EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 May 1928, Page 8

EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.

HAWERA ,8 MARCH. OF EVENTS

INTEIRiOSTINU KEVIKW. At the opening ceremony of the openair school yesterday, the chairman of the Taranaki Education -Board (Mr. S. O. Smith) gave his hearers a strikingly interesting summary of the work done in Hawera since 1877, showing the remarkable strides made in the educational facilities of the town and district, more especially in the last twelve years, when Hawera was placed in the Taranaki board’s district. It may be of interest, ho said, to note that in 1877 there were under the' jurisdiction of the Taranaki education district 23 schools, 23 head teachers, 7 assistant teachers, and 2 pupil teachers, teaching 726 children, with an average attendance of only 496 (i.e., 68 per cent, of full attendance). At the end of 1915. these had been increased to 104 schools, 103 head teachers, 86 assistants, 33 pupil teachers, teaching 6504 pupils, with an average attendance of 5837 (i.e., 89. per cent, of full attendance). In 1916 42. schools were taken over

from the Wanganui and Auckland Education Boards, and included in this number were 16 schools held in buildings mot the property of the boards. These 42 schools, with 2542 pupils, j were under the charge of 102 teachers, and whatever feeling existed against the inclusion in the Taranaki district soon entirely disappeared, and committees and parents have since worked in harmony with the board for the best interests of the pupils. 'lVday in the Taranaki education district there are 174 schools, 171 head teachers, '2UO assistant teachers, and 30 probationers, teaching 11,792 pupils, with an average attendance of 10,310.

tlawera school history lias been published many times. But when the Taranaki Education Board took over the administration in • 1916 the population of Hawera was 3270 and there were only two public schools—the district high school having 601 children in charge of Mr. O. A. Strack, assisted by 10 assistants (including Mr. J. R. Nairn, first assistant, and Miss Lanypn, infant mistress), and 5 probationers. Firty-five children under Miss Robina Tait and Miss Winifred Bate;? were being taught at a side school, whilst 20 pupils in the secondary department wore under Miss Janet McLeod. The present manual building was under the supervisor, Mr. H. W. Jackson.

To-day there is in the Hawera. borough a population -estimated at 4575, an increase of 1300 souls in 12 years, and there are six good public schools, including the. technical high school, cost £17,000, built 1919, and a hostel costing £7654; Tawhiti school, average 184. built 1919, cost £3OOO. added to in 1923 at a cost of £930; Turuturu school, average 122, built in 1926 at a cost of £1945; a speical modern type of infant school costing approximately £3500; a remodelled old school, and a well organised manual training school.

The present Hawera school (old district high school, disestablished in 1919) when remodelled will comprise 10 classrooms, including the old gymnasium ail'd the room for special classes, also. a classroom outside which will be used as a class for delicate children.- The whole school will accommodate. comfortably 516 children. There are 14 assistants, and approval j

has just been given to engage another temporarily. The hoard is now arranging lor a special class for non-academic children, and hopes to inaugurate a new type of class for delicate children, who will benefit by special treatment. The new school comprises five rooms, each 24ft. by 21ft. Gin., a total floor space of 2580 square feet, besides a free classroom, will accommodate 215 children, whereas there are about 200 in attendance.

At the last board meeting the senior inspector, Mr. N. R. McKenzie, who has had perhaps more experience than any other man m New Zealand, state! that this new infant school was the “most perfect he had seen in any oonnibry lie had visited. There was plenty of sunlight, and the control of the air in the rooms was simply marvellous. The interior atmosphere had a freshness that he had not experienced elsewhere, and he was pleased to know the board intended to follow the design in other places. The JHawera building was similar (to the open-air room at Courtenay Street infant school in New Plymouth., The board was most fortunate in its architect, Mr. C. H. Moore, and should erect a monument to him when he died.