SCHOOL OPENED IN 1876

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1933, Page 9

SCHOOL OPENED IN 1876

TWO PUPILS ON FIRST DAY RECOLLECTIONS OF MR. HARRE. HUNGERS THE FIRST CHII,DREN. The first school at Normanby was opened on March 20, 1876, and after an interval of a few months it closed, resuming permanently towards the end of that year. Mr. Karre, the first schoolmaster, who is still living in Auckland, in a letter to a present pupil gave a brief but vivid account of that first school. “As you say I was the first teacher at Normanby—at that time called Ketemarae—a clearing at the edge of the bush,” he wrote. “There were very few people about then, and they lived some distance away. In fact there was no house visible from the school. The school was a three-roomed, unimed cottage with two brick chimneys. One .room was the school; the other two were living rooms. “There were at that time a few Swiss immigrants In the district, and my first pupils were two Swiss . children, Anna Maria Hunger and her. brother, Christian HungeKD These will be quite old people, apltajking of over 50 years ago. half a mile away was a small redoubt with soldiers (Armed Constabulary). This place had a wall of wooden

posts and a high tower. For you must remember there had been a Maori War some years before, and the settiers were still rather afraid. There were a few married men among these settlers, and some of their children came to the school. I think I had three or four of Sergeant Riddle’s family, Blanche, Vera, Fred and Jasper. I wonder where they all are now. Of course, as was to be expected, there were a good many Maoris and halfcastes about then, and after a time I had some half-caste children to teach. “There was a small store nearby which chiefly dealt with Maoris and men from a saw mill about a mile away, afterwards Mr. Robson’s mill. I had several of the miller’s children attending school, Rachel, John and Charlton. At that time houses were not roofed, as they are now. with irojf = Sirstile3, but with wooden shingles. Tnerejyere split in the bush by Messrs. Pope"and Lone. The latter had been a banker at Home, but through misfortune had to live in the bush.” The following initial entry was made by Mr. Harre in the school log book under date, March 20, 1876:- . “Ketemarae District School. Monday. To-day opened school. The morning wet and stormy. In the afternoon two boys came forward. I spent spare time in drawing up a routine, printing alphabet letters and arranging boc-ks. Want of school training observable in boys who came forward.” On April 24 he wrote: “I find that having the lower window panes undimmed is a drawback, as when there is any novelty outside, the scholars’ attention is withdrawn from work. N. 8.: I must get the windows dimmed as soon as possible, the board having consented.”