BORED HOLES IN FLOOR

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1935, Page 9

BORED HOLES IN FLOOR

RELEASE OF STORMWATER

CARDIFF SCHOOL PETITION. EDUCATION BOARD MEETING. How the teacher at the school had to bore holes in the floor to allow stormwater to get away was described in a report to the Taranaki Education Board at its monthly meeting, yesterday when a petition was received from the settlers of the Cardiff district requesting the replacement of the present school. The board decided to forward the petition to the Education Department, together with the report of the senior inspector, Mr. C. N. Haslam, who mentioned that the teacher had had to bore holes in the floor. Teachers’ appointments were made by the board as follows: Miss Winifred M. . Morrall, infant mistress, Eltham; Miss M. Nutting, probationary assistant, Eltham; Mr. A. Thompson,. head teacher, Okato; Miss E. de Renzy, infant mistress, Fitzroy; Miss T. Simpson, Hawera Main. Resignations were accepted'as follows: Miss A. K. Kay, special class, Stratford; Miss V. D. Pepper, additional assistant, Waitara; Mr. B. E. Mason, relieving teacher, .Waitewhena; Mr. E. F. Townsend, probationary assistant, Eltham. Recommending that the Mahoe building should be replaced, Mr. C. H. Moore, architect, said one feature was the extraordinary attendance at the school. As far back as 1923, the average attendance was 62 with a roll number of 73. At the present time the roll was 70 and. the average attendance 68. A school with a roll number that kept up year after year should have better conditions. The rooms were too narrow, being only 18 f«t 'wide. The building also was 41 years old and was situated in one of the coldest parts of' the district. The children should have, a modem school. In both woodwork and cookery classes, the third term’s work was proceeding with a good swing, the supervisor, Mr. D. McKay, reported. The work with most of the cookery classes consisted of the planning and preparation of breakfasts and dinners with special consideration to seasonal diet and with exercise in tablesetting. The drawing and bench work seen at the centres visited was good and better progress was apparent. The previous contractor having relinquished the contract, the Carrington Road manual conveyance had been re-let.' Attendance and conduct were very good. AGRICULTURAL WORK. The senior instructor in agriculture, Mr. D. Mackay, reported that visits to schools had shown that there had been no delay in starting the work for the third term. At most schools, advantage was taken of the fine weather to progress with the essential outdoor work. Green crops were dug in. In the forestry section of some school gardens the tree seeds saved by the children themselves had been sown already. Interesting variety in the garden studies undertaken from school to school was shown. A number of the more progressive schools were carrying out a series of grass studies provided by the Department of Agriculture, introducing the child to elementary studies that indicated' the trend of pasture plant, improvement. Other schools experimented on common crops and carried out valuable experimental work to quicken observational powers, to give exercise in judgment formation and to enliven the general attitude of the child to his schooling and his home environment. Some of the central district pig-rearing and beekeeping schools grew 1 crops relating to their particular project. School grounds were generally, well arranged with fences and hedges in trim, order and it was the exception to find them otherwise. Schools in the month’s itinerary worthy of special mention for the improved state of their grounds were Puniwhakau, Huiakama, Kiore, Tikorangi, Opua Road, Pembroke, Mahoenui and Awakino. , Club entries were not yet definitely ascertainable. Although probably they were slightly fewer in some districts, there was no indication that interest was waning, some districts having exceeded previous records, notably North Taranaki and Taihui. Others, while showing an increase in field plots, might show a decrease in stock-rearing. . Beekeeping was being successfully prosecuted at all last year’s schools, with fresh ones taking up this work. There was an indication of the interest in pig club work. Entries closed later this year and no numbers were yet available. Mr. V. C. Davies, of Messrs. Duncan and Davies, had given supplies of shrubs for the beautification of school grounds. Reporting on new works, the architect, Mr. C. H. Moore, said that at Fitzroy the new block of classrooms was making steady progress. All timber was on hand and most of the joinery was completed. A good start was made on the new school of two rooms at Pihama. The framing was up and the dressed "timber lines were on the site. It was necessary to dismantle the classrooms to make room for the new school. The hall was being used’for classes in the meantime. At Mangatupoto, timber and other materials were ready and the joinery was completed for the teacher's cottage, but owing to pressure of other work a start as early as expected could not be made. Mr. Moore said plans had been prepared and applications made to the department for additions and remodelling at Niho Niho, additional classroom at WestowH, two new classrooms each at Cardiff, Lepperton and Welbourn, additional and remodelling at Mere Mere. During the past seven weeks he had sent out 46 irregular attendance notices and had visited 26 schools, Mr. G. Pascoe, attendance officer, reported. At all the schools visited, except Tokaora, and Okaiawa where the typhoid outbreak had upset the attendance, the attendance was satisfactory. SCHOOL AT RAEKOHUA. The secretary, Mr. W. H. Insull, was instructed to take steps to acquire a permanent school site at Raekohua. It was decided to inform the Norfolk hall committee that the board was prepared to lease part of the school site for the erection of a public hall on a site to be approved by the architect, the rent to be £1 a year. Mr. Barclay reported that he visited Te Roti as instructed by the board and inspected the site suggested by the committee. He was not favourably impressed as the section was in a basin and would be damp and waterlogged. After inspecting several other sites he recommended that inquiries be made from the Crown Lands Department regarding an exchange of three acres from the education reserve adjoining the present school, now occupied by Mr. Lee, for the present Te Roti school site. This section faced the Skeet Road, and was in a flat elevated position centrally situated. Mr. Barclay’s recommendations were aporoved. The architect was given power to act regarding the following requests: The provision of a tank at Pukearuhe, attention to windows and repapering at Riverlea residence, the provision of four bags of cement for Radnor and the removal of shelter shed, wool shed and garage at Korito. Miss R- Taylor, who recently received notice of transfer from Westown, was given permission to apply for other positions. It was decided to inform the Central school committee that in the case of any

exchange of teachers both the headmaster and the committee should be consulted.

It was reported that the Ongarue attendance had recently increased considerably, but as it was impossible to supply an additional assistant at present, peimission was given Mrs. Archer, wife of the head teacher, to supervise during Mrs Archer’s absence with „ jnanual pupils.

It was decided to inform the Moeatoa school committee- and the . Kiritehere Settlers’ Association that the? law "governing the appointment of teachers ■ did not permit the permanent ; appointment of the present relieving teacher, Mr; A. Jenkin, to Moeatoa. It was reported that the former teacher had gone to India on exchange for a year. Until it was known whether he -untended to . return Mr. Jenkin’s . appointment- could not be made permanent. The schools of . the Toko district were granted a holiday on November 7 for a sports day. Those present at the meeting were Messrs. J.i A. ..Valentine (chairman), J. C. Barclay, F. A. Lee, W. H. Jones, J. McAllister, W. W. Thomson,. T. J. Griffin and Dr. W. M. Thomson.

Appreciation of the gift to several schools of native plants and shrubs by Mr. V. C. Davies, New Plymouth, and of expert advice given by him was expressed by members.