SCHOOL JUBILEE

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19815, 20 February 1936, Page 9

SCHOOL JUBILEE

PUKERIMU-KAIPAKI. CELEBRATION TO-MORROW. AN INTERESTING HISTORY. (Special to Times.) CAMBRIDGE, Wednesday. To-morrow the residents of Pukerimu and iKaipaki districts will celebrate the 60th anniversary opening of Pukerimu School. There will be a function at the School to which all surviving early pupils have been invited. It will provide a line opportunity for the renewing of old friendships" and for reminiscences of the early days. Early History Pukerimu on the south-western side of the Waikato River and of Cambridge, was the landing place of the soldiers in 1864- It was here that they built an outpost and camped l'or some time before marching to Qrakau, via ohaupo and Te Awamutu to meet the Maoris in their last memorable light. There were of course, no white settlers in Pukerimu then and it was not till 1866 when the late Robert Fisher and Joseph Gane rode through from Otahuhu that land was taken up from the Crown —the title being Crown Grant —not freehold as now. They found one old Pakeha ‘ Maori named Walker -camped where the gully now known as “Walker’s” joins the Waikato River and it is still known by that name- Other settlers from. Otahuhu and Mangere followed Messrs. Fisher and Gane and from fern and teatree the district began to be brought under cultivation. Early Settlers. Among the early settlers were John Bell, W. Howie, W. Atkinson. John Comrie, Robert Walker, E. B. Walker, (of Monavale Estate), R. Parr, A. Wallace, John and Robert Fisher, William and James Scott, Joseph Gane, Daniel Caley, Thomas Cowley, William Sturges, H. Fitzgerald, Robert and George Watson, Frank O’Niel, H. J. Turner. W. Willoughby, H. and J. Buttle. Of the original settlers there remain but Messrs. Caley and Fitzgerald, but the farms of Scotts’, Willoughby’s, Fishers’ and Atldnsonls are still in the possession of relatives ■ of the original settlers. The School’s Hlatory. It Is a far cry -back to 1875, but In that year the settlers took preliminary action and early in the following year the district possessed its first school. The old Pukerimu School fulfTlled its purpose well for 46 years, then being replaced by the existing structurenow known as the-. Kaipaki district school. The School, has a fine record behind it arid is- proud -of the fact that its records include an early pupil in Sir James Parr, High Commissioner for the Dominion. In 1875 public meetings were held and the first school committee was formed. The members were: Messrs. Caley, Walker, Fisher, A. Wallace and Jos. Gane. As the result of a gift of land by Mr. R. Fisher on the eastern side of Walker's Gully the first school was made possible and was opened on February 23, 1876. At the first householders’ meeting in January of that year Mr. D- Caley w r as elected chairman and Mr Gane, secretary. At that meeting several applications were received for the post of first teacher and Mr. R. Ollby was appointed. The minutes from 1895 to 1900 clearly indicate that faithful 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 in 1901 a minute was recorded thanking Mr. John Fisher, who was retiring, for his splendid service as chairman and committeeman for a period of sixteen yearsA New School. On June 8, 1921. the new school was opened on the Kaipaki site. This school has kept pace with the progress or the district. Those associated with its administration in earlier years were: Messrs. R. G. Speake, T. J. McCarthy present secretary), F. Cunningham, McDonald, C. Weal, A. Goodwin, A- Scott, Harvey, Sexton. Lynds, Higgins, F. W. Finley, Reed, Searle and Mrs. A. Goodwin. The present chairman Is Mr. Alan Fisher. * The School’s Teachers. The teachers who have guided the school and its pupils down the years are as follows:—R. Ollby, 1876-77; B. Bedford, 1877-80; Mrs. Mary Bruce, 1881-90; Miss J. 11. Edmiston. 189093; Miss E. Simpson, 1893-96; Miss J. F. P. Davis. 1897-1901; Miss E. Kingsford, 1901; Mrs E. Hainsler, 1902-9; Miss E. .Al. Ryan, 1909-14; P. C. Ritchie, 1914-16; W. H. Murray, 1916-23, C. Rouse, 1923-33 and the present headmaster, Mr. P. Costello, who was appointed in 1934. Assistant teachers:—Miss F. P. Dougherty, 1918-19: Miss C. J. F. Laing, 1920-21; Miss Strong, 1922; Mrs. E. S. Chainey, 1922-23; Miss R. Ross, 1923-25; Miss M. S. Corrie, 1925-30; Miss M. D. Luxmore, 193133; Miss I. Turner, who was appointd in 1933 and is still on the staff.