NEW SCHOOL OPENED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 126, 13 March 1950, Page 2

NEW SCHOOL OPENED

ASHBURTON EAST RETROSPECT AND FORECAST The Ashburton East new school was officially opened by Mr R. G. Gerard, M.P., at a function on Saturday afternoon. The very wet day necessitated a curtailment of the programme, but a large number of ex-pupiis, parents and friends attended the ceremony. After the school flag had been raised by Mr J. Phelps, one of the oldest ex-pupils present, and the National Anthem hftcl been sung, Mr A. Sutherland, chairman of the school committee welcomed visitors, and spoke of the traditions the old school had built up, expressing his hope and belief that the new school would carry on the spirit, and tradition of the old. The speaker voiced the committee’s satisfaction that, thanks to the fatned community spirit of Ashburton East had afforded, the school so long awaited was now in being. The contrast be tween the new and the old buildings, he said, was most marked. The new, the speaker concluded, was a fine heritage for the younger generation, and he wished the children many happy days as scholars of the new East School.

Board Proud of School

Mr A. E. Lawrence, chairman of the Canterbury Education Board, said that the board joined the school authorities in their rejoicing that the new school was open. The board, said the speaker was proud of the school, and proud of the architect, Mr J. A. Bigg, who had designed it, and the foreman, Mr H. Palmer, who had built it.) It had cost ‘£25,000, and to indicate the building problems that the Canterbury Board was facing, he mentioned that £350,000 had been spent last year under this one board. The end was not yet, for with 6000 new pupils expected in 1952, there must be more schools. The old school had turned out fine citizens, said Mr Lawrence, and he was sure the new would also make its contribution to the community. Mr T. H. McCombs, Member for Lyttelton and ex-Minister of Education, added his congratulations also to those responsible for the fine building, with its excellent playing space. He warned the school committee against the tendency he had seen in some schools to make the school grounds public gardens, where there was little room to play. The speaker congratulated the people on the acquirement of the school, and expressed the hope that they would continue their assistance and support to the committee charged with its administration. He urged that the interest- of the community be expressed by attendance at the meetings to elect the committee.

“Lot of Probing”

Mr R. G. Gerard, Member for Ashburton, expressed his pleasure at the presence of Mr McCombs. He remarked that happily there were no party politics in educational matters, and paid tribute to Mr McCombs’s work as Minister of Education. He recalled this for years be had had from Ashburton East “quite a lot of probing” on behalf of the new school project, and he was genuinely delighted to see the new buildings complete. Mr Gerard remarked that an outsider could sense the spirit of a school by attendance at its jubilee functions, and said that East’s were as fine as any he had attended. Apologising for the unavoidable absence of the Hon. R. M. Algie, Minister of Education, Mr Gerard quoted a saying qf the Minister that “On Education the fate of the nation depends.” The speaker defined the aim of education as the development of the whole personality which in turn should express itself in a spirit of service. He trusted that the scholars would do well in the new school, and concluded "Build up a school like the old one, and 'you won’t go far wrong.” Mr Gerard then handed the key of the school to the headmaster, Mr J. E. Fraser, and declared the school officially open.

Headmaster’s Thanks. Mr Fraser in reply expressed his thankfulness that they now liad a new and up-to-date building. When he came to the old school; he said he had got a shock, but found the children the same kind of children as elsewhere in New Zealand and the work up to standard. Touching on criticism of education in New Zealand the speaker affirmed that far from “going to the dogs” it was at least as high in standard as in years gone hy. True the arithmetic could not compare with that of 30 years ago, but the curriculum was wider and the inordinate time devoted to that one subject was a thing of the past.. .

Mr Fraser pointed out that it cost money not only to build a school, but to run it, and thanked the jubilee committee for its fine gift of radio equipment. The children’s part of the afternoon’s proceedings, which the weather had made impossible that day, would be carried out later at a school to which he would be proud to ask parents and other visitors, concluded Mr Fraser.

Other speakers were Mr A. A. McDonald, deputy-mapor, who added his congratulations on behalf of the people of Ashburton, and stated that the smaller centres should have the amenities of the cities, the which he hoped Ashburton would shortly possess; and Mr W. J. Dailey, who spoke for the chairman of the Old Pupils’ Associa. tion, Mr W. H. Amos. Afternoon tea in the infant block concluded' a happy occasion, aptly characterised by Mr McDonald as “a red le'ter day for East Ashburton.”