MANUREWA SCHOLARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 215, 9 September 1921, Page 7

MANUREWA SCHOLARS.

A NEW INTATTr SCHOOL. OPENED BY MINISTER. Recently a new post office wae erected at 'Manurewa to meet the growing needs of the district, and yesterday further evidence of the progress of the district was demonstrated when the Minister of Education opened a new infant school to house JOO of the youngest generation of Manurewa settlers. Members of the Education Board were present, while there was a good gathering of residents.

In welcoming the Minister. Mr. C. H. Lunton (chairman of the school committee) eaid that the occasion synchronised with the fifteenth anniversary of the opening of the original school. That was opened with 03 scholars, while there were 270 pupils tot the present school, and 92 ready to occupy the new department. The school had been enlarged four times since originally founded, and one of the two original teachers, Mr. D. W. McNanghton, was still there.

The Minister expressed his pleasure at attending the function, and commented upon the marked prosperity of the district* Mamirewa was practically a suburb of Auckland, and it appeared that the city would expand in that direction. The singing of the National Anthem by the children gladdened the he-art of the Minister, and he remarked that the custom .of singing the Anthem and saluting the flag had become an established custom throughout the two Islands. In only rare instances did parents fail to encourage their children in these loyal practices.

Mr. Parr also touched upon the new order in elementary education, and said that the teaching of to-day was more cfTk-ient than that of thirty years ago. Throughout the world now there was a tendency to jrive the teacher more latitude in the instruction of the pupil. Under the new syllabus the teacher practically chose his own methods of instruction, and was left to his own devices, and, though the future of tin; pupil was more in the teacher's ha"ds, provided the latter exercised his privileges judicially, the results were better than in the olden days. The department was recruiting the ranks of the teachers with the ultimate object of doing away with uncertified teachers. After Mr. Murray, representing the chairman of the Auckland Education Board, and Hon. G. J. Garland, M.L.C.. had epoken a few words, the Minister declared the building open.