A Place like Whataroa

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31029, 7 April 1966, Page 11

A Place like Whataroa

The Canterbury Educatinn Board last month renewed its claim for a district high school at Hart Hart.

Mr J. Purcell, of Whataroa, South Westland, believes there is scope for experiment, in districts such as his, with high school forms 3 and 4 attached to the primary school under one or two teachers. Mr Purcell thinks this is the only way to avoid the expense and disadvantages of sending children long distances to boarding school.

The background to this suggestion is that the Whataroa School Committee, its Home and School Association, and other residents have been refused a high school by the Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella) although one at Hari Hari some time in the future has been suggested. Small Numbers The Whataroa School roll is only 104, Hari Hari (20 miles north) has about 130. Franz Josef (20 miles south) has about 30 and Fox (35 miles south) has about 40. Whataroa alone or with the others does not provide sufficient pupils to justify a high school.

Mr Purcell says that pupils wanting secondary education have to go to Westland High School at Hokitika (72 miles north) which has no hostel, or Greymouth High School (98 miles) which has a hosted and that a good many parents, committed to pay for board-

ling, “go the whole hog" and send their children to Christchurch or Nelson schools. Boarding allowances do not meet expenses. “Children from remote areas are not ready for such big changes," says Mr Purcell. "They are much better kept at home until they are more mature.” Some pupils take Correspondence School lessons but most drop out on reaching the leaving age of 15. Mr Purcell believes children who have known a primary school associate it with learning and find it hard to switch to correspondence lessons at home. Forms 3 and 4 attached to the Whataroa Primary School would round off the education of those intending to leave at 15, sieve out those worthy of higher education at a bigger school, and help the district, Mr Purcell says. Two teachers could take core subjects and specialities could be handled through the

Correspondence School under their supervision, according ito Mr Purcell. ' “People w’ho have lived in Whataroa all their lives are selling their farms so they can move where there is secondary schooling.” said Mr Purcell. “Most of us can not afford the cost of boarding schools (1 have eight children) and anyway we like to bring tip our children at home. How does this square with the New Zealand ideal of education for every child up to the limit of his abilities?” Population Prospects Mr Purcell does not believe that the Haast road and other developments will greatly increase the population of his area. "Timber is our only natural asset and the Forest Service has that tied up like a dog with four collars. “We have our churches, hall, and clubs. We want a high school or, if this cannot be, the alternative 1 suggest,” said Mr Purcell.