PUPILS’ WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 289, 7 December 1939, Page 9

PUPILS’ WORK

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL ANNUAL OPEN NIGHT DISPLAY BY STUDENTS A demonstration of the work carried out U<e pupils during the academic year was given at the Wanganui Intermediate School last night when the annual open night was held. There was a large attendance of parents and interested spectators and throughout the evening the hali and classrooms were thronged. One of the features of the display was the fact that in many of the classrooms the children were engaged in the ordinary school work under the direction of their tutors. Parents and visitors were thus able to secure a first-hand knowledge of the manner in .which the school lessons are carried out, interest being taken in the manner in which the children actually help to teach themselves and one another. It was obvious that no opportunity is lost in developing each child's individual talents and to avoid any feeling of an inferiority complex. The first room which the visitor struck was the science laboratory where a number of students were engaged in making weird odours and working with bunsen burners, test tubes and other chemical gear. The assembly hall was devoted to a number of exhibitions including parchment work, the making of plaster broaches, historical and geographical photographs and information on parchment sheets. In one room a class was being taken in geography, in another budding artists were at work oamting pictures and posters, many of which were quite works of art. The handwork classes attracted considerable interest and the work being done included the framing of pictures, the making of lamp shades and fancy candle stands, knick-knacks from a hundred and one seemingly useless articles, the making of wicker trays and baskets, bread boards, book ends and other articles too numerous to mention. ’ A history class proved quite an attraction as a number of pupils addressed their fellow students on the work which they had studied during the year and. later the class was crossexamined by the teacher. There was an enthusiastic response to each question and the children vied with on< another in endeavouring to catch tlfl teacher's eye. In the next-door rooifl a number of plays were produced bfl an elocution class and were foUowefl by Latin songs. B A section which was not devoid ofl humour was a class which vva„ etpfl gaged in debating questions botll grave and gay. The subjects provided the children with ample opportunity] to express themselves and there wa] no lack of speakers, the chairman frel quently having to call the class tl order. A radio programme was give! from another classroom, one of th! pupils announcing the opening of th! children’s session and extending birth! day greetings to fellow pupils. Hl then called on a radio uncle and I children’s programme followed. A novelty class was that which wa| devoted to dexterity tests. Threat! ing buttons on a needle and cottorj plaiting on a piece of wood with hole! drilled along one edge, weaving an! cutting slits In a piece of paper werl some of the competitive tests whlcl were carried out against tme. The school work demonstrated co\l ered a wide- range of activity but chifl interest lay in the fact that til children could be seen actually fl