Waipawa District High School.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 5703, 22 April 1911, Page 4

Waipawa District High School.

The following report and balance sheet will be presented to the annual meeting of householders, on Monday night:— Balance sheet for the year ending 31st March, 1911 RECEIPTS. £ S. d. Balance in Bank and in hand on 31st March, 1910 ... 15 6 1 Education Board grants — Ordinary incidental purposes 75 19 1 Improvement of grounds ... 42 5 4 Cleaning Technical rooms ... 5 0 0 Cleaning class rooms ... 2 0 0 Proceeds of school ball ... 16 9 8 Technical Association (share cleaning) ... ... 60 0 Sale of earth ... ... 11 9 6 Half cost of division fence ... 14 7 1 Sale of school badges ... 013 6 Debit balance at bank ... 3 8 9 Voluntary contributions and subsidy in Board’s hands 36 10 2 £229 9 2 EXPENDITURE. Cleaning schools and outbuildings ... ... ... 34 11 0 Fuel and lighting for school... 10 9 2 Repairs to buildings, &c. ... 19 14 9 Expended on school grounds... 63 3 7 Expenditure Board’s grants— Cleaning Technical rooms ... 5 0 0 Cleaning class rooms ... 2 0 0 Prizes at end of year ... 18 16 9 Mr Young’s £2 and Sports £2 2s 4 2 0 Advertising ... ... 1 15 3 Stationery for committee ... 0 4 8 Postages, telejdiones, &c. ... 011 8 Schools Association... ... 0 5 0 Insurance of piano ... ... 0 5 0 Bank charges and exchanges... 0 17 6 Water rates • ... ... 1 15 0 Stationery for school use ... 10 12 6 Posting half-yearly reports to parents ... ... 0 5 0 Forwarded to Board for subsidy 18 10 2 Voluntary contributions and subsidy in Board’s hands 36 10 2 £229 9 2 The committee have pleasure in submitting the following report for the past year : Committee.—The committee consisted of Messrs E. Bibby, T. Carson, W. G. Downes, J. James, E. H. Lee, W. J. Pellow, H. M. liathbone, C. M. Whittington and T. Williams. Mr Whittington was appointed chairman and Mr James acted as secretary. During the year nine meetings have been held and all were well attended. Financial —The financial position may be considered fairly satisfactory. Out of the £192 19s expended, £G3 3s 7d was for work done during the previous year, when the improvements to the grounds took place, and £l2 19s was paid for outstanding accounts. Among the receipts is the sum of £42 5s 4d from the Board towards the improvement work, and £25 16s 7d was received for earth sold and half share of the division fence. The Board has to our credit £36 10s 2d (the proceeds of the school ball and the subsidy thereon), and the outgoing committee would suggest to their successors the advisableness of utilising this money in clearing the playground of the loose stones and endeavour to provide an asphalt tennis court for }he scholars. Staff.—At the beginning of last year the Secondary Department became entitled to another assistant, and after some months, during which we had the services of a relieving teacher, Miss R. M. Smith was finally appointed and entered upon her duties in June last. At the beginning of the present year the staff of the 'Primary School was enlarged by the appointment of Miss O. Milburn as a probationer.

Efficiency.—The high state of efficiency of the school has continued to be maintained during the year. Inspector Smith’s report on the Primary Department and Inspector Gill’s on the Secondary have already been placed before you in the public press, and put an imprimatur on the work of the school which must be gratifying to parents and teachers alike, as it certainly has been to the committee. Success. —As in previous years the success of the pupils in the public examination hus placed the school in a position of great honour among the educational institutions of New Zealand. Out of something like 1400 or 1500 passes throughout the Dominion, H. McCormick was 13th in the Senior Civil Service examination, and D. O’Halloran 27th, while some others were on the credit list. In the Junior and Senior Scholarships Waipawa gave more than a good account of itself, and though the school has only been in existence three years and began with 20 pupils, eight of them have now matriculated. Curriculum. —This year the Board has introduced into its District High Schools a two years’ course of a more practical character than obtained at secondary schools, and has employed special teachers to aid the ordinary staff in carrying this out. It was felt

that pupils who contemplate only a short stay at the school would benefit more by this practical course than beginning one which only a longer stay can make them reap the full beuefit of. As, however, our school attracts a large number of senior pupils either course is optional at Wnipawa, and we believe that the introduction of the rural course—so long as it is voluntary—will greatly extend the usefulness of the school.

Athletics.—The school still labours under considerable disability for want of a suitable cricket and football ground. In spite of this, however, the school football team have secured the honour of being the first holders of the Ransom Challenge Cup, which was open to all the High Schools and District High Schools between Pal merston and Napier, viz., Palmerston High School seconds, Woodville Dis trict High School firsts, Dannevirko High School seconds, Waipawa Dis trict High School firsts, Te Aute College fourths, Hastings District High School firsts, and Napier High School thirds. When the Municipal Recreation Reserve at the riverbed becomes suitable for football and cricket, we expect to see increased interest taken in these manly and healthy pastimes. Buildings and Playgrounds.—The desks in the older part of the school being quite worn out, they have been replaced this year by single desks to accommodate the pupils in the three upper standards, and during the present holidays the sanitary arrangements have been remodelled, all the conveniences being now connected with the sewer. The committee regrets that it has never been able to complete the improvements to the school gfound. The surface still requires to be tarred, and it is hoped that before long an effort will be made to raise funds for this purpose. For every pound raised locally the Department will give a pound subsidy, and as everything is now ready for the tar the task should not be a very difficult one. In addition to providing for the comfort of the children, this improvement would soon repay any local expenditure by the lessened expenditure in boots and shoes.

Attendance.—Several prosecutions have taken place during the year for irregular attendance, and it is as well that parents Bhould know that the School Attendance Act, as amended, and in force from the beginning of this year, is much more stringent than formerly, an absolutely full attendance being required by law. The new Act also gives power to Education Boards to enforce attendance at evening Continuation or Technical classes of all children between the ages of 14 and 17, if they have left the day school and live within two miles of the place where such classes are held. On this matter the Education Board invites the opinions of the people themselves, and a circular from that body will be read to you asking the householders to make some resolution on the subject. Prizes.—As usual the school prizes

were distributed at the close of the year, and the thanks of the committee are due to the Ball Committee for providing the funds. Thanks are also due to several donors of special prizes, especially Mr W. Pellow for the gold medal, Mr Young for his annual gift of two pounds, Mrs T. Williams for a valuable piece of jewellery, and to Mrs Jull and Miss Munro for prizes of books. C. M. Whittington, Chairman.