Pukerimu’s Diamond Jubilee

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3422, 20 February 1936, Page 5

Pukerimu’s Diamond Jubilee

JUNCTION TO-MORROW

CELEBRATIONS AT SCHOOL EARLY HISTORY RECALLED Settlers at Kaipaki and Pukerimu will be celebrating to-mor-row the sixtieth annversary of the founding of a school in that district. It was on February 23, 1876, that the Pukerimu School was opened, and since that time many scholars have passed from, its precincts into the world to uphold the traditions of the pioneer settlers whlo established the school. There are a number of original scholars still in the Cambridge district, and it is expected that of the forty children who attended school * on the first day, there will be a good percentage present to-morrow. Among those still alive are: Mr J. S. Fisher, Pukerimu; Mr A. Gane and Mrs Gane (formerly Miss F. Clark); Mr W. Clark and Mrs Clark (formerly Miss Mary Gane) , of Hamilton; Mr H. H. Clark, of Hamilton; Mr F. Gane, of Whatawhata; Mr J. M. Scott, Maungatautari;; Mrs F. Vereoe (formerly Miss J. Scott), of Hamilton; Mrs A. Wallace (forWnerly Miss B. Scott), ot Te Awaj/nutu; Mrs Rhodes (formerly Miss J. of Paterangi; Mrs T. Robinson (formerly Miss M. Fisher), ol Roto-o-rangi; Mr W. T. Wallace, Waiterimu; Mrs J. Bryant (formerly Miss Maggie Wallace) of Papatoctoe; Mrs G. Runciman (formerly Miss May Wallace), of Papatoetoe; Mrs J. Hodgson (formerly Miss Mary Parr); Sir James Parr, London; Mr Alfred Caley, Otahuhu; Mr f. Caley, Mt. Eden; Mrs W. Dixon (formerly Miss C. Gane), of Takapuna, and Miss Ellen Gane, of Takapuna. Two of the early settlers of Puke-

rimu are still living in Cambridge. They are Mr D. Caley and Mr J. A. Fitzgerald, the former having been the first chairman of the School Committee. Others who first started to turn the fern and scrub into fertile land included Messrs John Bell, W. Howie, W. Atkinson, John Comrie, Robert Walker, E. BAWalker (of the Monavale Estate), H. Parr, A. Wallace, John and Robert Fisher, ■William and James Scott, Joseph Gane, Thomas Cowley, William Sturges, Robert and George Watson, iFrank O’Neil, H. Fitzgerald, H. J. W. Willoughby, H. and J. Turner. __ The farms of the Scottsj-Wiflough-bys, Fishers and Atkinsons are still held by members of the original families, most of the other holdings having passed to newer settlers. Early History i ft Following the cessation of active r hostilities with the natives, sections In the Cambridge district were granted to soldier settlers and with stout hearts these men and their wives laid foundation stones that were to „ stand the test of time. The possibilities of the country on the south side of the Waikato River were recognised and with the settlers established the need of educational facilites in the Pukerimu district became imperative. ■ In 1875 the settlers took preliminary action and early in the following year the district possessed its .first school.: The old Pukerimu * school fulfilled its purpose faithfully for forty-six years, then being replaced by the existing structure. In February .1875, a memorial signed by ten householders was forwarded to the Board of Education asking that a new school district, to be called the Pukerimu School District, be proclaimed. On the 22 nd of the following month a reply was received from the board granting the request and stating that the district would be acclaimed as I S oon as the boundaries could be fix- ' ed. A little later a public meeting svas held in the old Wesleyan Chapel for the purpose of electing a provisional committee to also act as a building committee. The following 1 committee elected, includes names that will ever be linked with the pearly history of Cambridge and par'fticuiarly the Pukerimu district. The committee was: Messrs Daniel Caley, Walker, John Fisher and J. Gane. (Residing at the National Hotel, Mr Caley is still a hale, and hearty member of our community). At the abovementioned meeting Mr Rober Fisher offered an acre of land for a school site, which was accepted. In September of the same year a further public meeting was held, Mr Caley presiding, when the first regular committee of the school was elected as follows:—Messrs Caley, Walker, Fisher, A. Wallace, and Jos. Gane.

.At the first meeting it was decided to withdraw the original offer to erect a school building at the settlers’ expense and instead to ofler to convey free of cost to the board, the school site of two acres of land -centrally situated, which had been donated bv Mr R. Fisher, if the board would erect a school building there-

on. The board was unable to proceed at once with the work, owing to restricted finance and to save delay, the committee decided to revert to its original offer to erect a school building, and this work was put in hand immediately. The school building, comprising a room 30 x 18, together with a porch 'was completed in February, 1876 at the cost of £l5O, and was opened on February 23 of that year, under Mr Robert Olby as first teacher. At a meeting of the committee held in March, £3O was subscribed by the committee and settlers to assist with the master’s salary, contributors being Messrs Gane, Caley, Fitzgerald, Cowley, Scott, Fisher and Wallace. In August of the same year the tender of Mr P. Cooper, of £l6O, was accepted for the erection of the school-master’s residence the board providing £l3O. In December, 1876, Mr Olby tendered his resignation as. master, Mr J. Bedford being subsequently appointed. Early Difficulties In the subsequent period the committee appeared to have some difficulty in meeting the master’s salary and its quota for the. master’s house. In addition' to the contributors already mentioned were Messrs E. B. Walker, W. Howie, Wm. Atkinson, Richard Parker, William Scott, Wm. Reynolds, Hugh Fitzgerald, Samuel Fleming, John Scott, Wm. L. Mertyn, John Bell, F. Hicks, R. Kirkwood, James Runciman, James Hally, John Houghton, Robert Watson, H. J. Turner, John Saw, Geo. Neal, Jared Allwill, W. Tucker and Geo. E. Clark.

The second annual meeting of householders was held on January 5, 1877, Mr J. Fisher in the chair, and the following were elected the committee: Messrs A. Wallace, Win. Scott, J. Gane, R. Parr and P. Cooper. At a subsequent meeting Mr Gane was elected chairman and secretary.

In the years that followed 1877 the school progressed quietly. In 1880 Messrs I. H. Turner, Robert Fisher, James Scott and Joseph Gane were appointed commissioners for the school district. Commissioners and committeemen in the earlier years from 1885 to 1895 included those mentioned above and Messrs R. Watson, G. Kennerley, W. Scott, A. Cubis and Jas. Anderson. In the year 1889 the committee refused to allow half-hour lessons weekly on temperance. From 1895 to 1900 very faithful educational administrative service was rendered by such stalwarts as Messrs J. and R. Fisher, Anderson, W. and J. Scott and J. Gane. At a meeting of the committee held in April, 1901, a minute was recorded thanking Mr John Fisher for his splendid service as chairman and committeeman for a period of sixteen years, Mr Fisher having decided to retire. From 1901 to 1920 prominent committeemen associated with the school were Messrs J. Scott, R. Fisher, James Anderson, A. Cubis, W. Dixon, and R. Speake. Opening of New School In the following years the school continued its valuable purpose in the district in a quiet way, there being no outstanding event until the new school was officially opened on June 8, 1920. There had been much controversy over the site of this building, and finally five acres of land were purchased from Mr Fred. Rutter. The new school comprised two rooms, each 22ft x 19ft, with a porch 20ft x lift, and cost £BB6. On August 19, 1929, the new teacher’s residence was destroyed by fire and a new house was subsequently erected in July, 1930.

Since the opening of the new school, among those prominently associated with its administration were Messrs R. G. Speake, T. J. McCarthy, F. Cunningham, McDonald, C. Weal, A. Goodwin, A. Scott, Harvey, Sexton, Lynds, Higgins, F. W. Finley, Reed, Scarlc and Mrs A. Goodwin.

The present headmaster, Mr C. R. Brown, was appointed this year and the present committee are Messrs A. M. Fisher (chairman), T. McCarthy (secretary), T. Searle, J. McEldowney and A. W. Scott. The sole and head teachers at the school since 1876 arc: Mr R. Olbv, 1876-1877; Mr B. Bedford, 1877-1880; Mrs Mary Bruce, 1881-1890; Miss J. H. Edmison, 1890-1893; Miss E. Simpson, 1893-1896; Miss J. I". P. Davis, 1897-1901; Miss E. Kingsford 1901; Mrs E. Hainsler, 1902-1909; Miss E. M. Ryan, 1909-1914; Mr P. C. Ritchie, 1914-1916; Mr W. R. Murray, 1916-1923; Mr C. Rouse, 19231933; Mr P. Costello, 1934; Mr C. R. Brown, 1936.

Assistants were: Miss F. M. Dougherty, 1018-1019; Miss C. .T. F. Laing 1020-1021; Mrs N. R. Rosborough (Miss Strong), 1022; Mrs E. S. Chainey, 1022-1023; Miss R. Ross, 19231025; Miss M. S. Gorrie, 1025-1030; Miss M. D. Luxmore, 1031-1033; Miss I. e. Turner, 1033-1035. There is no assistant teacher at present.