Cambride High School.

Waikato Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1741, 18 April 1916, Page 5

Cambride High School.

ANNUAL REPORT OP COMMITTEE

POR YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1915,

A meeting of the school committee was held last night, Mr G. Calvert, chairman, pressing. The treasurer reported that the credit balance at the bank stood at £l3 13/1. The action of the chairman and secretary in arranging for speakers at the school celebration of Auzac Day, ip accordance with the Board’s circular was endorsed.

The committee of the Cambridge High School has pleasure iu submitting the following report:— From every point of view, the past year must be accounted thoroughly successful. The organisation, discipline,and general tone of the school reflects the highest possible credit on the headmaster and his staff. Your committee has studiously attended to the matter of thorough cleaning, by periodical fumigation of the buildings, with the satisfactory result that there has been little oi no sickness among the children attending the school. The buildings themselves are iu a good state of preservation, the slender finances have been well conserved, and generally the good cause of education is prospering well in the institution which is our special care.

The only real ground of complaint is that which has reference to the compulsory rural course in the Secondary Department. This matter was discussed at the meeting of householders last year, when the general dissatisfaction that exists was voiced. Quite a number of efforts have been put forth in an endeavour to get the agricultural course made optional, but without success. The opportunity which the Hamilton High School offers of a more popular secondary school course, is being increasingly availed of by parents uf children in this and the intervening districts. The natural outcome is that our own secondary department languishes, and while the Board and its inspectors hold their present views, and legislate along those lines, nothing we, as a committee, may do can improve the position of affairs here.

A fellow committeeman, Mr W. D. Shepherd, enlisted some months ago,and sailed recently with the 11th Reinforcement. We can only trust that when this awful struggle is over he will bo permitted to rejoin us_ There was a moderate attendance of householders held subsequently, Mr 11. Alan being voted to the chair The following reports were read by the secretary, Mr E. ,1. Wilkinson:—

Tarring and Sanding.—This committee, like its predecessors in office, has been persistent in requesting the Board to have the playground in front of the school tarred and sandea. A distinct promise has now been obtained that the Board's staff will carry out the work as early as possible. The questions of school attendance and overcrowding, the latter of which occupied the serious attention of the committee, are dealt with in l the headmaster’s report, while the condition of (he finances may be ascertained from the audited balance .sheet accompanying this report. School Library.—Provision is now made whereby additions may be made to school libraries at a comparatively low cost. If the sum of £3 10/ is raised locally, the Board will grant a subsidy of £3 10/, and the Minister for Education will supplement this by a further subsidy of £3 10/, thus making ten guineas available for the purchase of books or additional shelving. It is only the fact that constant appeals are being made to the public for deserving objects connected with the of the war that has deterred the committee from appealing ■ for funds, but we consider the incoming committee might well take the matter up and secure what is a necessary addition to the school library. At the Board’s request, your committee have made arrangeemnts to commemorate Anzac Day. The celebration will take playe on Thursday, April 20, at 2.30 p.m., when the children will be addressed on certain patriotic subjects by leading citizens. Complimentary reference was made to the work of the headmaster and his staff. Nine gentlemen were nominated for committee men, this number not being in excess of the number required they were declared elected us under; — Messrs H. Bell, H. Alan Bell, F. C. Bunyard, F. Byeroft. G. Calvert, C. 11. Priestley, .1. J. Rowe, II Speight, and E. ,T. Wilkinson. A meeting of the committee was held subsequently at which Mr H. Bell was elected chairman and Mr C. H. Priestley secretary and treasurer. G. CALVERT. Chairman of Committee District High Sch ml, Cambridge, April s. 1910. The Secretary, School Comnirtei Sir, —I have the honour to sub mi S the following report for the year end’.);; March 31st, 1916. The pumber of scholars on the Roll shows a slight increase. On March -.1 of last year, there were 311 scholars.

aud now there are 327, an increase of sixteen. A similar increase, from 2 T 2 to 288, is shown in the average attendance. No very marked increase can be expected, but if the present attendance can be slightly increased throughout the year, an additional assistant will be appointed.

Twelve months ago, the overcrowding of the school presented a serious difliculty, which was. finally overcome by the removal of the High School pupils to the Technical School. At the present time, although the primer class room is a little fuller than it ought to lie, there is nothing that can be called overcrowd-

In 1915, the school was visited bv Inspectors Garrard, Gill, Lambourne, and McLeod, all of whom expressed themselves satisfied with the work.

There have been fewer changes iu the staff than in the previous year, and the greater continuity of teaching has been a distinct benefit to the scholars. At the beginning of February. Miss Onyons was transferred to another school,and her place was taken by Miss F. A. Williams, a student from the Training College, with whose work I am very well satisfied. Indeed the work' of all my colleagues is marked by earnestness and devotion to duty, and I am sure that the welfare of the children is carefully attended to in every class. I remain, sir, Your obedient servant, R. CAMPBELL.

THE BALANCE SHEET. Receipts. Credit balance in bank and in hand on January M, 1915, £7 3/8; Receipts from Education Board; (1) Grants for ordinary incidental purposes, £6B 16/; (2) Grants for special purposes (naming them)—(a) Gas radiator £1 12/6, (b) Carpentering and shelving £2 17/4—£l 9/10. Totuk £BO 9/0. Expenditure.—Cleaning schools and outbuilidngs, £42 1/2; fuel for school use, £1 8/; repairs to buildings, fences, and furniture, £3 .15/6; expendtiure on school grounds, 13/8; school stationery, £l3 19/1; expenditure on special grants from Board—(a) gas radiator. £1 12/6, carpentering and shelving £2 17/4—£l 9/10; sundries, £2 12/6; Cr. balance: In bank, £l4 9/9; loss represented cheque, £3 10/—£ll 9/9. Total, £BO 9/6.

PUKERIMU AND MON A VALE, The committee for the ensuing year is Messrs J. S. Fisher, R. Spoake, W. Watson, H. AV. Giles, and Geo. Kew. Mr J. S. Fisher was re-elected chairman and at a meeting held aftcnvunls. Mr G. Kew presented the committee with a 30 feet flag polo to be erected in the Monavale School Grounds.

HAUTAPU. The following were elected last evening to serve as a committee for the ensuing year:—Messrs R. N ewcombe (chairman), S. Holmes, C. Hargreaves, G. Jefferies, and T. C. Irving.