Touring Facilities.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 6

Touring Facilities.

For use of members an itinerary service has recently been installed in the office of the Wanganui Automobile Association. The system comprises of a shelf of 378 pigeon-holes in which are placed numbers of leaflets giving information of various camping grounds and the highways between points of a tour. With the system it is possible to formulate at itinerary of a proposed tour in a few minutes, the leaflets being taken from the pigeon-holes, placed in order and bound in a neat cover. This system is in use in other centres in the Dominion.

School Stall Praised "I should like to take advantage of this opportunity to pay a tribute to the excellent work done by every member of the staff," stated tbe principal (Mr H. Rochfort) in his annual report at the breakyig-up ceremony of the Wanganui Intermediate School. "No staff could work harder or more efficiently or take a keener interest in the welfare of the pupils. Without desiring to single out any individuals, I should like to say how fortunate the school is to have the services of our physical specialist, Miss Methven. Her work among the girls is of outstanding merit and her folk dancing classes among the most popular and most valuable of our varied activities." Toothache Well Known.

A surprise was in store for the chairman of the Gonville School Committee (Mr. N. L. Tyler) yesterday. He was extolling the obviously worthwhile services of the school dental clinic and prevailing upon parents to be more liberal in their support of this very necessary adjunct to the school. Doing so he made comparisons with what had pertained in the past. "We all knew what toothache was in the days when I went to school,” he said. “Why, to-day, hardly a child knows the real meaning of toothache. Hands -up any of you children who has ever had toothache." Up went the hands of 75 per cent, of the assembled children!

Technical Roll The total enrolments of various classes at the Wanganui Technical College during the past year was 2045, comprising 645 at Technical High School, 397 at evening school, and 1003 at the manual training classes. In the Technical College proper the various courses absorbed the following numbers: Art 16, agricultural 40, commercial 147, domestic : 4 engineering 128, general 264. The number of boarders was 57. The drop in the day school roll is considered to be due to the late reopening of the school at the beginning of the year, and the new industrial conditions which are absorbing a large number of youths who would otherwise remain at school until a later age.

Learn to Swim Successful. Further evidence of the fact that the "Learn to Swim Week” promoted in Wanganui has been most successful was furnished at the breaking-up ceremony at the Gonville School yesterday. The chairman of the committee (Mr. N. L. Tyler), in a brief review of the year, said that 145 children had learned to swim and 104 of them had received their certificates for having swum across the bath. In addition, 38 life-saving certificates were awarded. Mr. Tyler commented that the figures were indeed very satisfactory. M.'. W. A. Brown (headmaster) also made reference to the "Learn to Swim Week,” stating that the great interest taken by Mr. G. Snadden (first assistant) had been the material factor in bringing about the results mentioned.

School Sports Activities. "Sports and physical activities generally have played a large part in the lives of the pupils,” stated the principal, Mr. H. Rochfort, in his annual report at the breaking-up of the Wanganui Intermediate School last evening. “In competition with other schools, Ballance House won the soccer cup and the knock-out trophy and the school team won the association Challenge cup and the McDonald Shield. The Rugby B fifteen won the senior Rugby competition for primary schools and Ballance House girls won the senior basketball shield. A very successful swimming season has been held and 221 swimming certificates have been issued, including oO for pupils who, for the first time, have swum across the baths. We are looking forward to using our new tennis courts next year.”

Band's Heavy Programme. An indication of how much time the members of the Wanganui Garrison Band put in on band work can be gauged from a review of the programme for three weeks prior to Christmas. Last week three evening practices were held. This week’s programme was commenced with a marching practice and an hour on the contest selections at Spriggens Park, a practice on contest selections on Monday evening, a band concert on Wednesday evening and marching practice and selections at Cook’s Gardens last evening. To-morrow the band will parade at Bulls for the Christmas carnival, on Sunday afternoon it will provide a programme at Aramoho Park and in the evening will parade at Cook’s Gardens. Practices will be held on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week and on Christmas morning the band will parade at six o’clock to play carols. Thus, in three weeks, the band will have paraded on 14 occasions.