HIGH SCHOOL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 48, Issue 14625, 27 March 1922, Page 6

HIGH SCHOOL.

MEETING OF PARENTS. A meeting of parents was held on Saturday night in connection with the High School. Mr F. Hunn presided over an attendance of about twenty. The chairman said that the secondary pupils’ parents’ committee had had several meetings and had obtained over 100 signatures to the following petition: — 1 ' Wo, the undersigned parents of pupils now attending the secondary department of the Mastcrtou District High School, hereby petition you to at once legally establish the high school at Masterton* for the following reasons:—(.l) A two-thirds Board has been in existence for IS months. This Board lias no school to govern, and we, the parents, have no representation, as we would have on a properly constituted board; (2) we are thus deprived of a voice in important preliminary matters, such, for example, as plans for buildings; (3) immediately the high school is legally gazetted, a full board will assume control, and this board can find any temporary accommodation that may be necesarv; (4) while recording our hearty appreciation of the work of the present secondary department staff, we think a separate high school with separate government and staff will best serve the interests of our children.” Tlie committee had decided there should be only two spokesmen on its deputation, and so far only one of these, Mr T. E. Bnrtr, had been selected. Mrs Barrel’ described the different functions of the district high school and the high school proper. Mr H. C. Robinson said that opposition had been created in the Lower Valley, because it had been stated that the establishment of a high sclioor here would mean the disestablish,menit of the district high schools at such places as Carterton arid Eketahuna. He was satisfied this was untrue, and that outside secondary pupils would not _ be forced to come to Masterton against their will. But the matter was so important that the Minister should be asked to deny it. He moved, and Mr A. Williams seconded, a rcsoluion to this effect. The motion was lost.

The Rev. Mr Brown said tho Board of Governors would be strengthened materially if they could tell the Minister that it had got debentures actually tak. cn up for £7OOO, and could show him sketch plans of the school. The debentures had already been over-subscribed (applause) ,and plans were ready to submit to Mr Parr. In reply to a wire, the Minister had said the debentures would not be limited to £7OOO, but that anything subscribed over that amount would bear interest only at 54 percent He (Mr Brown) thought it was verv necessary that .the parents’ representatives should be appointed to the beard as soon as possible. Mr Brown, replying to a vote or thanks, said that the parents, and particularly Mr Robinson, had lent force to the movement in the past, and. he was sure they would push it this time to a successful conclusion. Mr Robinson moved that they should form a Parents’ Association, and that the present parents’ committee should be the executive until the first .annual meet in °*. . The "chairman seconded the motion, which was carried. M r Connell said they should all know

-that there was an undercurrent of opposition which might only appear at the deputation. Mr Robinson said that they were all aware of that opposition. Mr Robinson .explained that the Min ister had been asked to receive the deputation of parents. He had agreed, but .prefered to interview it in conjunction with the Board of Governors. The committee had specially requested him (the speaker) not to act on the deputation; it was advisable that the two sreaners should not have bitterly antaaonisecl any of those on the other side He agreed with this, because lierealised that he had done most of the ir.-fighting, and had embittered certain After some discussion between the chairman, Mr Robinson and Mr Connell, the latter proposed that Mrs Bar.rer should aeompany her husband as spokesman. Mrs Barrel- declined, sayino- that it would not be proper for husband and wife to be the only speakers. A motion of Mr Connell’s that the petition be backed up by as many signatories as possible wap lost. On the motion of Mr Arthur Williams seconded by Mr Bell, a vote of confidence in the work of the secondary pupils’ parents’ committee was passed. _____