NEARLY NORMAL

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1934, Page 7

NEARLY NORMAL

WEST END SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. AVERAGE 95 PER CENT. LAST WEEK The attendance was nearly normal again after a long period of sickness, reported the headmaster, Mr. W. A. Brown, to the West End School Committee last night. Last week the average was 95 per cent. The roll at the main school was 362, at the special class 17 and at the hospital class 19, a total of 398. The average attendance was 378.9. Mr. W. H. Jones remarked that if the proposal to reduce by 10 per cent, the numbers determining grades were adopted it seemed that the school would not drop in grade next year, as had been feared.

' Mr. V. Parkinson was coaching most of the senior boys at cricket, Mr. Brown stated. He urged the need for a supply of supplementary readers for standards 1 and 2. The department was no longer making grants for supplementary readers. The sum- of £5 could be spent with advantage on renewals. Owing to a breakdown in health Mr. H. R. Cooper, probationary assistant, had been granted leave of absence till the end of the year. His place would be taken by Mr. H. K. Gruszning. In the meantime Mr. Brown had taken standard 2.

The committee recorded its sympathy with Mr. Cooper and expressed a hope for a quick recovery. Mr. Jones reported on the discussion on the water supply question between the borough council and a deputation representing town school committees. The committee decided to ask the education board to supply the school with bubble fountains and a stop-cock in a convenient position to secure better control of water.

Group-Scoutmaster F. E. May reported that Scoutmaster W. L. Hay had taken over control of the troop on September 18 and had quickly organised a better method of working. 'Scoutmaster Hay would be at Wellington for 2J months, during which the troop would be in charge of Assistant-Scoutmasters Hedges and Watson. Attendances at parades had been 7, 12, 13 and 8 respectively. Two new boys had passed for tenderfoot badges. The boys were attentive and showed a keen interest in their work.

Considering the amount of sickness in the district the attendances at cub parades had been good. The attendances had been 15, 16, 17 and 16 out of 21. There was one new boy. Six boys were training for their athletes’ badges. Assistant-Scoutmaster Hedges was granted a month’s leave of absence. Visiting committees were appointed as follow: Messrs. Jones and Hooker (school); Mesdames Royse and James (cubs); Messrs. Hooker, Tingey and Jury (scouts).

Present at the meeting were: Messrs. C. O. Berg (chairman), F. E. May, F. Brunton, V. E. Tingey, S. Jury, F. Hooker, W. H. Jones and H. W. Abram (honorary secretary). Mesdames James, Royse and Ho-ben attended during the discussion of scout and cub affairs.