CAVERSHAM SCHOOL

Evening Star, Issue 19518, 28 March 1927, Page 4

CAVERSHAM SCHOOL

NEWEST IN DOMINION Everything nowadays is for the chil--1 dren. At the official opening of the new Caversham School on Saturday afternoon the universe’s source of light and heat gave them preference. A ; Minister of the Crown, a knight, two, I clergymen, and leading men of other ranks had to stay in the cold shade, enduring a breeze that pierced to the marrow, whilst boys and girls were nice and warm in the sunshine. Perhaps I that accounted in part for the exemI plary patience of the children whilst I being talked at for the best part of an j hour. The very little ones, could not have understood the speeches, but they ! were apparently quite happy, the girls on forms, the boys on tarpaulins spread on the asphalt of the playground immediately in front of the portico, and not once was there any need to call them to order, though Mr George Palmer, the head master, had them all under his eye. Necessarily, the occasion being official, demanding the recital of certain facts, the speaking was mostly addressed to the parents who were present in hundreds, but each man in turn said something to interest the senior pupils, and at the finish the Hon. R. A. Wright put off his official ness and gave the babies an innings by calling on them to cheer for everybody he could think of—an exercise that nave a humorous turn to a particularly appropriate ami interesting Inncuou. Mr R. H. Todd, chairman of the School Committee, was supported by Mr L. Sanderson (clerk) and other members of that body, and the visitors included, besides the Hon. R. A, Wright, and Mrs Wright, the Hon. Sir Charles Statham, the Hon. Mark Cohen, Mr SideV, M.P., the mayor (Mr Taplcy), the Rev. D. Dutton, the Rev. F. Fish, Mr 'J. Wallace (chairman of the Education Board), and Mr W. Bird (chief inspector of primary schools). A verso of the National Anthem was sung, and Margery Scott, one of the older pupils, presented Mrs Wright with a pretty bouquet. Mr Todd expressed his pleasure at seeing such a largo number of ex-pupils present. It indicated their continued interest in the school. The committee was delighted to be in the now building. Its erection had to be delayed because so many schools in various parts were claiming the attention ox the department. It was no doubt the most up-to-date school in Otago, if not in the dominion. At present it looked lopsided. with the entrance not in the middle of the front, but he felt sure that the Minister would do all in his power to have the building finished at an early date. He did not think that any other school in Dunedin had Such a splendid playground. The Hon. R. A. Wright said it was one of the most pleasant duties that cOuld fall to the lot of any Minister of Education to declare a new school open. He knew it would be comfortable and convenient, and in every way suitable. The area of the new site gave them nearly four acres for a playing area, which was a very reasonable area. It was purchased by a Government grant of £2,760 made in 1919. The new building contained nine class rooms, two aeachcrs’ rooms, and a head master’s room, and the number of square feet occupied by it was 4,840. For the erection of the building Cabinet had made a grant of £II,OOO, and the Otago Education Board had found £3,000 out of its rebuilding fund. The lowest tender amounted to £10,944, plus £315 for special windows. Furniture, fencing, levelling, and asphalting brought the cost to date to approximately £13,000. Mr G. T. Palmer, headmaster, had a staff of fourteen assistants and two probationers. There was a roll number of 665 at the present time. Tbe standard. classes only wore to be housed in tho new building. The infants would continue to use. tho old building meantime. It was interesting to notice the cost of schools 10-day and compare it with tho cost in the past. The old. school was built in 1861. Up to 1877 the cost of four rooms in permanent material, was £2,001• In 1878 cue ad-dtional room cost £395. In 1878 one additional tional rooms in wood cost J; ami in 18SS three rooms in wood for the infant department cost £550. 11 was proposed to have memorial gates erected at the new school, erected largely by the efforts of ex-pupils of the school. Ho found that school committees generally wore doing fine work in connection with the primary schools of' the dominion, and wherever he had gone he had found them doing their very best witli limited means to improve tho grounds for tho boys and girls. Ho hoped the boys and girls would appreciate the fact that far more was being given them than ever was I given their fathers and grandfathers. | Tho buildings erected to-day were , 1,000 per cent more comfortable. In ! tho good old days they often made a ! school as though they were making a prison,or a fortress. Now the schools were planned to receive all the ventilation possible, with a cross-ventilation system, so that the air was always fresh. While the nation was thus caring for its children it had very little to fear. Other nations were educating their people in first-class style, and we could not possibly be behind. In many respects we were ahead of other coun-tries-—even of Great Britain and tiie United States—in the facilities for education offered. Anonymous newspaper correspondents soniotimcs made complaints about our education system. He was not prepared to admit wc were spending too much on it, but there might be some justice in saying we , were not spending the money to the i best advantage. , Sir Charles Statham, M.P., welcomed to the Dunedin Central electorate the Minister of Education and Mrs Wright. :He congratulated the teachers and : pupils of Caversham on their splendid i new school. In time to- come those walls would have very hallowed memories. Recently people came from all ! over New Zealand to attend the jubi- . Ice celebrations of tho school, and they i could not but note the delightful relations existing between the teachers and , pupils. That was, in his view, the soul of the school. The destiny of the counI try lay in,the hands of the boys and girls. Mr J. Wallace said he was on id : that in this term of office t '* fine building had been erected. It was cmy I after many trials and tribulations that I they had secured tho ground, which I amounted in all to four and threequarter acres, and was one of the finest sites in Otago for a largo school. There were three schools over which the board had long been concerned—in alphabetical order, Albany Street, Balclutha, and Caversham. Caversham they had opened, Balchitha would bo opened next Friday, and they were still waiting for Albany Street. He thanked the Minister for his presence, and for what ho had done for tho schools the previous day. Mr W. Bird, chief inspelor of primary schools, an old pupil of Caversham School, expressed his great pleasure at being present on that occasion and seeing once more the faces of school fellows. Otago was fortunate in having the high educational traditions of Scotland brought there. He thought that in no part of New Zealand was there a finer type of teacher than those who inaugurated the system in Caversham. Ho wished to pay a tribute also to the inspectors of those days, and made special mention of the late Mr Donald Petrie, to whom education in Otago owed so much. In walking throiigli the old school he also thought of a very fine master of tho old days, Mr A. Milne. The Mayor said it was a pleasure to take part in this joyous function. He was glad to think Caversham was being privileged in that way. They had a great deal to thank present and past Governments for. Ho did not know any country that provided better facilities for the education ef its young people. Mr Todd said the ex-pupils had al-

ready contributed £l5O to the fund for the memorial pates, and the School t.'ommittco had handed over another CSO. Ho announced that a meeting would be held on Tuesday i week to dismiss ways and means of raising the balance, for they wished to have the work gone on with immediately. Mr G. Palmer; the head master, who was received with cheering by the scholars, said he was very glad to see so many parents present, and he assured them that the traditions of the old school would be carried on as tar ns he could secure that. The teachers were all prepared to do their very best to maintain its high reputation. The Minister of Education called on the scholars for cheers for the members of the School Committee and their wives, for the Education Board, for the Speaker of the House, Mr Sidey, the visitors, mothers, fathers, tho now school, and the teachers; and on the call of Mr Todd a final volley of cheering was given for tho Minister and Mrs Wright. Tho Minister then unlocked the door, and the adults present followed him in an inspection of the internal structure and appointments.