Fairburn School Celebrates Its Jubilee

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1939, Page 4

Fairburn School Celebrates Its Jubilee

The whole Fairburn community .assembled in the local school grounds oh Saturday to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the school. Some of the earliest residents were present, including five out of the sixteen who answered the roll-call when a rough slab structure was opened as the first public educational institution in the district.

Pictures Of Long Ago

'Part of,.the history of the school is recorded in a number of photographs of the building, pupils, teachers and committeemen. With the first pupils -boots were regarded as a useless and .awkward encumbrance; the girls, as w,as the fashion of the times, wore long dresses, reaching to the ankles, and usually caked with mud for several inches deep around the edge. Mothers were the hairdressers. Some overdid the job, and clipped the hair of -their sons close to the scalp. Others allowed the hair of their boys to grow so long that it fell about the shoulders.' One boy, now Mr Gardiner, had to travel five miles to school, and was still able to assist with the milking morning and evening. These were some of the facts brought out by the different speakers.

A Hearty Welcome

Mr Metcalfe presided at the ceremony ;and gave all a hearty welcome. He- was pleased to see so many present, .

Mr Oscar Fisher read some twenty apologies, including messages from Mr C. W. Boswell, M.P., and Mr Frost.

Speeches were made by Messrs Fisher and Gardiner, who recalled many interesting incidents associated with the early days of the school. Congratulations.

Pripr to handing out souvenir badges to the present-day pupils, Mr Vazey, the teacher, congratulated the ex-pupils on. their interest in -the school and the way in which they had rallied to the roll call. He was proud to be the teacher at such a time. Those teachers who had preceded him had left the impression of their individuality upon the school, and he had never taught in a better district. - The Roll Call. . ,The roll of ex-pupils was called by Mr Skiffington, who said it was a great pleasure to him to bo in the district again. Out of the 16 pupils on the first roll, the following were present to answer to the roll call: Mrs W. Christensen, Mrs J. W. Hoskin, Mr T. J. Coulter, Mr A, A. Gardiner, and Mr W. Christensen.

- Mr*, Hoskin, speaking ,as the representative of the Mangnnui County Council, said the occasion was a happy one. He hoped the traditions of the •pioneers 'would be carried on. Many of the old pupils were now filling good positions and he hoped the young people of today would do their best in: whatever walk of life they may find themselves and justify the respect .of their fcllpwmen.

The Rev. Whitfield spoke on h e * half Of the churches.