A STRENUOUS PERIOD

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1935, Page 9

A STRENUOUS PERIOD

CHANGE OF SITE PLANS

LIVELY ANNUAL MEETINGS. MANY CANDIDATES OFFERED., A former committeeman, who spent about eight years on the committee from 1918 to 1925, states that they were really strenuous years and, except for the period when the school was actually removed to its new site, and the committee was engrossed in big schemes for the wonderful ground improvements that were effected, they were perhaps the years fraught with more important events than in any other period of the school’s history. He served under four chairmen, Messrs. A. K. Smart, W. W. Thomson, J. S. S. Medley and J. Garcia, and, incidently, during the same period there were five secretaries, Messrs. W.

W. Thomson, W. Bennett, W ? H. Browne/ R. M. Doull and H. J. Abram. Mr. Abram, the present secretary, was elected to the committee in 1923 and was appointed secretary the following year, holding the position continuously ever since. Mr. C. O. Berg, the present chairman, was elected to the committee the same year but he did not assume the chair for some years afterwards, following Messrs. J. A. Hooker and Mr. W. H. Jones. It was remarkable how every .member of the committee worked in the interests of the school and the children in particular, said the committeeman. The burning question then and for some years previously had been the removal of the school to a. more suitable site where there would be room for the school to expand in accordance with the needs of the district, and where there would also be room for an adequate playing area in a healthy position. It was felt that the then site of the school, incorporated in Messrs Jones and Sandford’s timber yard, was not only too small, about half an acre of land being available for about 550 children, • but it was' also unhealthy - because of its proximity to the sluggish Mangaotuku stream.

Another bone of contention too was the necessity for increased accommodation at the school itself. Some years previously the residents of the district had . provided funds with which the committee had been able to erect a gymnasium; intended for use as a shelter by the children and as- a hall in which gatherings could be held to raise funds for school purposes. Unfortunately the Education Department, instead of erecting the necessary classroom accommodation, commandeered tire gymnasium for classroom purposes.' A LIVELY MEETING. It was thought in 1918 that the question of a school site had been disposed of as in his report at the annual meeting of householders in April, the chairman, Mr. A. K. Smart, stated that the Borough Council had expressed its willingness to exchange five acres of Reserve T, for the site the West End school was on and that the site was an ideal one for the erection of an up-to-date school, which the district would not be satisfied, until it obtained. It would then be possible to close the side school at Westown and the provision of a side school at Moturoa would meet the primary education needs of that part of New Plymouth.

The householders’ meeting that year was unusually animated, there being an attendance of over 150 in marked contrast to the sparse attendances of previ-ous-years. This unwonted interest was due to the fact that there was on foot a concerted effort to remove the majority of the old committee. Seventeen stood for the nine seats, and of the 17 six represented a ticket It was the first year of the operation of the new regulation providing that in schools with an average attendance of over 200 nominations of committeemen had to be forwarded seven days before the meeting, duly signed and bearing the candidates’ consent. In the case»of the six mentioned the candidates were not nominated by anyone, the form sent in being signed by the candidate concerned, consenting to nomination. Mr. J. B. Roy, who presided, held that the papers were not in order, and declined to accept them. Mr. G. Blanchard challenged the ruling and expressed his intention of taking it to the Education Board for a ruling but Mr. Roy’s ruling was correct.

The annual meeting dealt with many

matters of moment to education generally and passed resolutions urging on the Government the need for a better form of recruiting for the teaching service, the extension of medical and dental inspection, compulsory continuation classes and the improvement of school buildings and grounds. Mr. Walter Nash (now member for Hutt) was appointed to convene meetings to push those suggestions. At the committee meeting in March, 1919, the committee forwarded a letter to the Education Board expressing appreciation of the successful result of the negotiations for the exchange of sites for the new school at Tukapa and the hope that in the near future a start would be made with the building. The report submitted to the householders’ meeting in 1919 expressed the hope that a start would be made with the new building shortly and that the Government would soon pass the bill agreeing to the exchange of sites. As soon as that was fixed it was considered that it would be the duty of the incoming committee to plant trees to provide shelter for what would be ultimately the most important school in the Taranaki district.

ANOTHER ELECTION. That year the householders’ meeting was particularly lively. The late Mr. J. B. Roy was again chairman. This time 18 candidates were standing for the nine seats, the retiring committee being opposed by a full ticket of nine candidates. There were over 250 householders present and the election was fought on the question of the removal of the school. It was made clear that the old tee was unanimously in favour of ’ removing the school to a more suitable site, while according to a circular their opponents were in favour of keeping the school on its present site. One of the candidates dissociated himself with the circular, stating that his name had no tight to be there. The minutes of the meeting add that Mr. Nash emphasised the fact that while the Labour Party was keenly interested in education, it had not nominated any of the candidates and further he made it clear that Labour dissociated itself from the circular. Had the Maoriland Worker known all the facts he doubted if it would have printed the circular. Labour was strongly in favour of the Tukapa site. Indeed, when Mr. Fraser, M.P., visited the site he considered it would be a scandalous thing to allow the school to remain in its present position, there being available such a healthy and ideal site with ample playground. The householders voiced their opinion in no uncertain manner as they sent the old committee back with a substantial majority of votes.

During 1919 the committee waited on the Westown Progressive Association and on the Borough Council with a view to finalising the Tukapa site question but at the meeting of the committee in April, 1920, it was stated that despite all efforts, the new site was still a vision. However, all the members would keep on trying. The roll number was then 522, with .only about half an acre of playground... In. March, 1921, the minutes show that. the new site, like the other promised, seemed far off, there being no prospect .of procuring the ground, let alone, ah. up-to-the-minute school building. so fondly hoped for during the previous .10 years. Doubts were expressed whether, the present children’s grandchildren would have the benefits of being educated.in better surroundings. By that time, it .was realised that there was no hope of the school being removed to . Tukapa. and. in. June,. 1921,. the' committee decided that, in the event , of Mr. Greig’s property alongside being acquired £5O would be raised for improvements. In 1922 it was decided to bring the question of the school site before the Prime Minister, Mr. W. F. Massey, in his visit to the district. Meanwhile, as there was no likelihood of an immediate change, it was decided to plant the ground at the back of the school, to hide the river if possible.

MRS. DOWLING AND STAFF. Thanks to the ability and outstanding personality of Mrs. Dowling, who had ■been headmistress ever since the inception of the full school, and to the help of a splendid staff that included Mr. Barry,.first assistant for 16 years,’ Miss Mynott, infant mistress for very many years, Misses Harper, O.’Brien, Anthony and Bullard, the school held a very high place in the Taranaki education world, both for its scholastic attainments and general tone. It was the first school in Taranaki to introduce the organised luncheon, with hot drink provided for the children, this being initiated by Mrs. Dowling. In 1919 Mrs. Dowling retired on superannuation and her departure was fittingly recognised by residents of the district, who will long remember the solid foundation she laid. Mrs. Dowling was succeeded by Mr. D. P. Evans, now, headmaster of the Central School, who carried on the good work. At the end of the same year Mr. Barry resigned and was succeeded by Mr. Rountree. About this time there was considerable controversy regarding Dr. Elizabeth Gunn’s visits to schools as medical offi-

cer and her removal of children’s teeth . by allegedly crude methods. This was the forerunner of the dental clinic, which ’ the school always supported. Before that tooth brush drill was carried out at the ‘ school. In 1923 the Moturoa School was open- ,’ ed, reducing the attendance somewhat at West End. The same year Mr. D. P. ' j Evans was promoted to Central and Mr. . , Rountree left for Wanganui. Mr. J. W. , r Thomas accepted the appointment as ; 1 headmaster and Mr. A. D. Train as first i assistant, the school again being fortun- ■ 1 ate in the appointments. Mr. Train took 1 a very keen interest in swimming and < ’ school sports generally and as a result, < despite the limited playing area, the > school did well in this sphere, particu- ] larly in swimming. It also secured the ( primary schools Rugby championship and ’ the basketball championship. Its schol- j astic achievements did not suffer either, }

for in 1328 pupils of the school securea three out of the four Junior National Scholarships awarded in Taranaki. In 1925 the Westown school was opened and that considerably affected the attendance at West End, which was already feeling the effects of the opening of the Moturoa School. A remarkable feature about the school was the manner in which the parents and householders of the district supported it. For several years during the period under review annual galas were held in conjunction with the Kawaroa Park committee and considerable sums were raised in this way, reaching as much as £96 one year for each uody. In that year a school carnival queen competition won by Mary Garcia raised £ll3 for the joint fund. Concerts were held every year through the keenness mainly of Mr. J. Hoskin, assisted by Messrs. G. T. Petty and J. Lobb, and these increased the funds by from £4l to £62 per annum. In addition, the school held successful annual picnics at either

Ngaere or Hawera, while the breakup ceremonies in the Empire Theatre or Workers’ Social hall were all well attended. The picnic excursion was dr. -ped in 1925 when, owing to the epidemic the school was closed until April 20. * Owing to the gymnasium being commandeered as a classroom the school suffered from having no shelter shed and it is interesting to note that in 1922 the

committee agreed to subsidise the Education Board £2O for the erection of a shelter shed. There are some rather humourous items in the minute book for the period. At the March meeting in 1920 a bonus of £5 5s was voted to the secretary, “the chairman heaving a slab of soft soap at him, in the shape of appreciation of the way in which the school’s business had been carried on. The recipient suitably replied.” In June of the same year the committee meeting was held “partly in and partly out of the gymnasium,” according to the minutes, and at the conclusion the committee retired through the window, whence it came. The key of the gymnasium was not available and members had climbed through the window. The chairman’s embonpoint made it doubtful whether he would get through. Accordingly, he stood on a form outside and conducted the meeting with only his head and shoulders in the building.