SCHOOL ADDITIONS

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1639, 9 May 1925, Page 5

SCHOOL ADDITIONS

' OPENING 'OEftEMONY i.W Yb •I - :;KAKEP,UKU. m<; M .

' PERFORMED BY, MR F. LYE,; M.P.

' Favoured with' iddal weathef and a beautiful moonlight night; with a touch of' frost in the., air,, the large gathering which assembled at the Kakepuku sclhool on Wednesday evening last far exceedefi 'that at any previous function. By 8 o’clock the seating accommodation in the main scchoolroqm was taxed to the utmost, and many people had to stand in the porchway. Visitors were present from Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, Cambridge, Te Mawhai, and Te 'Awamutu, and they, received a very hearty ■welcome from Mr E Crawford, chairman of the school committee, who presided The early part of tike evening’s programme consisted of speeches to suit the occasion, and which yire not generally ,ver / popular with the young people awaiting the opportunity to dance. However, on Wednesday evening touches of humour were added to the speeches, and these kept the audience in good spirits. Mr Crawford, on behalf of the committee, thanked Mr Lye and Mr C. F. Battson (late clVirman of the Te Awamutu school committee) for attending on such a happy and memorable occasion.

Mr Battson acknowledged the welcome, expressing the great pleasure it gave him to attend, and congratulated the committee and settlers upon the fine additions to the school. (Be then referred to the efforts of the late committee at Te Awamutu in trying to have a commercial course placed on the syllabus of the Te Awamutu District High School; pointing out that many of our boys took up a commercial life, seeing quite sufficient of the farm and cows in their school days. I,t was rather strange that at the district high schools it was necessary for pupils to take a course in agriculture, yet no provision was made for those desirous of studying for a career in the commercial world. He hoped that when Te Awamutu again approached the Education Board on this most important matter Kakepuku would add its weight to obtain the desired end. Several humorous stories brought an interesting address to an end.

Mr E. McVerry followed, and gave an account of educational matters in the Kakepuku district during the past fifteen years. The first School, he said, was held in a shed on private property. 'He gave some interesting comments on the situation, and then instanced the many difficulties the early school committees had experienced in any dealings with the Board. He told how five years ago representations had been made to the Board for a school teacher’s residence, and how it had afterwards been rescinded. He congratulated the school committee on the very able manner in which it carried out its duties. They had occasion to be very proud that night of the very fine additions that had been made to the school, for Mr Lye had been instrumental in obtaining the necessary grant. Mr McVerry took the opportunity of presenting Mr Lye with a gold-mounted fountain pen from the residents of Pokuru, asking him to accept it not so much for its intrinsic value as for the sentiments which had prompted the gift. Mr Lye, ofi rising, was greeted with applause and the singing of “He’s a Jolly Good: Fellow.” When Mr Lye could be heard he expressed his very sincere thanks for the kindly sentiments that had prompted the gift of a serviceable fountain pen, and for the encouraging remarks of Mr McVerry. He would always treasure the pen as a token of appreciation from his Pokuru friends, and the happy associations which existed between himself and his constituents in that portion of his electorate. Politics were barred from discussion that night, but he would like the opportunity to say that he was greatly opposed to the party feeling which obtained in .politics to-day. He further quoted Macaulay’s reference to ancient Roman history “ When none was for party and all were for the State; the rich man helped the poor and the. poor man loved the great.” (Applause) The fact of having a two-party government would bring about an ideal state of affairs in this country. The ruling government would be returned by a majority vote, and not by a minority, as might always be the case under the three-party system. After again thanking the committee and residents for tlheir kindly welcome, Mr Lye formally declared the school open, amid much applause. The following short musical programme, which was much appreciated, was rendered, encores being the order of the eevning: Vocal solos by the Misses E. Jones and R. Dew, duet by Misses Westbrook and Fear, recitations by Miss B. Budden and Master Percy Ray. The school was then cleared, and dancnig Was carried on with gusto until the early hours of the morning. Excellent music-. < vvas supplied by Mr A. Patterson, of Te Awamutu, and Mr Crawford and Mr Wiestbrook officiated as masters of ceremonies. A delectable supper was served by the ladies.