EDUCATION IN WAIKATO

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXV, Issue 5620, 28 May 1914, Page 2

EDUCATION IN WAIKATO

PUKERIMU-KAIPAKI-MONA-VALE AREA.

Messrs George Edgecumbe and W. Auld, members of the Auckland Education Board, accompanied by Dr. Mellwraith, one of the board's inspectors, paid a visit of inspection yesterday to Cambridge, Cambridge West, Monavale, Pukerimu, Kaipaki and Ohaupo. They were met by a deputation at Kaipaki, who desired the removal of the Pukerimu school to a site nearer to Ohaupo, as children were already going from their district to Ohaupo, and they felt that the distance was-greater than children should be asked to travel. The visitors were surprised to find that there were so few children available over the wide area between Cambridge West and Ohaupo, and this fact made it very difficult to know where to locate a school so as best to suit future needs. At the present time, they found there was only one child coming from the Cambridge side of the Pukenmu school, a school which is said to have had an attendance of 70 children many years ago, while at the present time it has only 11 to 13 children in attendance.

Some of the ueputatior. wished that this school should he closed and shifted to a site at Kaipaki, but it appeared that there was no great advantage to be gained in removing the school, and that the future possibilities of the district were sufficiently good to lead the visitors to expect a greatly increased number of children in that area, but where best to provide for the convenience of that future population was the problem they had to face. To give an idea of the difficulties that the Education Board have to encounter in endeavouring to provide fur the needs of the children it may be mentioned that only two or three years ago a school was built at Monavale, and the attendance about that time was 30. Today the attendance has fallen to from 11 to 13, and should it make any further fall the Board will have to consider seriously whether it should be closed ur converted into a half-time school. Although the board will do its best to provide education for the children of the settlers, it can scarcely be expected that full-time schools can be established in isolated districts for a few children.

It was pointed out to the deputation that if sufficient children were available the board would have no difficulty in locating a site and establishing a school immediately, their desire being to provide schools wherever they are necessary.

The visitors were greatly pleased with the area over which they travelled, and although a great part of it has been brought under cultivation they felt that the most had not been made of this area.

The visitors, together with the chairman of the Cambridge District High School, visited the school and grounds, with Hie result that increased sheltei-shed accommodation and other improvements will be provided.