SCHOOLS IN BACKBLOCKS

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1929, Page 11

SCHOOLS IN BACKBLOCKS

TOUR BY EDUCATION BOARD.

A tour of schools in the districts be*

hind Inglewood was undertaken yester* day by Messrs. H. Dempsey, J. A. Valentine, J. McAllister (members), H. W. Insull (secretary), R. G. Ridling (senior agricultural instructor) and C. H. Mooro (architect), of the Taranaki Education Board. The first school visited was that at Lincoln Road, where the party was met by Messrs. F. S. Burson (chairman) and A. L. Winter, of the committee. During - a discussion on general questions it was"; explained that the building had beenj condemned on account of its bad orien-. tation. The departmental architect, Mr.,;. R. Savage, would visit the school to-; morrow, it was stated. Regarding the’ question of conveying the children to Inglewood, it was said that feeling in the '? district seemed to be mostly against the proposal, but the suggestion was made that the committee should call a meeting of settlers to consider the matter. On their way back the party inspected the teacher’s residence, which is one and a half miles from the school. L'

A call was made at the Everett Road? school in the well-cultivated, valley be-.; yond the scenic reserve. Here 1G child.*! re.n were being taught in one of the older types of movable rooms situated in a threequarter-acre section leased at a nominal rent from Mr. F. Bracegirdle, chairman of the committee. With the road permanently settled and the probability of five more children attending shortly, it was emphasised that accommodation was insufficient. It was suggested that a better site of two acres could be acquired on some rising ground further on. Committeemen who waited on the visitors were Messrs. Bracegirdle, E. Cooper, V. Fabish and Morris. A feature at the Waitui School most favourably nommented on by members of the board was the levelling and filling work accomplished by the committee over a considerable area - of’ the playground immediately around the building. Voluntary labour performed the work at a cost of £2Q and the board is granting a subsidy of £l5. It is- still necessary to drain the area, however. The school is on a rise overlooking a prosperous expanse of green pasture land broken by hills and gullies. Mr. L. J. Hunter met the visitors at thia,.,; school.

Messrs. H. Lambert (chairman) and C. W. Goodwin, members of the committee, put the needs of the Pukeh(i;A School before the travellers, with, the result that permission was given to make certain improvements? At- Tarata the party was welcomed by Mr. C. Corkill, chairman of the -com* ■' niittee. He said that they had no griev*/.. ances, except that renewals of school furnishings and appliances were necessary. The Tarata committee had invited board members to visit the school with a view to the inauguration of manual training in the spare room. The pupils of the Purangi and Pukeho X schools could attend.

Mr. Valentine mentioned the board was advertising for a teacher for the school and preference would bo given one who could instruct in light woodwork. The board would provide suit* able appliances. Three or four neighbouring schools would have to send pupils to the classes to make them worth while. The board hoped to extend as far as possible medical and dental services for country schools.

Members of the school committee pre- , sent besides the chairman were Messrs, • T. Tokotaua, M. King, J. Paterson and J. Williamson. Afternoon tea was provided by Mesdaraes J. Paterson, E. Bishell, Ludiman, M. King, Press and J. Williamson and the Misses Corkill. ,

On the home to . New Plymouth, the party made a call at the Kaimata School, where they were met by several committeemen.