, including, four, five, and six standards. C o>: •-" ; • ■-< ■ -TON DEFERRED. A sub-committee was set up to deal with the application for a lawn mower, horizontal ladder, and an are" lantern, and the rest of the report was held over till next meeting. RAILWAY PASSES. The General Manager for Railways (Mr. T. Ronayne) wrote regarding the application of the Board that free passes he made available for "weekly boarders on Satftirdays to enable them to return home. The manager stated. by direction of the Minister, that school tickets were issued solely for the purpose of enabling the holders to travel to school to receive tuition. The rate charged was merely nominal and was not remunerative to the Railway Department. It was regretted that the request to extend the availability of the. tickets to include travel on Saturdays could not be acceded to. If, as stated, it was necessary for some of the pupils to attend school on Saturdays, representations should be made to the Education Board, as all concessions in the interests of education were made by arrangement with the Department.

The Board decided to write to the Education Board regarding the. matter.

Referring to the Crown Ranger's report, Messrs. Roy and Nicholson, solicitors to the Board, wrote stating that they had communicated with the different tenants therein referred to, calling their attention to the necessity of at once attending to the matters indicated by the ranger.