NINE HEADMASTERS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1935, Page 9

NINE HEADMASTERS

FINE RECORD OF SERVICE ERECTION OF OTHER SCHOOLS. PERSONNEL OF THE STAFF. During the 60 years existence of the Hawera school there have been only nine headmasters. Four of them have held control for 53 years. They were Messrs. Strack (28 years), Mair (14 years), Bates (5 years) and Thomas, the present master (6 years). The complete list of headmasters, with the dates on which they took charge, is: F J. Dunne, May 13, 1875; Chamberlain and Thompson, 1876; John Harre, May 15, 1876; Alexander Mair, October 2, 1818, Alex. Matheson (acting), July 1,1892. E. M. C. Harrison, July 25, 1892, C. H. Warden (acting), November 28, 1895; C. A. Strack, January 27, 1896; J. Nairn (acting), March, 1924; F. A. Bates, April, 1924; J. W. Thomas, present headmaster, April, 1929. . . There have been many assistant teacners over the years since the school began. Many of them have gone on to make their mark in the teaching profession and in other walks of life. The first chairman of the Hawera school committee was Mr. T. Middlemas, and the present chairman is Dr._ W. M. Thomson. Other members of the present committee are Messrs. A. Jackson, G C Harris, E. J. Yearbury, H. Baker, H. Ackroyd, L. J. Hall, J. D. Tait (treasurer) and H. Collier (secretary).. The members of the present , staff, m addition to Mr. Thomas, are Messrs. G. H Percey (first assistant), A. E. Gilliver (second), A. W. Lawn (third), Miss I. McAllister (infant mistress), Mrs. E. Lee, Misses T. Simpson, E. M. Burgess, C. G. Robertson, D. Paterson, M. Murray, L. Campbell and M. Morris. As it was considered too far to send small children from Tawhiti to the Main school, what was really an infant’s was commenced in a house in Campbell Street about 1917. Overcrowding at the Main school eventually resulted in the erection of the fine Tawhiti school, which was opened, on March 1, 1920. _ Hawera continued its growth and in 1922 an agitation began and culminated in the erection of the Turuturu school at the northern end of the town. The school was opened in September, 1927. The school committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. J. W. J. Harding, moved for the erection of an infant school, and in May, 1928, the present fine free-air

type of building was opened on the same grounds as the Main school with the sports area between them. A later development was the institution of a dental clinic at the Main school, and children from schools in the district have the benefit of its service.