NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST SCHOOLMASTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22742, 30 November 1935, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST SCHOOLMASTER

THOMAS KENDALL AND THE NEW ZEALAND MISSION By G. L. T. The stage on which there were enacted the earliest scenes in our history was the Bay of Islands where the missionary, teacher, and trader formed the vanguard of the new civilisation that is barely a century old in terms of British occupancy. We should not therefore be surprised to learn that in' this region, which has been termed the cradle of New Zealand history, began the first organised instruction of pupils, either Native or European. The story of Marsden and his lieutenants is familiar to most in broad outline, but more detailed and intimate information is now available through the recent works edited by Dr J. R. Elder from the wealth of material housed in the Hocken Library. Up to the time of these publications the extreme difficulties and trials that faced the pioneer missionaries and laymen at every turn had not been generally appreciated, but even a cursory reading of, their journals is sufficient to enable us to pay tribute to the honest endeavour and heroic self-sacrifice of these forerunners of established order and government. Marsden was, of _ course, the master spirit, guiding his lieutenants and planning schemes of action which were carried into, effect on his periodical visits to the mission areas. In no subject was he more interested than in that of the education of the Maori race. His plans in the furtherance of this aim were eminently sound, largely as a result of his own early training in his father’s forge and croft in Yorkshire. Although in no sense of the term Marsden posed as an educationist —such was a rare genus in those days—he anticipated modern ideas on the training of Native races by his emphasis on practical training in agriculture and the simple arts. Writing to the Church Missionai’y Society in 1815 in connection with the establishment of a seminary at Parramatta for the education of the inhabitants of New Zealand, he thus expressed the matter: "We also fully accord with the society that the civilisation and general improvement of New Zealanders would be greatly promoted by forming an establishment in this colony (New South Wales) for their instruction in some of the simple arts such as spinning and weaving their native flax, manufacturing it into twine and cordage; and in blacksmith’s work and agriculture.” After four years’ experience of contact with Maoris at Parramatta he wrote: “The estate consists of 100 acres of land, and every operation of agriculture, gardening, nursery, etc., may be carried on with the simple arts. The produce of their labpur will contribute something to their support. They shall learn to plough and sow and reap, and the management of horse and cattle.” Later, in 1823, Marsden outlined further plans for educating young Maoris in New South Wales: “I purpose to have the New Zealand youths taught shoemaking, tailoring, weaving, flax-dressing, and spinning, with gardening and farming.” It will thus be seen that his ideas tvere intensely practical and well _ designed to bring about the ultimate civilisation of the race whose welfare he had so deeply at heart. That Marsden was wise in his own generation is evident from his plans to found a mission in New Zealand, and from his choice of laymen to'assist him in the great project. These men were not chosen haphazardly. Extracts from Marsden’s correspondence stress again and again the necessity for sending to the proposed mission settlement men posessed of practical knowledge in some branch of industry. In a communication addressed to his committee of the Church Missionary Society in London, he revealed his broadmindedness and thorough grasp of practical affairs. ‘ Nothing can pave the way for the Introduction of the Gospel but civilisation, and that can only be accomplished among the heathen by the arts. I would • recommend that three mechanics be appointed to make the first attempt. One of these should be a carpenter, another a smith, and a third a twine spinner. The carpenter would teach them to make a wheelbarrow, build a boat, hut, etc. The smith would teach them to make all their edge tools, nails, etc, and the twine spinner would teach them how to spin their flax or hemp, of which their clothing, fishing lines, and nets are made. . . . The arts and religion should go together. In pursuance of these ideals there followed the appointment to the service of the mission, of John King, a flaxdresser, twine and ropemaker, and William Hall, a shipbuilder, both of whom arrived at Port Jackson in 1810. At the same time the schoolmaster, Thomas Kendall, offered his services to the society, but it was deemed advisable that he should make some further preparation before embarking for the mission field in New Zealand. The following reference to Kendall appeared in the society’s records of the period: —“ He has some knowledge of the business of farming, but has been many years employed in the education of youth. . . . He may conduce to the ultimate success of the design by introducing some knowledge of European cultivation and by fixing the Native language, and instructing the children of the Natives. He will make himself master, with this view, of the new method of teaching introduced by Dr Bell and Mr Lancester.” These latter gentlemen were the founders of the English system of elementary education. Kendall, who appeared to the authorities to be an ideal appointee to the post of schoolmaster in the projected New Zealand mission, arrived at Sydney in 1813, and in the following year accompanied that historic band. 35 in all, who arrived by the Active at the Bay of Islands. We learn from William Hall that when Marsden was in New Zealand on the occasion of his first voyage to the country in 1814-15, a small number of children were instructed in Kendall’s house at Rangihoua, but after Marsden’s departure they fell away and there was no school actually in use until the latter part of the year 1816. The same writer in a letter to the secretary of the society gave a description of the first schoolroom erected in New Zealand, the site being at Rangihoua, the early headquarters of the mission at the Bay of Islands. But wo have now built !i sciioolhouse 30 feet by eighteen, with a small apartment raised seven inches above the floor intended for the teachers and the European children, divided off by a low partition about breast-high. The whole is nearly completed, and then as soon as provisions can be obtained, we hope that we shall be able to give some account of a school. There has been a small book printed at Port Jackson which Mr Kendall has put together, and though very defective yet it will be of some use, if It- were but. to teach them the alphabet and a beginning for further improvement. This book referred to by was one of 54 pages entitled “The New Zealanders’ First Book,” and was presumably the first book to be published dealing wholly with ihc Maori language. It is of interest as being the first text book introduced into, and used in, New Zealand. The school was eventually opened on Monday, August 12, 1816, commencing with 33 pupils and reaching as high as 70 in the following year. A monthly attendance register was kept in which the names of the Native children were entered in Maori and the meanings of the names in English. In notes appended to the register for the month of October, 1816, Kendall somewhat naively accounts for absentees; “ The weather being generally fair and pleasant during the present month, and the Natives busy in preparing the ground for the purpose of planting sweet potatoes, many scholars have been occasionally absent. We have also been under the necessity of following several of our pupils into the bush, where we have taught them their lessons.” In a letter to a friend in London, the Rev. Basil Woodd, the pioneer schoolmaster, conveyed an outline of his method, referred to difficulty in obtaining discipline and bemoaned the lack of articles to be offered as the reward of effort and as inducement to attendance. At daybreak or a little after, they arise and are taught their lessons in the alphabet and monosyllables. They then generally leave the school, and repair to the rivers or bush In pursuit of fish, fernroot, cockles, etc., and return in the evening, and after repeating their lessons retire to rest. They are so very lively and ■ plavful that It is not easy to gain their attention . . . When a teacher amongst the heathen is surrounded by a number of children, and perhaps while one is repeating his lesson another will be playing with his feet, another taking away his hat, and another his book, and all this In a friendly manner, ho cannot be angry with them, yet It requires some study how to Introduce a salutary discipline. And it. is our opinion that a judicious distribution of rewards according to merit will tend to conciliate the children, promote their

Industry and attention, and induce them to take greater notice of our mild reproofs when they dlsofiey us.”

There is ample evidence here to prove the truth of the dictum that children are children the world oyer of race or period of history. Poor Kendall’s problems remain, though to a smaller degree, the problems of teachers to-day. In a list of articles which he suggested as suitable for rewards he mentioned fish-hooks, beads, combs, ear-rings, knives, scissors, thimbles, knitting needles, and whistles, showing a good knowledge of what is dear to the heart of children, whether Native or European. Kendall was much distressed at the lack of provisions of whatever kind to supply to his native scholars, and we find him writing in February, 1817: “There was not so great a number of children instructed as in the preceding month. Every method was adopted to gain their attention which was likely to prove effectual, but as we had no provisions of any sort to give them to eat, it necessarily followed that they must seek out for themselves, and that we could not prevent their falling off.”

The mission had adopted the policy ot maintaining the children attending the school, and rations of potatoes were distributed wjien supplies were available, additions to this diet being made as occasion offered in the form of fern-root, fish, or rice, Kendall was often hardly placed in being unable to supply rations of food in any form, and the changed atmosphere wrought by the arrival of supplies' from Port Jackson is recorded in the following extract: —“ The welcome news was published abroad throughout the neighbourhood, and the Native children assembled together and manifested their joy by singing and dancing. They immediately repaired to, the schoolhouse, where they remained day and night, repeating their lessons with cheerfulness." On the receipt of provisions and gifts for rewards Kendall was able to write that his authority among his charges had been greatly enhanced, and that he could command their attention. Six months after the opening ol the school at Rangihoua there were 60 pupils in attendance. Kendall noted in his journal that the adult Natives were much interested in the innovation, and were not averse to having their children instructed, for they were sophisticated enough to perceive, if only from the point of view of the temporal interests of mankind, that education was valuable. The children of the missionaries and laymen were also taught by Kendall, assisted by William Carlisle, who remained in the service of the mission till 1820, when he returned 1 to New South Wales. That Kendall found teaching under pioneering conditions to be very fatiguing is evident from an entry in his journal under the date March 16-April. J 4, 1817:

I determined, on account of constant Interruptions, weariness, and Indisposition, to rest and endeavour to recruit my spirits. I had not been able to form the children into classes, but had each of them to learn the same lesson daily. This was therefore tedious work. 1 shall, as soon-as I can arrange the school to my satisfaction, be considerably relieved. But I do not expect to do so until I am better acquainted with the New Zealand language and my books of instruction are more suitable to our pur-

pose. Nevertheless, a communication from the society must have heartened Kendall, for he was assured that the committee was well satisfied with the book compiled by him, and that it approved of his plan of instructing the children in their own language as being the most likely to interest them. Kendall, however, now began to devote more and more time to the study of the Maori language and Jess of his energy to the actual working ot the school, and for some time had been contemplating a voyage to England in furtherance of his desire to have published a more complete work of the grammar and vocabulary of the language. He expressed his opinions on the subject in big journal, “ 1 have made the language my study night and day, ... I can do no good without books, and these ought, to be inspected and printed in England. A school can never be carried on without books.” Accordingly, Kendall took matters into his own hands, and with the chiefs Hongi and Waikato, proceeded in 1820 to England in order that he might 1 confer with the brilliant professor of languages at Cambridge, Samuel Lee,..in the preparation of the “Grammar and Vocabularly of the New Zealand Language,” which was published, in London in that year. During hie. brief stay in England Kendall was admitted into Holy Orders, and was then' enabled to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacra ments at the settlement.

The story of Kendall’s life on his return to the Bay of Islands .is a . tragic one of promise unfulfilled, for he began to lapse into the evil of trading for profit, and his irregularities of conduct which led to hie. dismissal from the mission in 1823. For two years after his dismissal he remained in the country under the protection of the chiefs Hongi and Pomare, devoting himself to the study of the Maori language and amassing information in regard to manners and customs. He remained in touch with Professor Lee with a view to improving the text book edited by the latter some time previously. , Force of circumstances, however, became too strong for th e headstrong Kendall, and in 1825 he left with his wife and family for Valparaiso, -where he acted as clergyman afid tutor under the protection of the British consul there. Some two years later he removed to New South Wales, where he engaged in the timber trade, buying a small vessel, of which he acted as skipper. Though hie connection with the mission had been severed Kendall continued to take some interest in its activities, and retained to the last his interest in the Maori language. “My leisure time of-late,” he —rote, “has been occupied in nreparing a new edition of my New Zealand Grammar, and two other books of elementary instruction in the same language, ready for the press; these I intend to have printed, if possible, on my arrival in New South Wales . .

they are certainly the result of the strongest effort of my wishes and best abilities.” At this time Kendall had had 14 years’ experience in the close study of the Maori language, and was certainly the best authority on the subject in the early years of the mission, and his reputation as a student of the Native race stood high in the eyes of French visitors to the country their journals containing numerous references to his ability. The end of his tragic career came when his little vessel was caught in a storm off Port Jackson during the month of September, 1832, and driven ashore with the loss of all hands. Desoite his human frailties Kendall had made a permanent contribution to the success of the mission, for he laid the foundation in the study of the Maori race and language, his work in this respect being carried on by others. The wonderful progress made by the mission in the lifetime of its founder was evident in a return compiled in 1838, which revealed that there were 51 schools with 1431 scholars in attendance, and the aged Marsden was able to write; “Numerous schools are established for the instruction of the Natives of all ages. Many amongst them road the Scriptures and instruct one another.” The subsequent developments in Native education as the result of British sovereignty form part of another story, but to the pioneer misionaries must be given the credit of placing- the education of their Maori brethren in the_ forefront of their activities and of laying the foundation of the system of Native education that was evolved in the various Education Acts brought into force between 1847 and 1877