SOUTH SCHOOL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21958, 9 May 1941, Page 3

SOUTH SCHOOL

Sound Finances Householders’ Annual Meeting Good progress and healthy finances were reported at the annual meeting of householders of the Timaru South School district, the chairman, Mr H. A. Toneycllffe, presiding. The annual report stated, inter alia, that the committee was in a fairly favourable position with a credit of £133 in spite of heavy expenses during the year. This, credit would be considerably reduced in the near future owing to large fuel and dental clinic accounts. The committee expressed appreciation of the manner in which the headmaster, Mr J. T. O. Stephens, and staff had carried out their duties and congratulated them on maintaining the high efficiency of the school. The Inspectors had reported on the excellent work of the pupils generally, and stated that they were highly satisfied with the progress shown, and complimented the staff and committee on the good resuts obtained. The continued successes of the pupils in the,field of sport was also a pleasing feature of tne ability of the staff. A boys’ gardening club had been formed at the school and the results obtained at various flower shows reflected credit on the master in charge. It was with regret that the committee reported a small reduction in roll numbers, with a result that the school had been regraded a sub-grade lower, with a corresponding reduction in staffing and incidental allowances. The dental clinic had given excellent service and the committee had been successful in having a clinic erected at the school. Greater benefits should be obtained by the children. During past years the committee had been able to defray all cost of dental treatment without making a direct charge on the parents, but regretted that it appeared that a charge would have to be made in the future. The report was adopted on the motion of Messrs F. Matthews and G. Mcßride. Mr Matthews complimented the committee and the organisations which had assisted at the various functions on the excellent work done. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £133 in the No. 1 and No. 2 accounts and £l6B in the dental clinic account. It was explained that the clinic credit would be used to defray the cost of the building, etc. In proposing its adoption, Mr Matthews complimented the committee on its excellent management. He hoped, that during the coming year it would not relax in its efforts. The motion was seconded by Mr F. Lowry and carried. Dental Clinic Costs Dental- clinic maintenance costs were discussed and the following motion, sponsored by Messrs R. E. Peagram and H. A. Toneycllffe, was carried unanimously: “That this meeting of householders of the Timaru South School district consider that all charges for school dental clinics should be met by the Social Security Department.” The question of charging parents tor the treatment of their children was discussed, and it was agreed that the matter be dealt with by the committee. Mr F. Matthews inquired why parents were not receiving term reports as had been the practice in the past. He considered that the reports had given parents an opportunity of forming an opinion of the progress made and indicated the subjects in which they could assist the children by extra coaching. The headmaster, Mr J. T. O. Stephens, explained that it was not now the practice to issue term reports at any school, but the South School issued a report at the end of the year which indicated the standard of the children’s work in general terms. LONGEST WILL “Can you say which is the longest will on record?” a London paper is asked by one of its readers. The editor replies that this doubtful honour is usually given to the document left by Thomas Cubitt, a famous builder of the early part of the nineteenth century. His will consisted of 35,750 words. It disposed of personal property worth over a million pounds, on which the probate duty was only £15,000, a huge contrast to what it would have been to-day,