ITEMS IN THE LOG BOOK

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1935, Page 9

ITEMS IN THE LOG BOOK

A VISIT TO PARIHAKA PA END of THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR. FLUCTUATIONS IN POPULATION. Interesting incidents in the life of the school from 1896 until 1914 are referred to in the paragraphs from the log book appearing in this column. They will recall to many persons still hying in the district events in their school days and will indicate in some measure the progress of the school during the period. Entertained by Tc Whitt. During the Easter holidays of 1896 40 boys of the school tourist club visited Parihaka. The club gave a concert at Rahotu for the benefit o£ the Bruim<mton sufferers, the sum of Hs oa being raised. The boys were entertained by Te Whiti and Charlie Wai taxa, poi dances and hakas being given by the Maoris. The boys sang : and ; recited ana performed with dumbells and clubs. Football or Work?

In a log book entry in July, 1896, the headmaster stated that the boys were rather too much engrossed in football. While encouraging every legitimate outdoor sport,' he wrote, he considered it necessary to prevent a mama for any game. Games must be subordinated to work, and he therefore proposed to postpone the. game with Wanganui for a fortnight! Visit of Lord Ranfurly.

An important event in the was the visit on March -29, 1900, of His Excellency the Governor, Lord Kanfurly. Of his interest in the school and the staff Mr. Strack wrote: ‘He asked why more certificated teachers were not agisting in the infant room.. I informed him that the staff was fixed by regulation based on attendance. He Was aware of that, but said he had spoken to the Minister of Education, as he had noted on his visits to schools that there were too many ‘apprentices’ in comparison with trained teachers.” School Flower Show. A school flower show was held on April 27, 1900. There were more than 100 exhibits, comprising bouquets, sprays, buttonholes, decorated baskets, prams, rhairs etc. “I gave 20 small prizes, wrote Mr. Strack in the log. 400 Scholars Present. “For the first time in the history of the school there were 400 scholars present on one day,” said an entry in the log on July 11, 1900. The next day there were 405! - '- ■ ■■ . . First District High School. On January 28, 1901, the school commenced the year as a district high school, 20 pupils attending to receive secondary education. There was a . holiday on the afternoon of that day to celebrate the proclamation of Edward VII. as King., “The scholars marched to the .post office, says the log. “Mr. Robbins read the Proclamation, and the scholars _ called ‘Long live the King!’ and sang the National Anthem.” South African War. Frequent references to the South African War ended with an entry on June 2. 1902, as follows: “Proclamation of Peace, Glorious Peace. Scholars assembled in playground, forming three sides of a square. The chairman (Mr. R. W Sargent) and secretary (Mr. E. Dixon) of the school committee, spoke to the scholars and announced a holiday. The National Anthem was sung and the scholars were dismissed ... until Wednesday." ; V . New High School Rooms.

Additions to the school were made towards the end.of ,1902. .One entry records the teaching of physical drill in the large central hall, and another that the men (15) working at the new buildings “speak in terms of praise of the conduct of the scholars.” A third entry states that “the new high school rooms were formally opened on December 17, 1902.”

Fluctuating Population. “The dairying industry is responsible

for the ‘floating,’ ‘fleeting,’ ‘fleeing population,” wrote the headmaster in June, 1908. “When one-third of the scholars are new pupils every year, it is not easy to secure good general results. The population of Hawera is fluctuating. One hundred and ten pupils have been admitted since Christmas, _but the. roll number is. still the same. An Unbounded Success!

About 1600 people visited the annual Hawera school show held in April, 1909. The entries of fruit and vegetables numbered 710, contrasting with the. show in 1900 when there, were 100 entries. The niem'bcrs of the Fanners’. Union collected £2O for prizes, and special lectures and lessons were given. Opening of Technical School.

The opening of the Hawera Technical School in Princes Street (where the Dairy Laboratory now is) was recorded by a log book entry in July, 1909; “I hope all the young people will take advantage of the opportunities offered,” wrote Mr. Strack.