PETONE AND HUTT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1909, Page 3

PETONE AND HUTT.

OPENING OF NEW SCHOOL AT UPPER HUTT. EARLY EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. The new school building at Upper Hutt was formally opened yesterday by Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., in the piesence of members of the Education Board, School Committee, and a large gathering of parents and scholars. The school is situated on the Palfrey block, near the Upper Hutt railway station, and the grounds comprise three acres of nearly level grassed land. The buildings are up to date in every respect, and are in accordance with the standard designus of Mr. A. M'Dougall, the board's architect. A description of the buildings appeared in a former issue. The proceedings, on the arrival of the members of the Education Board, were opened by a, few interesting remarks from the secretary to the Upper Hutt School Committee (Mr. A. J. M'Curdy), who, after apologising for the unavoidable absence of the chairman (Mr. Cameron), Mr. W. Greig (member of committee), and Mr. George Benge (chairman of the Town Board), outlined the educational movement in the district from the "fifties." Mr. M'Curdy said that his enquiries into the early history of the valley had revealed facts which he thought the present an opportune time to make known. Settlement in the valley eastward of the Silverstream was very sparse prior to 1856, but from that time onward there was a steady stream taking up holdings in the locality and moving further east towards the Wairarapa. The first recorded teacher in the Upper Hutt was Mr. E. Player, a commercial employee from the Old Country, who, failing to obtain clerical work at Wellington, came to the Upper Hutfc and er.ectecl a slab whare near the site of the present residence of Mr. Andrew Gome on the Main-roacT He partitioned a portion of the whare off for a bedroom, and used the remainder for a night-school, earning his living during the day splitting shiugles»n the neighbouring bush, which then was very dense. He continued his night-school for some two years, among his pupils being ex-County Councillor George Brown. Mr. Player gave up the teaching profession to work as clerk in a Wellington business house. He was" succeeded by Mrs. Martin, who lived in a small wooden house located jusfc about where Mr. W. P. Barber, J.P., now resides. She, too, partitioned .off a portion of her house for a bedroom, and used the balance as a schoolroom. By selling milk and butter she augmented her income, which, however, was not enough, and she gave up the task of educating the young. Her successor was Mrs. Kitchen, who lived in a weatherboard house on the roadway just opposite the present Trentham Hotel. Her dwelling "measured 12 feet by 18 feet. Her term lasted two years, when she entered into matrimony, and the district was onoe more in need of a teacher. About the year 1863 public meetings were held, and a sum of £C 0 per annum was guaranteed towards a teacher's salary. Advertisements in the Wellington paper failed to elicit an application, but Father Scon interested himself in the welfare of the settlers, and taking advantage of the "rush" which had set in in Otago, communicated with Father Moran, of Dunedin, and by his aid a Mr. and Mrs. D. Carrick accepted the appointment, both husband and wife being certificated teachers from the Old Country. By permission of the Catholic Bishop Viard, Father Scon lent the settlers the use of the new Roman Catholic Church at Upper Hutt for school purposes— the front portion of thp existing church being that utilised. These teachers took up residence in a cottage opposite to the present dwelling of Mrs. A. Martin, sen. The school was conducted for 18 months in the church building. Mr. R. Barton, father of the local Barton families, offered a school site at the Trentham end of the settlement, an effort to establish the school at the upper end of the township having failed to elicit more than an offer of a small section from the late Mr. J. Cruickshank near the present Upper-Hutt railway station. Subscriptions were ipvited for the new school building, and. the Provincial Government, having voted some £40 or £50 towards the work, a contract was let for the erection of a school-room with two living-rooms attached on the site donated by Mr. Barton. The contract price was £140. 'Mr. Carrick continued the work for a further two years, when he one day suddenly dropped dead in the echool-room. His widow continued teaching for 2£ years, leaving to take up the headmistresship of the Catholic school at Blenheim. Children attended the Upper Hutt School from Mungaroa, Wallaceville, and Whiteman's Valley for years, having to travel as much as ten and twelve miles, including the homeward trip. A Mr. Thompson from Australia succeeded Mrs. Carrick, and the present education system having been inaugurated, a grant was mad-e which resulted in the existing teacher's residence being erected. Mr. Thompson was followed by Mr. Hurley, in whose time the old' schoolhouee was demolished, and a new school built some thirty years ago. Mr. Connell succeeded Mr. Hurley, who went to Otaki to live, and has remained in charge of the Upper Hutt School ever since. During Mr. Hurley's term schools were established at Mungaroa on Bepge's Farm ; at Wallace Settlement (now known as Wallaceville — three miles from the present WallaceviHe station), and later on one at Whiteman'e Valley. During the past three years a movement has been afoot to establish a side-school for the younger children at Upper Hutt, and the board accommodated the children in the local Town Hall until an infants' school was erected. Later on the board decided to remove the old school building to the new school cite, but troubles as&ailed the contractor, and the elements settled the question so far as utilising the old building was concerned. It was ora record that in June, 1907, the 6chool committee protested against the removal of the old building. However, the education board had now seen fit to enlarge the infants' building andi convert it into an up-to-date establishment which he (Mr. M'Curdy) was directed by the committee to ask Mr. Wilford to formally open that day. Mr. P. D. Davis, J.P., a former secretary of the school committee, made a few remarks as to the circumstances leading up to the establishing of a side school during his term of office, after which the member for the district addressed the assemblage. He compliI mented the board, committee, and parj ente upon the excellent type of building, and urged that greater interest should bo. taken by parents in the education of their children. He was averse to prizes for m&re regular attendance, as bright boys and girls were thus (often through no fault of their own) handicapped out of the contest. He advocated certificates for attendance andl substantial prizes for meiit. He announced' he would donate special prizes for the best behaved and' most popular boy and girl in the school during the coming year, and that the prizes should be allocated en the votes of the scholars attending the school. He then formally declared the new school open. Mr. Lee, chairman of the .Education Board, addressed the meeting, aad pointed out that after hie recent travels

and enquiries into the matter of housing scholars In Scotland, England, France, and Switzerland, ne could conscientiously assert that taking into consideration the population andl industrial importance of the country districts of \Vellington Education Board area, the schools were better equipped, better lighted, better ventilated, and the educational methods superior to anything abroad he had observed. The Board was holding its own. Mr. Allan, one of the city members of the board, also spoke. Cheers were called for and heartily accorded Mr. Wilford, M.P., the Education Board, the school committee, and the teachers. During the day refreshments were supplied to scholars and visitors, and various games indulged in to fill in time between the morning school-hours and the arrival of the visitors from Wellington. PRESENTATIONS. A number of business people gathered in the Municipal Chambers, Petone, last evening,' fo/ the purpose of making a presentation to Mr. C. J. Cowan, stationmaster, who is being transferred to Ashburton. The Mayor, who presided, remarked that Mr. Cowan had been in Petone for fourteen years, and during that p<jriod, by his unfailing courtesy, he had earned the respect of all he came in contact with. The public were extremely sorry that the exigencies of the Railway Department had deprived .uem of so capable an officer. Mr. Lodder aleo made a few remarks, mentioning that although they regretted Mr. Cowan s departure, it gave them great pleasure to learn that it was to be to his advantage. The borough engineer (Air. W. H. Cook) and several others each contributed a few valedictory remarks, also referring to the manner in which Mr. and Mrs. Cowan had endeared themselves to many in their social life. The presentation took the form of a silver mounted walking stick as well as a gold watch. The same evening Mr. and Mrs. Cowan and family were entertained by St. Augustine's bhurch parishioners. The Rev. J. D. Russell paid a high tribute to their worth and to their work foi the church, and presented Mr. Cowan with a dressing case, Mrs. Cowan with a gold cable chain and bracelet, and Miss Cowan with a Bible and' a gold watch, the last present being from the Girls' .bible Class. AMALGAMATION. Speaking at the Lower Hutt last evening with reference to amalgamation, Mr. W. H. Russell, a candidate for the Hutt Mayoralty, stated it seemed to him that the only way to bring it about was to get the Crown to appoint a Royal Commission. To do that it would be necessary to obtain the consent of Petone, which borough would, he thought, be inclined to demur. "I am doubtful about amalgamation," concluded the candidate, "as there are too many local interests at stake."