SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 18 November 1932, Page 8

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

TEACHERS AND COMMITTEES MANY RECORDS DESTROYED Unfortunately many of the records of the Whakamara school committee have been lost and in many instances it has been possible to complete the list of teachers and committeemen only by reference to log books, to the files of Ike “Hawera -Star,” and from the minutes of meetings of the Wanganui and Taranaki Education Boards. So far as can be ascertained from the early records of the Wanganui Board, Air F. J. Gane, chairman of the Afanutahi school committee, was the first to interest himself in the opening of a school at Whakamara. On August 28, 1879, the Board wrote to Air Gane stating that it did not consider the circumstances of the ease warranted a school in that locality. The following year the Board advised Air Gane that as soou as the settlers took proper steps to form a district it would appoint

an itinerant teacher. Evidently within the next three weeks the settlers Imsied themselves to such an extent that the Board resolved to open a temporary or household school and to have desks made in the district, a proper school building being promised if the attendance warranted such a course of action. The Board built a lean-to attached to Air Adolph Bremer’s residence and Airs Bremer was the first teacher, appointed in October, ISBO, followed by Aliss Alary Durrs from July .1, 3882, to December 22, ISS4, when the school closed.

In the .minutes of the Board meeting on Alay 1, JSSS, it is learned that a letter was received from Air R. W. Foreman respecting the, establishment of an aided school, the teacher being employed by the committee. The Board agreed that this form of school bo es-

tablislied and the recommendation of a teacher was left to the inspector (Air E. Foulis) and the executive. The school re-opened on June 18, ; 1SSS, with Air Wybrant Olphert as teacher, a letter having been sent to Air Bremer requesting him to deliver all the school

furniture from liis residence to Air Foreman, the new chairman.

Air Olphert resigned on December 22, JSBB, and Air Charles Nicholls was appointed as from February J, 1880, he resigning on April 1G of the same year. Teachers appointed later were as follow:

Aliss Annie Finn, from January 1 IS9O, to December Ml, IS9I.

Air Nicholls (re-appointed), from January 25, 1892, to July 31, 1892.

Aliss Finn (re-appointed), from August 8. .1892, to January 20, JSOS. Aliss Eleanor Chappie, from Alarch 4, 1595, to December 51. 1897.

Air F. H. Walters, from February -21. 1898, to June 30, 1902. Air A. Kveriss, from .Tulv .14, 1002, to April 30, 1904. ' Air M. Goldsburv, from Alav 1. 1904. to October 31, 1904. Aliss F. Christie, from November 7. 1904, to November 20, 1904. Aliss K. M. Alcorn, from November 21. 1904, to December 1 51, 1900. Mr W. Hutchinson, from January 1, 1907, to October 51, 1907. Aliss T. A. .Smith, from November 22, 1907, to April 20, 1908. Aliss Annie Aißhony 1° Alav, 1909. ! Airs A. AT. Anthony, to April, 1918.

In 1910 the Whakamara school dis trict was transferred to the Taranaki Education Board and appointments of teachers subsequent to 1918, when Mrs Anthony resigned, were \as follow: —

Miss A. B. Chanman, from May 1 to May 3'l, 1918. Miss Craig, from June 5, 1918, to June 28, 191 S. Miss Morcraft, from July 1,191 S, to December 10, 1919. Miss Erere, from February. 23, 1920, to February 27, 1920. Miss M. Rogers, from March S, 1920, to March 28, 1924. Miss M. K. Spence, from April 1 to May 9, 1924. Miss Orr, from June 2, 1924, to July 30, 1925. Mr Clement Howe, from August 1, 1925, to December .17, 1920. Mr L. dcs Forges, from February 7 to March 31, 1927. Mr 11. S. Kibblewhite, from April 4, 1927, to December, 1925. Miss A. B. Hutchinson, temporary assistant under Mr Kibblewhite. Mr A. B. Buchanan, from February, 1930, to December, 1931. Miss Eva Birkett, assistant under Mr Buchanan. Mr C. J. Williams, B.A. (present sole teacher), from February, 1932. ELECTIONS OF COMMITTEE.

Apparently Mr Gane acted as chairman of the Whakamara school committee from ISSO to ISS2, but on July 20, ISS2, Mr J. W. Scott signed himself as chairman in a letter to Mrs Bremer, and on April 2, 1884, it is on record that he was appointed by the Wanganui Education Board as a commissioner. Either records were not kept or have been lost for no further .reference appears as to the administration of local school affairs until April 21, 1891, when a committee was elected, subsequent committees taking office in the following order: — IS9I. —Messrs 11. Sutherland (chairman), J. W. Scott (secretary), Allan, Illston, Milham, Thomas and MacGregor. 1892-93-94. Messrs. Scott (chairman), Thomas, Milham, Duirs, Forking, Allan and Illston. ISO;!. —Mr Scott again appointed commissioner and held office until September, 1896, when a special meeting of the residents was held to consider handing over the Jubilee Hall to the Wanganui Education Board for school purposes, Mr Scott was chairman and there were present: Messrs Milham, Duirs, Illston, Boavel, Gouger and Merchant. The trustees of the hall (Messrs Foreman, Buekrell and Scott) were empowered to hand the building over to the board. -

1899. —Messrs. Scott (chairman), 11. White, J. Black, Milham and Small. Mr Scott resigned.on April 9, .1900, and Mr White was elected chairman. Mr Higgs also was a member of the committee about this period and canvassed the district for funds for the present school library. 1907. Messrs. Iverrisk (chairman and secretary), Worsley, Cane, Allan and Crabbe. 1908. —Mr Cane elected chairman. 1910. —Messrs Milham (chairman), Kerrisk, Harrington, Dyke and Allan. 1911. —Messrs. A. Crawford (chairman), P. Gadsby, A. Gadsby, G. Blackwell, Allan, and G. McAllum. 1912. —Messrs. Crawford (chairman), J. Murcli, Ai J. Herbert, P. Buekrell and S. Gadsby. 1913. —Messrs. Crawford (chairman), Mureh, Herbert, Buekrell and Cowan. 1914. —Messrs. Crawford (chairman), Herbert, Mureh, Buekrell and Cowan, Mesdames Catclipole and Mureh. 1915. —Messrs. Mureh (chairman), Muir, Crawford, Herbert and S. Gabsby. 1910. —Messrs Murcli (Chairman), Buekrell, Crawford, E. Watson and Herbert.

1017. —Messrs. Mureli (chairman), T. Kirk. Crawford. W. Taylor and A. Herbert.

19.18. —Messrs. O. Mureli (chairman) W. Hamilton, Herbert, M. .Scott and J. Hayward.

191(5.—Messrs Mureli (chairman), Scott, Herbert, J. Murch and Hayward. 1020. —Messrs. A. .T. Herbert (chairman), A. Herbert, Milham and Mureli. 1921. —Messrs. A. ,T. Herbert (chairman), A. Herbert. .T. Honeyfield, A. Davies, H. Scott and Dobson. 1922. —Messrs. A. J. Herbert (chairman), Honeyfield, F. Milham, Davies, Scott and Dobson.

1923. —Messrs. Honeyfield (chairman), Davies, Dobson, Scott and A. Wrigley. 1924. —Messrs. Scott (chairman), Honeyfield, Dobson, W. Hamilton and W rigiey. 1925. —Messrs. Davies (chairman), Scott, Dobson, li. Caldwell ancl Hamilton.

1926. —Messrs. Davies (chairman), Dobson, Hamilton, Caldwell and Scott. 1927. —Messrs. Dobson (chairman), Hamilton, J. Potter, S. Buckrell and Wrigley. 1923.—Messrs. Dobson (chairman), Wrigley, Hamilton, Buckrell and Potter. 1929. —Messrs. Dobson (chairman), Wriglev, Potter, Hamilton and Buckroll. 1930. —Messrs. Dobson (chairman), Wrigley, Scott, Potter and Buckrell. 1931. Messrs. Dobson (chairman), H. le Fleming (secretary), Wrigley, Potter and Buckrell. 1932. —Messrs. Dobson (chairman and secretary), Wrigley, Potter, le Fleming and Buckrell. Under succeeding committees during recent years a progressive policy has been carried on. Visitors to the district this week after a long absence will have difficulty in recognising their old school, with its pleasant outlook and tidy surroundings, and 'will view with interest the modern methods of class instruction and the handiwork of the children. CHANGE IN THE BOUNDARIES. Prior to 1916 the southern boundary of the Taranaki Education Board’s district ended at a line \running approximately from Mangahume, four miles out of Opunako, through Stratford, the district embraced including the counties of Taranaki, Clifton, Eg-