SELWYN HOUSE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26025, 31 January 1950, Page 2

SELWYN HOUSE

TWENTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY

Selwyn House, a flourishing junior private school in Papanui road, will celebrate its twenty-first birthday next month. To mark the occasion a number of reunions and social gatherings, including a ball and a tennis tournament, have been arranged by a strong committee representing old girls, parenmtof Pupils, and interested friends. The school was founded because of the wish of some parents to have their children educated on the lines laid down by Charlotte Mason, formerly well known in England as a progressive educationist. She was born in 1842 and, after some experience as a teacher, she evolved a reformed theory and practice of education. She founded , the Parents’ National Education Union in 1887, and a House of Education at Ambleside, and a Parents’ Union School four years later. A branch of the Parents’ Union was formed in Christchurch about 28 years ago with Mrs Norton Francis as presi-, dent. Under its auspices and at th* request of some of its members. Miss Jean Holderness opened a special class at her sister’s school. Queen Philippa’s, in Bealey avenue. Pupils in this class which was registered in England and received books from Ambleside, was taught on the lines laid down by Miss Mason. The interest of parents in the innovation increased and in a few years a board of directors took over the school from Miss M. C. Holderness and renamed it Selwyn House Parents' Union School. Miss J. Macfarlane. who had been trained at Miss Mason’s House of Education at Ambleside and who had had experience as a teacher in Britain and South America, arrived in Christchurch to take charge of the school, with Miss Jean Holderness continuing to direct the junior pupils. The board of directors soon decided to build new open-air schoolrooms in Papanui road, and there the school has been conducted for many years After three years Miss Macfarlane left Selwyn House and went to Canada, where she was engaged in library work. She was succeeded at Selwyn House by Miss Caroline West-Watson, now Mrs Leicester Webb, of Wellington. When she relinquished her post after a few years at Selwyn House. Miss Holderness took charge and conducted the school for a considerable time, until in 1940. Miss D. Govan, who had been trained at Ambleside and who had previously been on the staff at Selwyn House, took over the position of principal. About that time, it was decided by the board of directors that the school should cater for junior scholars only and as such it has thrived and grown in the last 1C years. Selwyn House now has about 70 pupils. It continues its policy of having small classes sc that children may receive individual attention.

Miss Govan left for England in August lari year and has since resigned her position, which is being temporarily filled by Miss G. Bell, who has spent many years at Miss Mason’s College and has played a major part in training students.