SCHOOL COMMITTEE WORK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 May 1925, Page 10

SCHOOL COMMITTEE WORK.

SOME B EMINISCENCES. (By Our Tokaora Correspondent). ••The wav to political fame in England is to b e born ol : one of the ancient lulimr families, to be schooled, at- Eton, to go up to Oxford, and there become president of the union. . ■ _ • ,ln this country the route is not so clearly marked, but it is becoming more and more to be the accepted thing that one must be able to trace his rise back to his first election to a- school committee. , That many of our public men have worked their way upward from such a beginning suggests that the place of the school committee in our national life may in some respects rival that ot the school itself.” (Extract from leading article Hawera- Star, May 4, 19~o). Fifty odd years ago there were no cinemas or movies for youths to spend the evenings in harmless, often instiu - tive, pastime. Concerts and theatncal nlavs were few and far beta ecu. -c - mission. too, wa,s fairly high and almost prohibitive to those ot us ot limited means; but once a year we youths used to have a tree and. as many of us thought, a “good time, at the annual meeting ot householdss. There were the “ins” and outs, the satisfied and dissatisfied, which often resulted in very warm debates, at times developing into political meetings, hew of us youths, when we discussed aifeiwards amongst- ourselves realised that wo were unconsciously imbibing mtoi-mat-ion that in later years would prove rerv beneficial and fruitful to us mhen the call came to us to take our place o'n a school committee, and assist, to carry out a little self-government and manage our own affairs. To. be a chanman of a country school committee m the earlv days was no bed of roses, tor the unseen hand, or, more coirectly.

the tongues of the settlers’ wives, ruled in n great measure the management or tlie local school committee. Perhaps a recital of some of my early experiences may interest some of your readers, but to 'thoroughly understand the obstac es to be met and overcome, it is like the toothache—it must be gon e through and felt before it can be appreciated in its reality.

For several years after arrival in New Zealand 1 resided near a fairly important seaport town, where the recited events above took place.. Myself and biother took up a fair-sized piece of country just being .subdivided, situated about twenty-four miles from the port. Across the road from our boundary a school and teacher’s residence had been erected a year or so previously to serve a scattered' settlement. When the annual meeting of householders took place, date 24th January, the day was a dampish. one, and harvesting could not be proceeded with, so I thought I would go to the meeting to see how things were shaping. There was a very good muster from the surrounding district. I was duly nominated for a seat on the committee. I objected to stand, being a single man, with no experience-of committee work. These objections were set aside, for being single. I would have more time'to attend to school matters and have a free and untrammelled hand. “Besides.” the settlers said, “you will soon learn.” Being duly elected, I was unanimously appointed chairman,

secretary and treasurer. For some 'months' affairs went along fairly smoothly, but one afternoon, coming from the back of the farm with the plough teams, my sister came out, and with, a beckoning hand, and, as it struck me, her voice a little agitated, said sharply , “John, you are wanted inside.” “Who wants me, and what do they want?” “You will find out. Co into the sitting-room.” With that injunction she turned sharply on her heels and would say no more. In I

boldly marched, but never since or before have I encountered such a display of talking. Here were three mothers all talking at the same time. When they became quiet I managed to get in a word of inquiry' to find out what was the trouble. Each of them had a complaint to make against the school teacher, and they averred he must be mad, for eaqh mother recited the nature of an awful operation he (the teacher) was going to perform on her Willie or Tom. “You must sack that

teacher at'once/’ was the chorus of the trio.. I asked for a'little time Jo investigate the trouble before such drastic measures could be taken. Besides, 1 told them, it was not within my or the committee’s'power* to do such a thing, and as a parting shot they sam: “We’ll soon have him out of that.” Next day I interviewed the-teacher and found out what was all the trouble. He told. me. the children were the most backward and dullest lot he had ever met with, and in his desperation said • 'They needed a surgical operation on their cranium to let in_a little light. ’ When I did not side with the indignant matrons they turned their wrath on to me. At that date, late seventies, the teacher’s monthly cheque was sent direct to the school committee, and they had to pass same for payment, which was ioked on as only a matter of form, but- the husabnds of these women, who were also on the committee, would not pass the account. As the' voting-, waft 3 to, 2. I could do nothing until I. communicated with the board’s secretary. I also brought, the matter before, our M.P.. who was then. Mr . "William Jukes Steward, afterwards Sir W. J. Steward. The latter had another amendment the following session for his favourite Education Act. That teacher soon left such an inhospitable locality.

A new teacher was then needed, it was. the duty land in tlie power of the committee to. advertise for and select the teacher. There were five or six ap-

plicants for the position. . The committee’ s choice fell on one with a family of seven,- five going to school and. two coming on. As for his qualifications or classification, neither myself nor the committee knew anything. He possessed the one thought ihost necessarly for a small country school. In due time, he, with -family, arrived, and I found lie hailed from a country that is proverbial for their sons not to take a. licking “lying do.Wn.” He was six foot, . bony and muscular. Shortly after he had taken up his duties, one of riiy former lady, friends interviewed the new man, and complained that her children were not progressing as she would like. The interview was not to the lady’s satis-

faction, so she promised to send her husband along. “Very well, madam, but at the same time procure one of

your neighbours with a horse and dray to take bapk your husband’s pieces.” And he meant what he said. Anyhow that was the last interview of the kind during my term of office. It now came to my turn to be placed on the rack, aiid this is how it happened. Tlie teacher’s wife was complaining that she could not keep any food warm for any of her children that happened to, be late. The altitude was af irly high. While there Would be a roaring fire in the open fireplace, a short distance back of the room the thermometer might be registering anywhere between 32 and 3odeg. Fall., so the" good lady asked the committee toput. in. a colonial oven. (I haven’t seen one: for years). We asked tlie / board to do so. In reply, we were informed •tli?' board’s architect, would report later oii. The woman was' anxious: that something: should be done, for- winter was coming . on.. It ,so , liapcehed a bricklayer was coming to iny place. I took it on iny. own bat and purchased a colonial oven for 18s (id, took it IS miles by rail and carried it six miles on horseback. 1 supplied free the bricks and mortar. Labour was. 6s 6d and' oven IBs 6d. total 255. When the account went to the board’s meeting they must- have had very little business in hand, for ;the report in the local paper took up over half a column "of a , discussion o.n the enormity of the 'offence and 'the nature of punishment to be meted out -to me. 1 replied through the press stating our case, and there was. another amendment in ‘the then new Education Act. •; A lew years back, when the;Tokaora School was built and opened, 1, as chairman, appealed to the public for assistance in cash, furniture or lighting equipment. A daughter of thathouse sent me a 300-candle-power Rochester lamp, accompanied by a very neat, note .acknowledging the comfort 1 was the means of procuring for her child and the risk I ran to do. a good turn. That hinip now throws' light on the deliberations of the, school committee meetings, and on our concert. euchre, card and. jazz parties. In due time I disposed cf my interest in the farm .made up iny . report to date, and placed al' books’ relating to school committee matters in, the .hands of the senio'r committeeman. "The settlors appointed, me secretary to’’"the loci, l Sparrow Club, the local rabiiig club, etc. The members on the staff of the newspaper oil leach side asked me as a favour for a few lines qf news from my district.- “Yon kiioiv-.f After

you have had your dinner and a'smoke, f.evv lines and we’ll knock it into shape.” The germs of that ’disease ivere then sown, and have so developed that I am sure many of your readers now that they know I caught, the complaint, , will wish I had never been the chairman of a school committee. A trip to other countries and under

other flags soon convinced nle there was- no flag for me out the Union Jack,“that braved a. thousand: years the battle and breeze.” Heating, from; a High ecclesiastical dignity who had traversed Taranaki on foot that that part of New Zealand was the coining dairying centre of New Zealand, if not the world, I cast in my lot iii South Taranaki by leasing a smajl farm. Nearby, was a school that the Education Board used as a starting-off place for young teachers. I. was not resident there

very long till I found some of the lady residents were dissatisfied by the hoard dumping, their inexperienced teachers continually on them. A qualified teacher they would have, or have none. Other householders were satisfied as things w€i*€, mid pointed out that the annual passes were equal to, if not above, schools of eqqal standing or o-rading. The atmosphere became sultry, the building being packed with householders and others, the lattei being in greatest numbers, as they were there to see the fun. Our eloquent friend did not have matters all. his way. There were some lively passages, too. As a new settler, I was asked to stand as a- committeeman, an honour l courteously declined. binding there was no press reporter present, I took copious notes and forwarded same to the nearest newspaper office. The report- was over a column, and from Our Own Correspondent,” too. Now I had not up to this time not been near that news office, but they thought it good enough to publish in full; but my new neighbour of many complaints against the teacher was on my trail, calling into question the accuracy of many statements, I entered the open columns and there the battle raged with varying success. 1 writing over the non de plume of “A Lover of the Truth. I earnestly beseeched my opponent to carry into his daily life my motto. If I, as a new arrival, wanted refreshing news, I could always know where to find it. Often did my critic opponent and self meet at the local post office.. He would read to me his reply to “A Lover of Truth.” “Now, that will knock the writer into a cocked hat,” never suspecting the person he was reading the letter to was his opponent. With all the backing up for the young teacher, he was losing heart at such uncalled criticism. At one time he bebecame so discouraged that he intended to chuck the teaching profession up and go in for fanning. His parents appealed to me to use all my influence to persuade the young man to. continue and hot lose the advantages he had so ■far gained. Transfer and promotion soon followed, for the correspondence was copied into other papers. I am pleased to say my former youthful teacher has recently retired, on superannuation. after being head teacher, for a large school continuously, for, a period of 30 : years. Our friendship' started then and still contiues. •,

At one time my sympathies were always with tlie. school teacher - (because they were " so’ buffeted about through incompetent" school committees, lfiore especially, spine of the wives, of the committeemen, thus making the teacher’s life one of continuous misery. Nc,w tlie scene is changed; ’The committee’s powers are very limited, while- the teachers, through- their organisation, are masters in more respects than one, HA WEB A SCHOOL. ’ When I removed into Hawera L took Tittle interest- in school affairs, the nature of iiiy v occupation ' taking me so much in "the country : that T could see 1 could" not do justice to. my 'fellowcommitteemen's work. -My "family attended the Hawera School, started and finished there, and for a time some of my grandchildren were scholars there, too. In> the early days it was a, hard matter to get hoiiseiiolders .to attend the annual "meeting at the school. The roads were sloughs of despond. There were no footpaths, no lights on the streets, and very few houses. So annual meetings of householders were called for and held in the Borough Chambers. They were as a rule better attended, but the interest that should be taken in. school affairs was only wanting. One bad incident comes to my. memory. A householder had, or thought he had, a set on a' certain headmaster, one of the most courteous and gentlemanly teachers that have occupied that honourable position. This man came to me soliciting my support. After he explained the reason why he wished to get- on the committee, 1 explained he could do nothing, as his ground of complaint from my view of it could not be sustained. After a lot of canvassing, six householders and himself agreed to give > him a block vote. Seven members were required on the committee, so each householder had seven votes, That block vote put him at the top of the poll. It was his first, and last seat on the Hawera. School Committee; I brought this matter before (then) Majou W. J. Steward, better known as the member with the amendment Education Bills. Householders cannot give block votes now at annua,! meetings as they did in "days past.

There has been an honourable, roll of head " and other teachers" attached to the Hawera School. I believe I have the honour to know every headteacher personally but one.

The rest of my story is soon told. On coming to Tokapra nearly a quarter of a century ago I, with other settlers, set about having a school in our midst. Now we have one of the best country schools, best teacher’s dwelling, and most beautiful gardens in South Taranaki, I was chairman for many years. Bronchial troubles caused me to. pass, in all books and papers. \ r et the new committee does me the honour of requesting my presence annually. to distribute the school prizes, and may I further add, request the free use of my motor lorry to take 30 or 40-chil-dren to the. annual picnic. This I do freely, ;well pleased it lies within my power to be able to assist the school children aucl iny neighbours." s

There will be few present at the jubilee celebration on the 15th inst that have known personally each of the head teachers. In the early days it was a proud day when settlers had own school instead "of holding cue in the old blockhouse. When Mr C. A. Strack was bidding his old pupils good-bye on his retirement, I gave in the columns of. the Star the reason why tlie public school * was located on its present site. On Friday, afternoon, Sth inst., one of the Star proprietors ’phoned nie, asking for some reminiscences of tlie Hawera School. I replied I would try and write up my experiences as a chairman of school committees. So, readers. the above is a hastily-written record of early primary days in school matters and al] from memory. I have not attained that honourable position emoted in the beginning of this article, but through my experience as a chairman I have learned to make my mark in print.