SECONDARY EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1932, Page 11

SECONDARY EDUCATION

HIGH SCHOOL AT HAWERA EARLY DIFFICULTIES PASSED. PRESENT FINE BUILDINGS. As the post-primary educational centre of South Taranaki, the Hawera Technical High School has progressed with the rest of the district and at the present time the cluster of neat buildings in Camberwell Road, on the frontage of the five acres set aside by the Borough Council, is symbolic of the advances made in the last few years.

It was in 1916 that the Taranaki Education Board took over the southern portion of the district of which Hawera is the centre, but, prior to this, good technical evening classes had been held in the Princes Street school. On October 10 of that year the Hawera Advisory Committee met, Mr. E. Dixon presiding. Others present were Messrs. R. F. Page, C. A. Strack, C. Cumming, R. S. Sage, R. Tait, members of the committee, and Messi's. Jackson (local supervisor) and A. Gray (director of manual and technical education for Taranaki). Proposals for technical work in Hawera were outlined by Mr. Gray, who stated his conviction that Hawera was a fine centre for day classes. He suggested that a guarantee from the town of £2OO for two years would enable the board to inaugurate classes immediately. It was not likely that the guarantors would be called upon. Eventually it was decided that two members of the committee should accompany the director in a canvass of the town. The men selected were Messrs. E. Dixon and R. F. Page, Mr. E. Hollard also giving much assistance. Day classes opened with about 40 students at the beginning, of 1917. Later in the year the numbers increased to over 60 including several returned soldiers. These men were splendid fellows, who threw themselves heartily into the school activities. In this first year the students took three main courses, academic, commercial and woodwork. Mr. Jackson continued as woodwork instructor while Miss N. O’Rorke, 8.A., was appointed to the academic side and Mr. A. W. Tugwell for the commercial work. All the girls took domestic work under Miss Gt Holford. In addition to these permanent instructors the following teachers from New Plymouth took parttime work: Miss I. Eise (art work), and Messrs. H. G. Sergei and H. C. Johnson (agricultural instruction). INCREASED NUMBERS. During 1918 the numbers increased to such an extent that the department rented the Foresters’ Hall to accommodate the commercial division. Many of these students came from Eltham, in the north, and from Patea, in the south, as well as from smaller centres surrounding the town. While Eltham students have largely been cut out, owing to a technicality in the regulations, many of the best students still come from Patea. The success during the two initial years had been so marked that the department, yielding to the earnest representations of the Advisory Committee and of the Education Board, established ' the school as a Technical High School in 1919, during

which year 180 students were enrolled. Engineering was added to the curriculum, Mr. H. C. Catton having been appointed instructor.

So for two years work went on under great difficulties. The numbers were increasing, and the quarters were cramped and unsuitable, while there was next to no playing area. In 1920, however, ,the Government voted a sum for a new school, which was built on the area of five acres in Camberwell Road, set aside by the borough council for ihe purpose. In 1921 the building was completed, and on October 15 of that year was formally opened by SiiJ(then the Hon.) James Parr, Minister for Education. Since, the opening there have been added a classroom to the laboratory wing and a complete new home science and art wing on the south side. From that time the school has progressed steadily, the peak being reached in 1928, when there were 346 on the roll.

Those who remember the old boxthorn hedge enclosing the rough paddock on which the building was placed note a wonderful difference to-day as they view the fine stone fence, neat lawns and flower beds, and consider the wonderful areas for tennis, cricket and football with which the school is surrounded. During the year 1922 the control of the

school was handed to a local board of managers, the first meeting of which was held on November 2. At that meeting there were in attendance Mrs. Buckeridge, Messrs. G. Buckeridge, R. S. Sage, F. Mills, J. W. Harding, H. J. Evans, J. B. Murdoch, W. A. Spragg, H. Chapman, A. Reid, T. C. Hobbs and A. Lees. Mr. Sage was elected chairman a position he still holds. The present board of managers consists of Mrs. J. W. Harding, Messrs. R. S. Sage (chairman), C. Bowman, A. Coleman, J. Gray, J. W. J. Harding, T. C. Hobbs, L. A. Jennings, E. A. Lee, A. Lees, J. B. Murdoch and Dr. W. M. Thomson. The present staff is: Headmaster, Air. A. Gray. General subjects, Mr. W. W. Thomas, 8.A., L 1.8., 8.C0m.; Miss D. Britland, MA.; Miss R. Duff, M.A.; Miss M. Smyth, BA., Dipl. Educ.; Miss 1. V. Jenkin, B.A. Commercial, Mr. A. W. Tugwell, 5.F.A.1., E.C.1.; Mr. J. C. Findlater. Engineering, Mr. A. H. Larkman, A.M.I.Mec.E., M.LMar.E., 'FR.G.S. Agriculture and science, Mr. H. G. Whitehead, M.A. Home science,’ Miss B. Earl, City and Guilds of London Diploma. Art and art crafts, Miss D. Garnett. Woodwork, Mr. W. Entwistle. Military and physical training, the staff and Sergeant-Major Stevens. Bandmaster and orchestra conductor, Lieutenant H. C. A. Fox.