KAWHIA SCHOOL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4193, 7 June 1939, Page 6

KAWHIA SCHOOL

NEW CLASS ROOMS. Kawhia residents were well represented on Thursday afternoon, tfie occasion being the official opening of the recently completed class room additional to the older building for accommodation, but detached and separated from it by approximately one chain. Early in the afternoon in the school grounds were to be seen a number oi visitors from different sections of the district, who found interest in inspecting the improvements generally effected to the school property, but particularly arrested by the appearance presented by an exterior view of the new building. Fresh from the builders’ and painters’ hands it looks well, and the design stands in marked contrast to the style of architecture adopted when the old portion was built. In the vicinity of 2.30 p.m. a move was made towards the sun porch on the north side of the new building. The scholars were lined up well forward and facing the open and expansive main entrance, the raised floor of which served well as a dais and upon which seating accommodation was provided for Mr Broadfoot, M.P. for Waitomo, Messrs J. N. Culley and M. Goldsbro’, chairmen of the Kawhia Town Board and Kawhia School Committee respectively, and other members of the latter body. The proceedings opened with the National Anthem. Mr Goldsbro’ expressed pleasure in knowing that by the completion of the class room the disadvantages under which the teachers and scholars had been placed were now overcome 1 . He had requested the Hon. Minister of Education to officially open the new building, but had been informed that pressure of business had precluded the Hon. Mim ister’s visit. He thanked old and new members of the' Kawhia School Committee for the support given towards having the increased demand for accommodation satisfied. Also particularly he thanked Mr Broadfoot, as his assistance and endorsement of the committee’s efforts had obtained for Kawhia a modern building open to the fresh air and sunlight, and these in themselves would act beneficially on the health of the children. He felt sure that children, teachers, parents and the public generally would appreciate, and be thankful for, the increased and modernly designed accommodation. Mr Culley was pleased to be present on an occasion which was indicative of the district’s progress. He, too, realised the greater incentive to study and attention to work naturally arising from the present accepted methods of inculcating knowledge and the conditions under which children are taught, as compared with those of the past. He remarked that the first school was built in Kawhia forty years ago, the pupils were then all natives and under the tutelage of Mr Hamilton. Ho congratulated the School Committee on the results obtained, and briefly suggesting that a treatise on “Speeches, and How to Make Them’’ should be included among the pupils’ school books, called upon Mr Broadfoot to officially open the building. Mr Broadfoot was pleased to be with the Kawhia people and to perform the ceremony of officially opening the new building. Up referred to the remark made by Mr Culley in. reference to the number of years that had elapsed since the first school was built in Kawhia, viz., forty. Mr Broadfoot said that Te Awamutu possessed a school that traced its history back to 101 years ago, thereby beating the centenary. This school had been modernised at the cost of £33,000, and it was now a beautiful building. He referred to the methods by which knowledge was “strapped” into the heads of “The Old Brigade',” and considered modern ones were more commendable. The speaker apologised for the non-attendance of the Hon. P. Fraser, who wished the school and district all success, but was unable to be present through pressure of work, and also for the member of the Education Board, Mr Bowyer, who also had many calls on his time. Mr Broadfoot congratulated the School Committee upon the improvements effected. He considered the class room a credit to the architect and builder, and felt sure the scholars would not deface and damage their property by carving their names on the desks and school walls, as used to be the practice in times gone by. Light and air were free and health giving, he said, and the class room had been so designed as to give free access to both, and these, in combination, formed the basis of good health. Speaking directly to the children, Mr Broadfoot told them that 282,000 children attended school in New Zealand, and were divided among 2,378 schools; that it cost £4,600,000 per annum to educate them and impart that mental knowledge which exceeded in power any form of physical development, and £500,000 was expended in teachers’ residences, so that by this they would know that their education was only being looked after at considerable cost.

Speaking of school consolidation, Mr Broadfoot said that by the process of consolidation 233 schools had been dispensed with and 7,500 children had been drafted to more central ones. He spoke of the obvious advantages of consolidation, and though the closing of the school in some instances gave rise to acrimony the benefit was soon realised and all bitterness died down. As suggestions to the committee Mr Broadfoot intimated that as money was available for libraries application should be made for the purpose of ensuring good literature being to hand for the pupils; that efforts be continued for the establishment of a dental clinic and that arrangements be made to provide each child with half a pint of milk daily. There were, he said, 137,000 children receiving a daily supply of this very nourishing article and on the quantity stated excellent results were being obtained. Another medium for the dissemination of

knowledge was referred to by the: speaker, who pointed out the possibilities of pictures as educative when set to a sufficiently elevating standdard. He quoted a Chinese philosopher who asserted “A picture is worth 10,000 words.” Mr Broadfoot held that there were no 'better means for widening the outlook and generally extending knowledge than moving pictures. He then formally declared the new class room open for use, and the function, which had been bright and interesting for both juveniles and adults, closed with three cheers for Mr Broadfoot. The youngsters were dismissed to the playing field and the adults were served with afternoon tea arranged by the Ladies’ School Entertainment Committee. Inspection of the interior revealed perfect, even delicate regard for fin* ish, giving a tone to which the word “educative” may be appropriately applied. A feature worthy of more general adoption is the slight angle of decline from the walls to which shelving is set, thus minimising the dust and germ fostering accumulations unavoidable on level shelves.