ISLAND BAY SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2130, 23 April 1914, Page 8

ISLAND BAY SCHOOL

INFANTS' BUILDING

OPENED BY'HON. H.-D. BELL

Thn new infants' school. at hlnm) Bfly was ibrinrtSly opoiicl l,y ilin Hon. fl. D. J Bolt ycslcftlny ul'tßriioon. Tbo building, which lias bc-PH dpsiuniil alter tho stylo oi' tbo hicfacr pupifs* oehool adjoining, is well-nUed, nu«l is cap;ibio of ntcammoilaling sonro ni.x(y M yorferdey's corcmofly those present included the MiiiiN<or>ul' Ucluralion (Hon. JJawcu Alien), tlto Mayoress (Mrs. J. P, Lu!jp), Mr. t. 0. iShorlnni} <cliairmiin of the Islaml B«,v School roipioiUec), CoMimanik-r (larr, of H.51.S Psyrbt!-, und a Urt6 number of pupils and parents. Mr. Sfiorlfjiiti ngoloßl.aoj for tho aUsencn of His Worship liio Mayor (Mr. i. V, Luko), ivl.ro viis nnaWe to attend, on account, of tiro clTootb of an otcidftiit which bo had suffered i*mo tim* (jack. Tho .sptsakei* a\aa iv<?lronic<J tlio 3lif.-ls"*r of Education,. rctearklßg iHcirfciiljiiv that Mr. A.llem Jiot only bcli«rc<j iu "nicnt-si education, but iva.? iin »ivocsto in puvsical culture «$ wdl, T'lio epwiker hopMl that Mr. Allen would take iuto co-Dsulpra. tion tho physical culture of the chi.Wroa whea- tlio Tdnat , , Bay CobuojUjm asfco-1 him for increased accemmedstion in tbe fcnool which they wore about to ojwn. Present indications ]x>in!ot) to tliis' b-nr , - peiiiag sodo, us they alro.idv bad 125 infante ready to go into tbo new stliool. . Tho Sou. J. AUcb wjis tbo flest spfcikor. Referring U) Ihe question of jsbystail «iucation. Van Minister lauch-td va the progress which was t»ittg niatl/? geiaerally ?n tho Domitiion. on<> urcat feature about it iras that it was twin;? applied in and carried out by both seses.- Girls Mally wanted mare .physical (iducotfcm tiian boys, as tho latU-r noraiaDy had ftore Ciflrcise. Ho tieught that, teacbors would find, that this pnj-Mcal tuitfen wouM beljj the scholar pcnferally, omd wssuM olso tend to doTc'lop cha-jaeter. Sfr. Alloa. tl>ea naid a complimeiit to Miss i'mlayson. ills head teacher, is'hd bad been elevcj , enough' to nin-ko the sehool (which was HHWint fot 60 pupils) bold lft. Co'atsuuing, tho Minister stated that Iho openings of new sc-hools were ovtdeiiees of tho development of tbo oeuntry; they indicated that the Do-minion was eroding. Tlw -GoTßrnmeiit were very desirous ef laying the foundaiian. of a- good education' system, physical fls-woll asmor.il.. Turoing to education generally, Mr. Alien remarked that, ia his recent nrerJeas trip, ha had ten greatly , impressed tvitb the ad-p'aucement of education'in Italy and other countries, and be was glnd io see that tho Montesson system -h'as beinit <*- peritEonted with in a tiqjnber ef scbsols here. A teacher should bo always on the lookoat for ii'iw ideas, afld io the Sfontessevi method they had a system which wouM do a great deal towards tho ad-vancem-ont ef tho individual pupil, Mrs. J. P. Luke jjaro a short D<i<iire.se, in.the etiurio of vtich shs remarked on the rapid derelonment aef Island Bay. Tl>9 inureasß ift pi>puktiea -tta*. she tboujrht, a fair indication of tlie increase in tip general population of Jfe* Zealand. I'assin!; to olhef mattwf, Mr*. Luke stated that ska did not think tfrat vbrat-n sliwilil tako -siK-tl pteitiohs as Mowbew of Parliimerrt, but. nnvertWcss,, woaieß., ft'om tbeir intiuutle i'nowledgo and tfcmondons .influence over -chilctfca> might take positions od school boards. The Hon. Sir. Bell .lisa made s, bri?f (■precis. The oraening of the scb-eol, be said, marked' tb* Steodj .prpgre?.* of education in New Zealand. He then commented on the cho.ueea which h.id taken plnco in the education system during recent .rears, and arldsd that the. ch-Mfen present should realise and nsmeoiber what a feoon'free educetion was. It pratided for rich quA poo! , tiliko, and tho pupils of the schools itcre all gireo a, gbed start in life. It r*s.t«d *iln themselves svhai they njiuhl bo afterwards, Jltr, oell ttnjlt formally epenei the Echool.