BUILDING THE NEW SCHOOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 May 1925, Page 9

BUILDING THE NEW SCHOOL.

i A GREAT EVENT

Then in L 57.51 came cue great change aud development from which actual Iv dates the story of Haw era’s School.

Mr. A. V. Messana provides some very interesting inlorniation conceiniii" the school in its earliest days. Ho sa Tv,: “lb was a very unpretentious building, but quite adequate ioi its requirements. Previous to this, school had been held in the old blockhouse, which occupied the site of the present library i The new school was opened with a roll call of 40 scholars, of whom I was one. and wa-s actually the fii vt child to enter the building. When tin* opening hour \va.s nearing rain began to fall, and Mr. Dunne the master, came to the door. Thinking this the signal to enter, we unceremoniously rushed in, and were as quickly sent out. 'Pile timber fo-’- the school was pit-sawn ot a 'saw-pit- almost in tins centre of Nornia.nhy. The building ,„r Hie school was prorovsed in T 4. lint Tie rett-lers. who mostly lived on the north side' of High Street, obiected to M, e s if c f,F the; proposed building, and w-idvl it built in what was. then term-

oils, every occupier of a, house or where or owner had to pay £1 P el ’ annum for each chimney—bachelors and, spi nster.s, too. In addition there was a charge made for each child Attending school. Many boys wlm have made their mark inthe life; of the Dominion, and some in the wider sphere ol the big world, came in early days from the Hawera School, and many also during the later years. No- doubt they had many difficulties to overcome, and schooling in earlier years did not do much for the pupils. But what they did receive was veiv tliqrotmli. and probably this. combined with the struggle to obtain as much primary education as possible, were no doubtfactors that helped to mould their characters and stood to them in the wider world they entered after leaving school.