LINTON SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 4, 1 December 1934, Page 4

LINTON SCHOOL

new building opened. BOARD CHAIRMAN OFFICIATES. Built to replace the school which was destroyed by fire in May last, the new two-roomed building at Linton was officially opened by tho chairman of the AA 7 anganui Education Board (Mr E. F. Hemingway 7 ) at a pleasant little function held yesterday afternoon. Parents and friends from the district attended in good numbers. The chairman of the School Committee (Mr T. Lynch) congratulated the AVanganui Education Board on the provision of such an excellent building, which, he said, had been finished in a manner reflecting the greatest credit on its architect (Mr E. R. Hodge) and workmen. Two rooms had teen provided with a view to meeting future expansion. The board had been very considerate in arranging for the installation of electricity, so that in future advantage could be taken of instructional courses over the radio. The board, too, had granted £lO for the replacement of burnt school equipment, had moved and renovated the shelter shed, and greatly improved the playing area with concreting work. The chairman commented that it was 45. years last March since the original Linton School was opened. There was a very good spirit prevailing between the board and the committee, and on the part of the parents, who generously subscribed, to and willingly supported any project for the advancement of the school.

Mr E. F. Hemingway, chairman of the Education Board, said he had to thank the committee for tho invitation to open their school. It was the unanimous wish of the board that all new schools should be opened by the chairman and not by any member of Parliament or Minister of the Crown, except ,of course, the Minister of Education. The reason was not far to seek. The members of the board, very rightly in his opinion, considered that the cause of education should be well-nigh sacred and should te above all party politics. For example, when new schools required rebuilding they should he built in the order agreed upon by the board after consultation with the senior inspector and the architect. They were the proper persons to judge, and not the politicians. If the board did not adapt this principle then a district that needed a new school very badly might have to wait a long time for it, whilst another district that could very well wait for some time for its new school might gets its school first. He was proud to think, said Air Hemingway, that in the whole of his 19 years at the board’s table he had never once known either politics or religion to enter into the board’s discussions. Moreover, there was no parochialism amongst members. They would find a member for the Main Trunk line supporting a proposal for work in Palmerston North as heartily as the Palmerston North members themselves, and vice versa. He was extremely proud of his fellow members, who, when they met, got solidly down to business and did not utter a superfluous word. They obeyed the rules of debate which were the outcome of centuries of experience amongst the British people, and consequently got through their business expeditiously and well. The new school was an up-to-date one in every respect and reflected great credit on the architect (Mr Hodge) who was an expert in school buildings. He congratulated the committee on the splendid surroundings of the school, which were in keeping with many others in the hoard’s district. He could assure them that the hoard appreciated to the full the magnificent work carried out by the committees on behalf of the children. Addressing the children, Mr Hemingway said they would shortly he entering upon a new year and he would ask them to take as their motto for the vear the motto of their future king". “I serve.” He urged them to act as good Scouts and Guides and do at least one good turn every day, and they would te all the happier for it. After all, happiness and not money was the thing to be most desired, and if they thought of others instead of themselves and did all the

good they could to those around thorn they would te all the happier for it. He wished them every success in the future. BOARD’S DUTY. Mr J. K. Hornblow said that though he had represented the Linton district on the AA’anganui Board for a period of nine years, this was the first official visit he had paid to the school. He assured those present that the board thoroughly understood educational requirements without being reminded by repeated representations. It was the intermediary for the distribution of educational expenditure and had to see that reasonably good value was obtained ill return. He urged the children always to adopt the principle of making the paths over which they passed easier for those who followed. Mr J. S. Tingey (Feilding) said it had always appeared to him that all primary schools received a relatively small proportion for educational expenditure in comparison with the secondary schools. All tho education some children received was in the elementary stage, yet secondary schools received a greater expenditure allocation for fine grounds, fine buildings, and fine salaries. He failed to see any basic reason why children under the age of 13 or 14 should te treated different from those who were nearly 18. By improving primary school conditions they would retain the services of excellent teachers, and it was to te hoped that the new Minister of Education (Hon. S. G. Smith), who was chairman of the Taranaki Education Board, would see that this was done. The speaker was confident that Mr Smith would. Concluding, Mr lingey extended the season’s greetings to the headmaster (Mr J. Stewart) and the buildings, said Mr Hodge, the architect, were the main facility through which children received their education and were fitted for the future battles of life in a wonderfully democratic country like New Zealand. They received tho richest treasures oi civilisation in such buildings, which were a kind of gift to the young, for in them were laid the foundations of social life and noble character. I his was the stairway by which they ascended to the loftier attainments of life. There was no short-cut to success, he said, and it would not come by sitting down and whistling for it. Blit for the hopes reposed in the children, the educational machinery might just as well 'The speakers were accorded a vote of thanks with acclamation, on the call of Mr Lynch. Placing the key in the door, Mr Hemingway then formally declared the school open. He expressed the hope that it would turn out good citizens as well as good scholars, and conveyed the season’s felicitations to the children. Cheers were given for the chairman, an inspection was made of the building, and subsequently afternoon tea was served.

THE FIRST SCHOOL. The pupils who attended on the opening day of the Linton School, March 18, 1889, were: —James, Simon, AVilliam, Robert, Lena and Kathleen Monro; Albert Liddle; AVilliam and Nancy Jackson; Albert AVilliam, Alick and Bella AA’ard; Casper, Sena, Gus, Harry and Oscar Larsen; Nellie and Dora Fitzsymons; Nellie Harding. Shortly afterwards came Daniel Lynch, AVilliam Pritchard, and others. The first annual report of the school committee, which is still kept by the committee, provides some information that is of much interest to-day. Relating the establishment of the school, it says:—“The first trouble was obtaining the site, which after a lengthy correspondence extending from September 6, 1887, to June 9 last, was ultimately secured and consists of 4 acres 3 roods, 29J perches, and perhaps a, tetter site could not be procured. Next came the difficulty of obtaining the erection of the school house. Ou September 1, 1887, a petition was prepared and signed by all the residents, in the district, urging the AVanganui Education Board to erect a school house on the site procured. A list of all children in the district and, all the information procurable on the subject was obtained and forwarded at the same time. In reply the residents were informed that the board was then entirely without money for works, and for the time teing there seemed little prospect of the ° building being erected. The matter was constantly - kept before tho board until, on April 3 last year,

Messrs J. H. Fay and Sanson were deputed by the board to meet the provisional committee at Linton. On that day they drove over the district and made themselves acquainted with tho absolute requirements for a school. O.n August 2 last the committee was informed that a tender had been accepted for the erection of a school house for children, which was completed and furnished about the end of January last. On March 8 last the committee recommended Mr Douglas Matheson for the appointment of teacher, to- which tho board consented and he took office on March 18, on which day the school was opened. The residents subscribed and had tlie whole of the bush felled on the school section and Messrs Stevens Gorton, Cohen and- Petersen, of Palmerston North, kindly gave the requisite grass seed for sowing it down. “A provisional committee was first elected, and fixed the suggested boundaries of the district, which were afterwards adopted by the board, and on April 23 last the first authorised committee was elected. It consists of Messrs W. Coombs, John Bell, John Munro, F. E. Clapperton, George Ward, James Jackson and J. Stanley Bruce (chairman). This portion of the district is making most rapid strides, and at the present rate every available acre of land will soon be purchased and but a small amount of bush left standing: so that the committee anticipate that the school will soon have its full complement of scholars on its books. —(Signed) J. Stanley Bruce, chairman.” The following were elected members of the committee for the ensuing year: Messrs George AVard, John Bell, F. E. Clapperton, J. Stanley Bruce. John Munro, Arthur Pritchard, James Jackson.