Rangiora High School Head Retiring At End Of Year

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30312, 12 December 1963, Page 16

Rangiora High School Head Retiring At End Of Year

Mr J. F. Moffat, the head master who has guided th Rangiora Higih School througl its period of greatest develop ment will retire at the end of this year. When Mr Moffat took over the school at the beginning of 1949 the roll was about 280. Now it has risen to about 866. Mr Moffat was educated at the farmer Christchurch Normal School and Christchurch Boys’ High School. In 1923 he became a pupil teacher and started his first university degree. He attended the Christchurch Teachers’ Training College in 1925 and 1926, the same years in which he completed his B.Sc. degree. Mr Moffat began teaching at the Timaru Boys’ High School in 1927. The following year he completed his M.Sc. degree, taking honours in chemistry. He moved to the Christchurch Boys’ High School in 1930, but his teaching career was interrupted in 1940 when he enlisted for war service. In 1941 Mr Moffat became chief physical training instructor for the Southern Military District. With the entry of Japan into the war Mr Moffat was transferred to the 37th Battalion and served in the Pacific. He was promoted to command the 35th Battalion with the rank of lieutenantcolonel and led this battalion in the successful campaign against Nissan (Green) Island. He was awarded the Efficiency Decoration. In 1945, Mr Moffat was appointed honorary aide-de-camp to the Governor-Gen-eral, Lord Newell. He returned to teaching at the Christchurch Boys’ High School in 1946 and the following year was aippointed senior science master at Waitaki Boys’ High School, a post which he held until coming to the Rangiora High School.

After the war he passed an M.A. degree and a Diploma of Education. Development Plan One of the first things he did when he took up the Rangiora position was to make a survey of the rolls of primary schools in the district. From this the numbers that would attend the high school in the future were calculated. A 10-year development plan was formulated which enabled the school to develop faster than would otherwise have been possible. When the 10-year plan had been completed a further fiveyear one was worked out. The last two items on this were the gymnasium, which will be completed shortly, and an additional two-storeyed block. Tenders for this block will be called early next year. School Bus Service

One of the main factors in the development of the school was the increase in the school bus service, said Mr Moffat recently. Now about 500 pupils used the service. During his 15 years at the schol staff had been a problem, Mr Moffat said. At times he personally had to chase up leads to relieving teachers on his bicycle. The school would develop

urther, he said. There would >e a period of increase in •oils which would bring pressure to bear on the Government for another secondary school in the district. The school now provided everything the community needed in education, said Mr Moffat. Previously many children went into Christchurch to school. When Mr Moffat took over the school there was no upper sixth form. This year there were 18 in the upper sixth and 50 in the lower sixth. The school had produced many notable sportsmen. Some had represented Canterbury and a few even reached New Zealand standard. The main change in the profession in recent years was in the method of training teachers, Mr Moffat said. When he did his training a scheme whereby future teachers became pupil teachers at a school was in operation. Changes had also been made in the method of teaching. In the old days the “fear of God” method was used, but now a teacher had to work harder to explain and sell the subject. Mr Moffat spoke in favour of teachers’ refresher courses. Most efficient teachers avail themselves of these, he said. Retirement Mr and Mrs Moffat will spend their retirement in Christchurch. Mr Moffat is a keen golfer and he hopes to occupy his time with this sport.