MUSHROOM GROWTH ERA

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1932, Page 12

MUSHROOM GROWTH ERA

“SEND ME 200 BOYS”

EPIC STORY OF SCHOOL’S RISE. DISASTERS OF WAR AND THE FIRE NEW SCHOOL RAISED FROM ASHES. . . . And what he desired above all things was 200 boys. If they would send him 200 boys, he assured them that the school would soon be competing against the very best in New Zeaiana.,

The words, spoken to the people 1 of Taranaki by the young new Imadruaster, Mr. W. H. Moyes, in the first «t his mastership at the school in 191-, had a prophetic ring. No doubt his mind was already teeming with the visions which, put into hard, practical shape, were to raise the New Plymouth Boys Hmh School miraculously to equality with the most notable schools of” the Dominion. When he spoke at that time, the school had a roll of 71 boys: .it had a boardino- department still in its swaddling clothes: the school itself had hircned unsteadily, up and " down, through thirty happy but scarcely ambitious years. In the next few years, the people, of the province were to give the headmaster the 200 boys he desired. Ihe next few years from 1912 to 1018 were to be epic years. There was to be the stage of the building up of the school. Then, when the outlook was most rosy, there was to be the stage of destruction when the war was to unsettle the life of the community and the disastrous fire of 1916 was to wipe out the school building. Then there were to be the patient years of, rebuilding, with two years of work under gruelling conditions When all that there was for a echool were the racecourse buildings. But the school was destined to grow, it seenid, through the sheer will of the headmaster-and the faith of the citizens.’ : The six years were to end with a new school risen out of the-ashes, firmer than ever before. ■ r . .

BOARDING HOUSE ERECTED. . Early in the year 1912, toe board decided to erect and equip a: new boarding department. The boarding department had* been established in 191 U, Ni"er House being used as temporary quarters. Some £3OOO was spent on the new building, which gave accommodation equal to any in the Dominion at that time. The establishment of a Preparatory Department was strongly urged by the new headmaster' as an attraction for boarders.' The school roll in 1912 numbered 71 pupils. In 1913 the Preparatory Department was opened with a roll of 26 boys, and as was anticipated, was found the means of attracting boarders who, under the old conditions, could not have entered the school. Mr. Fenton was appointed master in charge. The school roll in 1913 opened with 133 boys, 75 new boys being entered that year as against 22 in 1912. The school gully, once an unsightly stretch of swamp, began to change its appearance. In the .previous year the gorse and fern had been cleared away and a proper system of drainage had been installed. A miniature range was set' up in the middle of the gully and early in 1913 a start was made at the top end to form tennis courts. Gymnastics then played an important part in the school training, and exhibitions were given in 1913 at the Theatre Royal and at the Central School carnival. At the carnival the boys, trained by Mr. W. Lints, formed two pyramids, in which 120 boys took part. The school’s great drawback at this time was the need for more accommodation. In spite of the fact that the boarders’numbered only 32 the boarding establishment was- found quite inadequate, and the dormitories were overcrowded. The reputation of the school began to spread in the Dominion, and it began to draw boys from outside districts and even from other schools. During the year boys travelled to the school from places as far distant as Russell, Auckland, Gisborne, Ongarue and Wellington. 1 SCHEME FOR GULLY GROUND. It was about this time that the plan was conceived of transforming the gully from an unsightly stretch of raupo swamp into a football field with .terraced banks, and qn actual start was made with the excavation work. By the end of 1914 the school had shown a remarkable growth in many ways, and had worked its way into line with the larger and better _ known secondary schools of the Dominion. The school could no longer be regarded as merely a local institution. The headmaster strongly urged upon the board the need for taking in hand a definite and comprehensive building scheme. Some idea of the growth of the school can be gained by the increase in roll numbers. In 1912 there were 71 pupils; 1913, 139 pupils; 1914, 180 pupils. The numbers in the preparatory department had increased since its establishment from 29 to 47. During the year .two extra masters were engaged. The school gained world-wide recognition in 1914 by coming second to Charterhouse School, England, in “The Schools of the Empire” shooting competition. Charterhouse won the trophy, the Prince of Wales Cup, with an agoregate of 502, and the school came next with an aggregate of 501. The school, in common with other schools, felt the effects of the war, and the work for a considerable portion of the next year was carried on under difficulties. Nevertheless the school continued to grow, and from 71 in 1912 the roll had increased, by the year 1915 to 221. During, the year 75 boys were in residence as boarders and the need for the proposed new boarding-house was becoming acute. The formation of a class for boys desiring, after matriculation, to continue with degree work,