EIFFELTON SCHOOL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 271, 28 August 1946, Page 3

EIFFELTON SCHOOL

FINE RECORD OF PROGRESS JUBILEE TO-MORROW Just 56 years ago, 16 children of Ashburton County’s early setters made their way carefully through the swamps of Eiffeiton to the old Longbeach Road Board Office. There they were welcomed by the late Mr J. R. Sinclair, and so began the first day’s lessons in the history of the district school. To day, many times that number stroll along paved roads or catch modern buses which deposit them outside an up-to-date school, ranking with the finest in the county, a.school which has won widespread renown in both scholastic and sporting fields. No longer is it surrounded by niggerheads and unfarmable wastes, but instead there sweep out in every direction great stretches of excellent agricultural land, closely-settled and splendidly roaded. Hundreds of former pupils of Eiffeiton School will visit there to-morrow, when the jubilee- celebrations, postponed from 1940 on account of .the war, are to be held. A committee was set up in that year, but it was early decided that the time Avas hardly right for anything in the nature of celebrations. ■*

“Our jubilee is six years late,” states a foreword in a. most attractive souvenir booklet prepared for the occasion, “but we feel sure that by the postponement to this more opportune time, Avith the feeling of peace and freedom abroad, the jubilee can noAV be celebrated in its true spirit.”

'lnitial Committee Meeting

The first committee meeting in connection with the school Avas held on June 12, IS9O, in the Road Board of flee. There Avere present Messrs J. McQuilkin (in. the chair), T. Standish, D. Pechney, R. B. Luscombe, J. Hilliyer, J. McCormack, C. Daly, F. Campbell, G. Crosltill and H. Cullen.

The business before this meeting was- recorded in the minutes as: “(1) To appoint someone to take_the local management of the school; (2) to name the district; (3) to take steps to get the mails extended to the school.” Sub-committees Avere set up to deal Avith each of these matters and also to “keep up necessary communication between themselves and the board.”

Naming the district caused considerable controversy and, out of many suggestions, the four most favoured Avere Chatmos, Grantham* Campbelltown and Eiffeiton. About a year after tlie first committee meeting, despite opposition from the Canterbury Education Board, it v*as definitely decided to adopt Eiffeiton, in preference to CampbelltoAvn which had previously been in use.

Bricks for the first school were made at a kiln on Longbeach Estate, under the supervision of Mr J. I-lilliyer, and so excellently were they made that they are as.good as ever to-day. Incidentally the tiles and bricks in the drains which brought prosperity to the district, through the foresight of the Late Mr John Grigg, were made at the same kiln, and they also are still in perfect order despite the rigors of 50 years’ hard Avear and tear.

How School Developed

After the school had been conducted for two years in the Board Office, the. present site, of three acres, was purchased from Mr Grigg and a. new schoolroom built. As the district developed, the need for more accommodation became acute, but it was not until 1929 that the Education Board could be persuaded to add a new classroom. Up to that stage the classes had all been conducted in the one room with curtains forming divisions between them. About this time a strong movement was afoot to have a consolidated school for Longbeaeh, Water tom and Eiffelton districts. After several meetings with the Board, it was decided that Eiffelton should be the new centre and the Longbeaeh School was closed. Two bus services were then arranged, to cater for children from the Ilesworth-Newpark and the LongbeaehWaterton areas; the first driver for the former district was Mr E. Burt and for the latter Mr W. R. Ford. - The year 1985 saw another notable advance, with the addition of a new open-air classroom and the appointment of an infant mistress. This brought the accommodation up to three modern classrooms, and great improvements were also carried out to the grounds, making it one of the foremost country schools in the whole of Canterbury. Many Honours Won By School Ever since 1934, the school has held a Canterbury Education Board certificate of merit for school enviionment, and, in 1939, it won the McFarlane Shield competition open to all Canterbury schools. On the sporting side, the school has a splendid record, but details of the earlier successes, unfortunately are not available. The County Schools Athletic Shield was won in 1937, 1988, 1911, 1942, 1943, and 1944.' In Rugby, at the annual county seven-a-side tournaments, its successes have included the following: County open 1937; county midget 1937, 1938 and 1941; south of the river senior Rugby Cup 1935, 193 G and 1938; south of the river Midget Cup 1938.

School Committee Chairmen

Chairmen of the school committees are shown in the records as follows: Messrs R. B. Luscombe (1890-1897), I-I. Cullen (1898-1901), H. Grayburn (1902-1903) J. P. McQuilkin (19041914), W. 'Nish (1915), J. Davidson (1915-1916), S. P. Taylor (1917-1919), A. Davidson (1920), S. P. Taylor (19211928), E. Soal (1929), J. H. Robertson (1930-1931), P. Sheehan (1932), J. B. Smith (1933), H. C. Patterson (19341940). « , The school committee for the jubilee year (1940) comprises:—Messrs H. C. Patterson (chairman), E. W. Belcher (secretary and treasurer), M. D. Daly 7, J. McQuiikin and S. Keating. List of Head Teachers Head teachers of the school have been as follows: —Mr ,T. R. Sinclair (1890-1892), Mr H. A. Livingstone (1893-1897), Miss J. McCallon (1898), Mr P. Revill (1899), Miss J. McGallon

(1900-1903), Miss D. Fechney (1904), Miss D. Meyenberg (1904-1911), Miss K. Doherty (1912-1914), Miss N. W. Anderson (1915-1916), Mr N. W. Manson (1917-1919), Miss M. Sloane (1920), Miss Burnside (1920), Mr B. C. Penny j (1921), Mr I-I. F. Hookway (1922), Mr j K. E. Shrimplon (1923-1926), Mr W. E. : Farqubarson- (1927-1931), Mr H. 11. I Hawkins (1932-1943). Assistant teachers were as follow j Miss- R. T. Symonds (1923-1924), Miss! G. Cowans (1925-1926), Miss M. L. Herd (1927-1929), Miss E. R. Bayliss (1929-1942), Miss M. P. Walker (19351937), Miss G. Anderson (1937-1941). In 1940, the staff comprised Mr K. j H. Hawkins (head teacher', Miss E. j R. Bayliss (assistant teacher), and | Miss G. Anderson (infant mistress), "j The present school staff is: Mr W. j R. Brash •(headmaster), Miss D. Gibb ; (assistant teacher), and Miss M. E.; Gunn (infant mistress). ! Programme For Jubilee The jubilee celebrations will lie held to-morrow, beginning with a sports I meeting at 10 a.m. A banquet will be j held at 11.30 a.m. and the roll call of old pupils at 1.30 p.m. In the evening, j at the Eiffelton Hall, a jubilee ball is | to be staged. Buses for the day celebrations leave [ from Mid-Canterbury Transport garage j at 10.30 a.m. and for the ball at 7.45 j p.m. ' 1