SCHOOL INSPECTORATE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3673, 5 August 1924, Page 26

SCHOOL INSPECTORATE.

MR BAKEWELL’S SUCCESSOR. Mr W. \V. Bird has taken over the position of Senior Inspector of Schools in the Wellington Education District, in place of Mr F. H. Bakewell, who recently retired. Mr Bird has been Senior Inspector of Schools in Hawke’s Bay for some years, and was recently in the Auckland district under the exchange system, inaugurated this year. The new inspector has had a particularly interesting career. lie was educated at the Caversham School in Otago, and after that at the Otago Boys’ High School, his secondary education being assisted by two scholarships with terms aggregating five years. At the completion of this period Mr Bird entered tho services of the Otago Education Board as a pupil teacher. While still in this position he secured his B.A. degree. He then went to the Otago Training College for two years, completing his M.A. degree in the first year, and gaining with it honours in mental science. He remained in the South Island for two years as head master of a grade 3 school, and 30 years ago came to Wellington as first assistant master at Mount Cook Boys’ School. He spent six years at Mount Cook School, and this period will be w'ell remembered by a number of the younger business men of Wellington who came under his influence at tho time. Mr Bird was then head master at Karoi'i for a year, and relinquished this position to take up one of organising teacher of Native-schools. During his years in Wellington he had become somewhat of a Maori scholar under the tutorship of the- late Mr J. IT. Pope, at one time Chief Inspector of Native Schools. On the retirement of Mr Pope, Mr Bird succeeded him, and was connected with the Native schools until 1915. During that time he travelled extensively amongst the Natives, including the natives of the Chatham Islands. In 1913 he drew u,p the system of education now in force in those islands, while in 1220, he was directed to proceed to Samoa, and the scheme of education, which is stated to be now working successfully, was decided upon. From 1916, Mr Bird was Senior Inspector of Schools

in Hawke's Bay, and the results gained in scholarships and pupil teacher examinations in that district have lately been the best in New Zealand. The esteem in which Mr Bird was held in Hawke’s l?av was expressed when he was bidden farewell bv the Education Board in that district. The board stated that Mr Bird had done excellent work in the district, and the increased efficiency of the schools was largely due to Mr Bird’s enthusiasm, and the maimer in which the teachers were inspired, encouraged, and assisted in carrying out their work.