HIGH SCHOOL AFFAIRS

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXII, Issue 2820, 3 March 1932, Page 4

HIGH SCHOOL AFFAIRS

COMMITTEE’S MONTHLY MEETING. COMMERCIAL COURSES. The monthly meeting of the Cambridge District High School Committee was held in the school on Tuesday evening, when there were present: Messrs A. N. Macky (chairman), H. Ferguson, J. S. Hooker, W. R. Garrard, Geo. Culvert, V. G. Boulton, H. L. Possenniskic, and the secretary, Mr S. N. Ziman. Headmaster ’g Report. The headmaster (Mr P. J. Sefton) reported the present rolls as follows: — Primary, 400; secondary, 110; average attendance for February, 363 and 106, respectively. Miss Iv. Woulfc, Miss H. j Whyte and Mr J. T. Paul took up duty at the primary department on Febru- j ary 1. Mr Meredith ceased duty on Friday last, but at the time of writing, no relief had arrived. j The report further stated that the headmaster had fouuA it impracticable to arrange commercial work for Form 111. but was striving to keep Forms IV. and V. “commercials” working. The ,committee’s donation towards swimming instruction is being used to grant free passes to those pupils unable to pay. Ziraan Cup. The judges appointed to decide the Ziman Cup for thq, ensuing year have given tlicir decision in favour of Alison .Simpson. The dux pupils for the past year were as follows: —Secondary, Alison Simpson and George Lynds; primary, Freda Bartlett and Maurice Rugc. The names of those pupils have already been entered upon the Honours Board. The headmaster asked for the committee’s approval to arrange for the annual athletic sports on Thursday, March 24. The committee was also asked to grant a holiday for “People’s Day” at the show. The committee offered its congratulations to Alison Simpson on winning the Ziman Cup and. to the duxes of the departments. It was agreed that the school sports be held on the date suggested by the headmaster. In connection with Mr Meredith’s transfer the chairman reported that Mr M. P. Byrnes, who had been appointed temporary assistant, had been unable to take up the position and that the position would be filled by Mr A. P. Mills. Commercial Courses. The chairman, Morrinsville School Committee, wrote re the department’s decision in connection with' commercial courses and its action in instructing that commercial instructors, not members of the permanent staffs of secondary schools, be dispensed with. The communication intimated that, letters had been sent to the department 1 ami the Education Board, and it was | felt that the committees should go furtlier and send delegates to Wellington to approach the department on the matter.

It was the opinion of the chairman that no good would be done by sending delegates to Wellington. The chairman further reported the action he had taken in writing to the department and telegrams to both the department and the board.

The action of the chairman was endorsed, it being the opinion of the committee that while it recognised the department was no doubt justified in ‘ 1 pruning ’ ’ as has been done, the action should have been taken at the end of,last year and not after a new school year had already commenced. The fact that a new commercial instructress had already taken up her duties before the decision of the department was received was stressed. In connection with the appointment of a senior master at the secondary department a communication was received from the department that the pci* manent appointment was being held up until a report had been received from the board’s inspector regarding the selection of an assistant with commci cial knowledge, as referred .to by the Cambridge Committee.

It was hoped that the department, in making the appointment of a senior master, would give first consideration to the classical side of the school. Relieving Teachers.

The department wrote in connection with relieving teachers and pointed out that to meet the unemployment situation among probationary tcachois ami the number- of students who loft the training college at the end of last year, probationary teachers were to be known as relieving teachers and would be appointed for only a quarter of the year. each. Miss Whyte had been appointed as a relieving teacher to the primer classes. It was mentioned that there was only one relieving teacher on the staff at present as compared with two probationers last year. Transport of Scholars. The secretary, Education Board, wrote accepting Mr R. Hampton’s ten-

der for the transport of school children from the French Pass and neighbouring districts. Resigns,tion. The Rev. Jas. Hay wrote tendering his resignation .as a member of the committee.—Accepted with regret.