ONE-TREE POINT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 25

ONE-TREE POINT.

May 12. — The most prominent of Woodlands ex-teachers was our linguistic, cla^ical, and hearty Mr Yon Tunzelman, who steered the school affairs here for many yean. He wai one of the picked soldiers who paraded before Queen Victoria at. her coronation, and came to New Zealand with hia regiment to take part ia the Maori w»T. He now teaches a native school at Stewart Island. Mr Hiddlestone (late of Mabel) and Miss M. G. Perrin are now in charge. Aided by .a capital site for the school, these two indefatigable teachers are quickly and steadily surpassing our others in increasing the vmmwricil element of the roll Betides being an able teacher, our affable , and genial Mr Hiddlestone h,as become very popular in this locality. Miss Perrin, who poaseßßßß great mental capacity and advanced eduoation, obtained a scholarship when but. a little girl, and spent a few years afterwards in intellectual culture. At 16 she was appointed to take •chaige of the lower classes under Mr Yon Tunzelman (about four years ago), and 'is in thiee months' time to -reeeivo well-merited promotion Beifcg of a pleasant disposition and warm-hearted nature, she is as. beloved by the little ones as she is respected by the parents. The {esthetic tastes of the pupils are cultivated and refined by their floral decorations, while the healthy ethical tone and dicipline of the school would compare favourably with any school in {southland, to the teacher's and his assistants' credit, »nd no less to the sober sense of the respectable parents. Oteramika.— This has been lately constituted n full-time school, to the general satisfaction of the people and the welfare of the children, who were formerly under such disadvantages -that the curtailed instructions produced no permanent effect, and were practically little more than an educational farce Thoa? who cume long -journeys 'are amply convpomsted, as the teacher, Mr J." MacLachlan, is both competent and painstaking, and his suco.es ms an educator is well known. Waitupa.-- This school is centrally situated, and bears a very healthy and pleasant appearance It was opened as a half-time school under th*! late Mr Colin Stevens, who was succeeded in 1886 by Mr J. W. Mail, now of Pukerau. Afterwards Mr Grenfell, Invercar/till, and Mr MacLarhlan had charge. In 1894 it was changed to -a full-time school, and Miss J. B Jamjcson, 8.A., of Ofe*go University and Dunedin Training College (with ."evemlyears'-practical teaehiLg), was appointed mistress Her talent is exceptionally well shown in her science and object lessons, which she conducts with excellent tact, and in other parts of the curriculum, 'both in the choice of the subject mat er to be taught and 'in the mode of conveying instruction ; while considering all the ftandards-the school is- one of the best in the district, or rathor the best, from a truly educational point of view. Recently an attempt wa» made by a humble few iv Oteramika to have this school shifted to their own doors, presumably for the grasping of the "unearned increment, as public buildings dotted along a man's property unquestionably increase its value. No extenuating circumxtances bad been adduced, no tentative arguments put 'forth in favour of such an irregular proceeding being taken. Such interfeience with public property is deplorable, while these astute persons seem solely actua'ed by th« desire to satisfy a ciaving for popularity, otherwise they would not have been prompted to act surreptitiously in creating common disorder. If new resident*, want every public building under their own wings, then better far were they to select a larger country than New Zealand as the land of their adoption. Were Oteramika's destinies placed in tliehdndsof such zealots, well might it exclaim with a voice that wouldTesouud through its woods and gullies, "O ! save me from my friends!" It ia the essence of exaggerated meanness for any person of imperfect education and inexperience to pose aa the representative of a community that totally ignores his worthiness, much less hia suitability, as the advocate for the redress of wrongs. The board on Friday decided to retain the school and build a teacher's residence — the reward of senseless meddling.