NORTH LINWOOD SCHOOL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12408, 28 August 1918, Page 6

NORTH LINWOOD SCHOOL.

PROGRESS OF A DECADE. SHORT ACCOMMODATION. “ Arp you the now inspector, mister?” n (Star ” roportor was asked by a little auburn-headed girl, ns lio was strolling round the North Lin wood School at halt-past eight in tho morning, seeking a moans of ingress in order to discover the, head master’s sanctum. Tho newspaper man said that ho was not the inspector, ho was just looking round to find tho head master to have a talk with him. “ Have yon gon some children coining to onr schoolf” was the juvenile’s next query, but before a reply could he given she branched off into (ho information that- although she'did not livo far from tho school she had brought her lunch that day, and had just "swopped” a marble of some, "gooseberry” type for a hard "slaty” pencil. And away.she ran. At last tho reporter fonud a sido-door open, but tho sohoolhotise was deserted to all seeming. He clattered along a corridor, a memory coming back of the time when such halls, at such an hour in,tho morning, held terrors for him, with lessons still unlearnt. .Somewhere a door opencil, and footstops approached front another direction. Hound the corner camo Mr F. T. Evans, tho schoolmaster. “ Good morning,’ said lie. “Will you como jnf” and he returned to Ids room. To snyo the head master thinking that he might bo a parent with a complaint, or tho herald of a batch of new pupils, tho “Star” man quickly stated tho reason of his visit. “Just a 'short history ’ of your school, Mr Evans,” was his modest request. Facts historical are of every day in a schoolmaster's' life, and unhesitatingly and succinctly tho required information was given. “ Well,” he commenced, “ the school was founded in August, 1903—just, ten years ago this month. It then consisted of throe rooms, facing the Mile Hoad, and there was an attendance of about 180 children, and a staff of four teachers. Now tho buildings comprise nino rooms, there are 706 scholars on the roll, and there is a staff of seventeen teachers, including probationers and pupil teachers. Mr W. H. Denton was one of the loading spirits in tho movement to get a school here, and he was the first chairman of the committee. Tho idea, first of all, was to make tho school a, side school of Richmond, but the residents did not want that, contending that if it was made a main school they naturally would take more interest m it. Prior to the establishment of tho school here tho children had either to go to Richmond or East Christchurch, and as Lin wood began to expand, and houses crept farther out along the. Mile Road and adjacent thereto, the walk to .school ontailed upon tho children was’ a very long one. At first the grounds were in a . shocking condition—no other words express it~-a quagmire round tho small school building and a. veritable lake at the lower end. It was just a shoolhouse dumped down in a big paddock. Now its surroundings are i a credit to tho district, although I cannot- say what they - are compared with other schools. The residents of the district have taken a keen interest in their school right from the beginning, and have loyally supported tho committee and staff in raising funds for necessary improvements, and 1 doubt if the parents interested in any other school in New Zealand have done so well. The sum of £IOOO has been'raised by the people, and spent on tho surroundings, and in other ways that tend to the comfort of the. children. The board subsidised some of this money pound for pound.” Mr J. M’Cullough held the position of head master for the first six. months of tho school's existence, and then Mr F. T. Evans, tho present head master, was appointed. Mr I>. M. Shirlaw, M.A., the assistant master, joined the staff at the same time as Mr Evans, and Miss Wills, the infant mistress, has boon at the school also for about nine years and a half. Mr Shirlaw has,been passed fit to go into camp, but it is understood that the educational authorities are lodging an appeal. Asked for an opinion as to how tho school children of the present day compared with those ojla decade or so ago in physique and behaviour—the behaviour part of the question referring to the boys, of course—Mr Evans said that they were physically not as big, but vhe behaviour was far in advance of what- it formerly was; “and it would .need to lie,” he added with a smile. Naturally, as to the educational progress of tho school, the question hardly appeared a fair one to put to Mr Evans, and reference had to bo made to other quarters, and from those authorities who are most intimately concerned with tho workings of the schools in the Education Board district it was learned that the North Linwood School was characterised by the clear and sound ideas of tho aims of primary education possessed by its head master. Tire system of teaching throughout the school was connected, progressive and sympathetic, the development of habits of self-directed activities and a purposeful attitude towards work denoting the general trend of instruction. 'Vigorous administration, sympathetic control and intelligent methods of teaching were to bo noted on every hand, and these, combined with the prevalent spirit of earnestness, proved the school to he one of the best.under.the hoard’s jurisdiction. Ten junior, national scholarships have been won by pupils of the school. “ Teachers’ now have no trouble in maintaining discipline,”* remarked Mr Evans, apropos tho subject of behaviour. “ Tho methods of teaching have, altered altogether nowadays, and the work is made more interesting. Tho question is whether wo aro not making it too interesting, and failing to instil self-reliance.” North Linwood has been a- notably healthy school, and it has at no time in the ten years that have elapsed since it wnk opened had to ho closed owing to sickness. During tho recent very severe weather, though, there were a considerable, number of the infants absent on account of colds, mumps and similar ailments. “ Wo arc still agitating for more noeofnmodation,” continued Mr Evans, “ns tho school is becoming badly overcrowded. A temporary building was erected by the board two years ago to provide for eighty children, hut wo are now asking that this should ho done away with and proper accommodation made for the pupils. The board very wisely, three or four years ago, bought a piece of ground of a little over a quarter of an acre, facing Westenra Street, for a school garden, whore tho senior boys do practical work in agriculture. and here I/might mention that the school has boon placed in Grade I. for agriculture for the last four years by tho board’s officials.'' At this point the first school hell rang, and there was a. scampering in all directions, so a visit- was paid to the grounds. These have an extent of about four acres, and at the lower end is situated tho agricultural patch, now showing signs of a commencement of tilling after the. winter visitation. “Later on,” said Mr Evans, "it, J s ;i perfect picture.” and oven at the moment there are, many evidences of the orderliness of the plan of cnltivivtion. Mr Shirlaw is the instructor of tlic .young farmers. Close by is the swimming bath, the regulation twenty-five yards. To build this tho committee raised a good sum of money bv a fair at Coronation time, and the amount being subsidised by the Heathcote County Council. the total cost being between £IOO and £-500. In the few minutes left before school time, the boys were scurrying round the ground chasing “Rugger” and “Soccer” footballs, and this brought up tho question of school games. The boys are. active participants in (he various competitions, but the chief aspirants p, fame just now arc the members of the girls’ hockey team, who

arc unions tho leaders for the championship. 'the infants’ school was next visited, three rooms hero Tver© originally designed to provide accommodation for 180 children. There' is now a roll-numhor ol 2‘20, and in ono rooni, specified to hold sixty pupils, eighty-eight are at present, taught. Across the way in the temporary building, where infants have been taught lor two years past- It is by no means 0| palatial si mature, being in every way temporary” looking—just the bare outer hoarding ami beams- -no lining except a piece oi scrim. The method/ in ventilation is crude, and the lighting is by skylights. In wet weather iho rain heals, through in places, though it is ideal, doubtless, for summer time. Here at present over seventy children arc taught. The plaeo has its school name of “the llnngalow.” More accommodation is wanted for !; infants.’ said tlio headmaster, and the outlook is that the conditions Jn the infant school will bo very acute after the spring holidays.” I bin state of affairs, it k’Or reinnvkecl. bad its consolation in the knowledge that the district was a growing one. Around the school now tho pupils were ranged in their various classes, going through physical drill and other exercises and. these concluded, they began to tile into their class-rooms tor the beginning of another day’s,work. I think I have taken up sufficient . ,t' ini( h Mr Evans, and thank you, said tho reporter, ns ho noticed tho lien cl master’s eye scanning the tiles as they were swallowed up in the halls of learning. On the way out note was made of the rows of school garden plots, and tho many lino young trees and shrubs, flourishing whore there was but n wilderness a few years before, and tho hum of voices coming, from the schoolrooms tended to further emphasise tho changes that time brings in tho march alone; of a district possessed of progessivo people.