NEW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL OPENED

Hutt News, Volume XXII, Issue 6, 21 July 1948, Page 7

NEW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL OPENED

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN THE HUTT VALLEY The new Hutt Intermediate School, a full description of which appeared in our issue of last week, was officially opened on Saturday afternoon by the Minister of Education, the Hon. T. C. McCombs. The assembly ball was crowded, among the representative attendance being' the Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Eraser, and the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash. Mr. A. Maud, chairman of flic Intermediate School Committee, presided. The value of intermediate schools in the education system was emphasised by the speakers. ,lt was stated that, the school had cosi £150,000 —£181,000 for land and buildings, £13,000 for ground improvements, and £OOOO for equipment.

Proud ol' the School ‘ Mr. E. P. Hay, Mayor of Lower Hutt, in welcoming the visitors, said no one had done more for education than the Prime Minister. The citizens of Lower Hutt were proud of the new intermediate school, and had lull confidence in its headmaster, Mr. Browning, and staff. The Prime Minister, Mr. Eraser, congratulated all concerned on the establishment of the school, w’. Li.

was an important step in the development of education in die Wel-

lington district. Intermediate schools, which had started as an experiment, were now playing an important part

in the education system. He would like to see one established in Wellington, but the question of a site

was a problem. New Zealand liad „a huge problem in its school building

needs. Many schools were overcrowded, and the increase in the birth rate was adding to the need. Shortage of materials and labour was another difficulty. The prob-

lem must be solved. The ment was doing its best to provide for the needs of the children. Every-

one must combine to give the teachers an opportunity to help the children to develop the gifts witli which God had endowed them. The fine work of the headmaster, Mr.

Browning, in the past was a guarantee that he would do his utmost in the new school.

Difficulties Overcome

Mi - . Nash told of the difficulties overcome in establishing the school, and said that not a penny of the cost, £150,000, had been wasted, for no investment brought better physi-cal,-material and intellectual returns than education. The legitimate claims of education had priority over everything but health. The growth, of Lower Hutt had been phenomenal. In 1925 the population w r as 15,960; today it was 36,000. Because of that remarkable growth the educational needs were very great, and he -would give all possible Help to the Minister. In Mr. Browning they had a headmaster in whom they had the greatest confidence.

Mr. Ball, senior inspector of schools, and Mr. N. R. Seddon, chairman of the Wellington Education. Board, also spoke of the importance

Big Increa.se in Expenditure

of the occasion in the educational development of the Hutt Valley. Mr C. Browning, headmaster, said that there were 500 pupils at the school. He was grateful for the assistance received from other headmasters. the parents, and the community generally, and was very hopeful regarding the future of the school The members of the staff had special ability, and were eager to do their best for the children. The training of character and the enrichment of the lives of the young people was their aim.

"If we can lay a good foundation in the lives of the children,” concluded Mr. Browning 1 , “we have served our God and our community—and that is education as I see it.”

Mr. McCombs, Minister of Education, in officially declaring the school open, answered his own question, “Why establish intermediate schools?” by stating that by bringing Forms I. and 11. together in such schools they were able to give the children better opportunities than they would have in the primary schools, with more equipment and specialist teachers.

When he was a teacher, continued Mr. McCombs, New Zealand’s expenditure on education was £2,250,000 a year. Today it was over £10,000,000, and soon it would be more, to meet the needs of the great increase in the school population, the greatest rise in which had been in the Hutt Valley. Six new schools had been provided in the Hutt Valley in the last ten years, and five more, including post-primary schools, would have to .be built. Any future Minister of Education would have to ask for from £7,000,000 to £10,000,000 for school buildings alone in New Zealand. He trusted that the high promise already shown by the new school would be fulfilled. A small choir and the full school choir sang several hymns very artistically, under the direction of Misses Feist and White.

An interesting and pleasant afternoon ended with a general inspection of th.? school, everyone being very complimentary regarding the modern and well-equipped building.