HAKA VALLEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22447, 17 December 1934, Page 14

HAKA VALLEY

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS A NOTABLE GATHERING (Special to Daily Times.) OAMARU, : December 16. The week-end was a notable one in the history of Haka Valley, for the occasion marked the gathering of upwards of 100 ex-pupils of the Haka Valley and Station Creek Schools to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Haka School.

The reunion, of these old friends was fragrant with memories of their school days, aijd they gathered, in groups to live over again in reminiscence the happy days at school. The renewal of old friendships was a source-of great joy, but not without a touch of sadness in memory of many wdio had passed away and with a spirit of doing honour to those who had so promptly responded to the call of King and Country, and made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War.

The gathering served, as . in., all such cases, to rekindle the memory of joyous youthful days, and to give eloquent testimony of the influence of education in Haka Valley in fitting the pupils to become worthy members of the community.

HISTORY OF SCHOOL It was on September 8. 1884, that the Haka Valley School was opened with an attendance of 14 children. Some of them had - never been to school before, and the families represented in this first group were the Emmetts, Francis, Robinsons, Menzies, Hallidays, and Bella. The school was originally held in a room in the roadman's cottage, Mrs Emmett being the teacher, and of these early days there are no records held by the Education Board, the official records dating back to 1890 when the present school building was erected. As the district became more settled, so the school roll increased, such names as the Lanes, Stewarts, Jamiesons Wrights, M'Cullys, Godsells, Kaines, and Milnes being entered on the register, until the room becoming too small the school building was built. Mrs Emmett continued in charge until the end of 1890, and Mr MTntyre took up his duties in the new school at the opening at the beginning of 1891. ,with a roll of 35 pupils. As the population of the district increased there was need for -further accommodation for the children, and in February, 1894, the Station Creek School was built some five or six miles up the. valley, being near the homesteads of the Wrights and Dunstans. The new school took six children away from the Haka Valley School, and it remained in existence for six years, the teachers being Messrs Crawshaw and Werry and Misses Bates and M'Kay. Most of the children were by this time grown up, with the ception of the three M'Farlane boys and Edgar Dunstan, who came back to the Valley School. In the following years there were several changes in the teachers, the position being held successively by Messrs: Colbert, Riorden,- Burns, and Williamson. Mr Eiorden went to South Africa after the Boer War, and Mr Williamson was the first married man to be in charge of the school.: After an application to the : Education -Board pointing.' but'the necessity for-a teacher’s residence,, an appeal was made to Major Steward, the member for Waitaki, and in 1907 a cottage was built, but by this time Mr Hanley; a bachelor teacher, had been appointed. The official history of the school records that: Mr Williamson and his wife were both very musical, and their services were in keen demand in the district, providing the residents with many nights of musical entertainment. Mr Hanley, follqwiiig,' seemed to take up the musical education of the young folk as well as his school duties. Miss Maze' was the next -teacher, but after a few years she married and- retired from the teaching profession. Mr- Tomlinson was the next teacher, and he edrried on his duties until he retired on superannuation. Mr Tomlinson was a keen angler, and many of the boys were taught the art of' angling in the evenings on the Hakataramea and The next teacher was Miss O’Connor; who married a valley resident, but continued with her teaching for some years until promoted 1 to a school near Christchurch. In 1922, Miss Elizabeth Kane, a former pupil, was placed in charge-of the school, and after three years she also-married, and since then there have been married teachers in charge of the school. Mr Allen succeeded Miss Kane, and Mr Moat was relieving teacher between Mr Peirr and the present teacher, I Mr Jewiss. Mr Allen was a keen gardener, and during his time various improvements were carried out to the schoolhouse and grounds. The children were given plots and taught gardening its various branches, special studies being given to tree planting. Several hundred trees were grown from apeed and planted in the grounds to take the place of'the plantation which was wiped out during the severe winter of 1905. The school was second, in ' the shield competition for gardening in South Canterbury in 1931, being beaten by Fan-lie. , Sir Jewisa still carries on this interesting and instructive work. A tew years ago electric light was installed both in. the school ahd residence, and to-day there is an up-to-date'schoolhouse in pic-. turesque grounds. Work and play have frequently been combined in the form of educational trips far and near. One most memorable trip was to Timaru to see the battleship H.M.S. New Zealand, and several trips have been made to Oamaru to. visit the flourmills, woollen mills, freezing works, and the Oamaru Gardens. Other occasions were the visits of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales and H.R.H. the Duke of York. The teachers who have been in charge of the schools are as follows:—Haka Valley School: Mrs Emmett, Mr H. M‘lntyre, Mr J. Colbert, Mr W.. Renton. Mr J. Riordan, Mr P. C. Davie, Mr Williamson, Mr Hanley, Miss Maze, Mr Tomlinson, Miss O’Connor, Miss, Kane, Mr Allen, Mr Peirr, Mr Jewiss; relieving teachers — Mr M'Alpine, Mr Brown, Mr Burns, Mr Moat, Miss Singleton, Miss Hopkinson. Station Creek School; Mr G. Crawshaw, Mr Werry, Miss Bates, Miss M‘Kay. The list of the chairmen of the School Committee is as follows: —Messrs J. Hallidav. S. M'Cully, J. Menzies, Jasper Nicolls, A. N. Hayes, R. H. Hassell, James Stewart, G. Hobbs, James Brown, R._ Corrigai J. Reider, D. M'Gimpsey, F. Riddle, J. Padkin, A. M’Kenzie.

PICNIC AND SPORTS On Saturday morning the picnic and sports gathering Was held at the school, with the roll call and photographing of the different decades. Of the 14’original scholars at the opening'of the school, four answered the roll on Saturday, namely, Mrs Dorward (Oamaru), Mr Alexander Menzies, Mrs Jardine (Oamaru). Mr Malcolm Francis, and Mrs Herbert Simpson (Oamaru). JUBILEE DINNER In the evening the jubilee dinner was held in the Haka Hall, Mr A. N. Hayes, the oldest living ex-chairman, presiding. It was a delightful function at which an exceedingly happy time was spent, the jubilee cake being cut by Mrs Dorward, the oldest living ex-pupil, and distributed among those present. The toast list was as follows: —“The King,” followed by the chairman’s remarks; “Pupils, Past and Present ” (Mr Renton —Messrs A. Hayes and F. Corrigal); “Teachers, Past and Present” (Mr W. Hogg (Timaru)Mr Renton, Mrs M’Farlane, and Mr Jewiss); “ School Committees, Past and Present” (Mr W. Menzies —Messrs Seth- : Smith, Padkin, and M'Gimpsey; “Education Board ” (Mr J. M'Kenzie —Mr J. W. Preen); “Teachers’ Institute” (Mr Preen—Mr A. Davidson);- “Old Identities” (Mr T. Corrigal—Messrs W. Barclay, W. Milne, and Mrs M'Cully) ; “ The Chairman” (Mr Jewiss). A great deal of the success attending the celebrations is due to the untiring efforts of Mr A. M'Caw (chairman), Mrs M. I. Cleave (secretary), Mr J. H. Jewiss (assistant secretary), and Mr F. Corrigal (treasurer), of the Jubilee Committee, who were ably assisted by general, ball, and sports committees in organising and carrying out the various activities at the celebrations. This afternoon a jubilee- church service was held at the Haka Hall, and to-

morrow the celebrations will take the form of a visit to the Waitaki Hydro electric works, followed by $ ball at night.