HAWERA

New Zealand Tablet, 18 June 1914, Page 13

HAWERA

OPENING AND BLESSING OF A NEW SCI 100 1., Sunday marked another milestone in the progress of education in llawera, when the fine new school in Little Regent street, which had recently been erected tor St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, was opened and dedicated by his Grace Archbishop O’Shea (says the J/awera Star of May 25). Additional interest was lent to the ceremony because of the Archbishop’s early association with the Catholic Church in llawera. The weather was beautifully fine, and consequently there was a large attendance of Catholic parishioners, together with many people of other denominations. The attendance was estimated at between 300 and 400, and among those present was the Mayor (Mr. 11. K. Whittington), who had a seat with the Archbishop and Dean Power. Shortly after three o’clock a procession of children formed up from the church and marched to the new school grounds. The Archbishop, having blessed and dedicated the building, took his seat on the small platform which had been erected in the grounds. The hymn Hail, glorious St. Patrick was sung by the choir and people assembled, the music being provided by the llawera Municipal Band. Very Rev. Dean Power said that, on August 22, after the return of the Archbishop from his consecration in Wellington, a meeting was held in St. Colombo’s School, Victoria street, Hawera, when the parishioners decided to build a new school, and to ask his Grace to come to llawera to open it. This was a. happy thought, because the building which was dedicated that afternoon was the first to be opened since his Grace’s consecration. The parishioners were more than anxious that his Grace should perform the ceremony, because of his early associations with the school in his old parish, and because of his old town. Dean Power went on to say that a short time after the meeting they had collected the sum of .£49, and it was then hoped that within two or three months the sum of £2OO would be collected, and, further, that a sum of £SOO would be raised on the opening day. ‘ But man proposes and God disposes,’ and the disposing of the Almighty in this instance had been the crowning benefit to those who had provided within six months £I3OO, and so they were able to present to Almighty God a free gift ottering in the beautiful school which stood before them. The building was a credit to Mr. Duffill, the architect, who designed it it was a great credit to Mr. J. M. Tong, the builder: it was a credit to tire generosity of the Catholic people. He did not want the people present that day to go away with the

idea that no further money was required. A great deal more was needed. J!e explained that forty desks were taken away from the Victoria street school for the new school, and when Inspector Milne visited the infant school he expressed surprise that the children had only ramshackle tables. The Dean said that they wanted to pay those forty desks back, and these would cost £1 each: further, they wanted to have everything in keeping with the new school, and would require up-to-date cloak rooms for the children. For this and other necessities another .£"200 would be needed, and he was quite sure the people would give sufficient .money in order that everything would be in keeping with the beautiful building which had been erected. lie would say to the Catholic people that the work of Christian education was theirs—they had never shirked this work. That was theirs by Divine commission. And in New Zealand it was theirs by default. No one else would touch it.

The Archbishop's Address

His Grace Archbishop O'Shea congratulated Dean Power and those who had in every way helped towards the erection of the very beautiful school. The building was a. credit to everybody in the community as well as an ornament, to the growing town of llawera. The purpose for which they were assembled that afternoon, as had been said by Dean Power, was an educational one. Catholics believed in giving their children tho best and most complete education that if was possible to obtain. Catholics held that no system of education was worthy of the name that did not develop all the faculties. They must have a. system of education which not only developed the faculties and the powers of the body, but one which developed the faculties and powers of the soul. Supposing they bad a system of education which developed only the powers of the body, could that be called a true and complete system of education ? No. A system of education which went in for physical culture alone could not be called a true and complete system of education. Supposing they went a little further and had a system which developed partly the powers of the body and some faculties of the soul, but not all. Would that be a complete system? Certainly not. The Catholics looked upon the present system of secular education, that was maintained by the Government of New Zealand as an incomplete system of education, because it did not aim at cultivating the faculties and powers of the soul. Whilst being taxed for this incomplete system of education, the Catholic people were taxing themselves again in order to build, maintain, and equip schools in which their children were being instructed in the secular subjects to the satisfaction of, the State inspectors, and instructed in a religion which they held dear more than anything else in life. The Catholics were not the only people dissatisfied with the present State system of education. lie referred to the Bible-in-Schools League, which was going around pointing out that something was wrong in the public school system —and that was the absence of religious Instruction. Now, how did the 'League propose to remedy this deficiency? Were they going to follow the example of Catholics by putting their hands in their pockets, and build schools and teach a religion that would be acceptable to all. By no means. They wanted the State to provide public religious instruction at the expense of the taxpayers — a system of Bible-teaching which, while acceptable to a large number of people in the Dominion, would not be acceptable to Catholics, and many others. That .this system was not acceptable to all sections of the community was admitted by them when they had provided a so-called conscience clause, which was really an injustice to Catholics and others who were against the proposal of the League. Even if Catholics and others who objected could pi-event their children from receiving this education, there was no provision mado for relieving them of the extra cost of imparting this religion in the State schools. The religious teaching in .State schools, if it came about, was going to cost extra, which would be distributed all over the community. Catholics as well as Protestants. Catholics would be

called upon to pay a share of the cost of a religion which they did not believe in, and which was obnoxious to them. That was the greatest injustice to Catholics, and that was why they would protest against it. The Catholics considered that the Bible in schools would inflict a very great wrong and injury upon them, taxing them for a religion which they did not believe in. He felt sure that there was a large and fair-minded section of the public who would not willingly inflict such an injury upon the Catholics. But the" Catholics were going to fight against the Bible in schools, and that was one of the reasons why the Catholic Federation had been formed. The Catholics would not have this injustice at any cost. His Grace said he would like to once more-congratulate'the people upon their splendid achievement. The school was one which he had very great pleasure in opening, because it was in the town in which he went to school so many years ago, and because if marked a very great advance on what existed in llawera in years gone by. He congratulated the parish priest in having collected the money for the school, and hoped that the comparatively small amount which the Dean had said would be required would be given, so as to make the surroundings in keeping with the school, .lie wished to .again cxnress his thanks to their non-Catholic friends, who had done so much to help the Catholics in this undertaking. lie was specially pleased to sec his Worship the Mayor present, whom he had known since he (his Grace) was a. boy, and he was pleased to know that Mr. Whittington had ■been elected Chief Magistrate of a. town whose progress he had watched for many years.

Dean Power stated that during the time he had been in Hawera, £9OOO had been collected in the cause; of Christian work for building schools, etc., in South Taranaki. All that money had gone to local shopkeepers, and the money which had recently been raised would be distributed locally.

Mr. W. J. Mahoney, on behalf of the Catholic people, thanked all who had assisted to make the little gathering that afternoon so successful. The members of the band wore also thanked for their services.

The collection amounted to £4O.

The Archbishop preached at. St. Joseph's in the

evening.

The School.

The school, which was dedicated to St. Patrick, is a beautifully finished building, divided into two spacious rooms. The size over all is 60 x 26. It is built of reinforced concrete, finished outside with a cement, based with rough-cast. The roofing is of ' Poilitc ' asbestos blue slate, whilst the inside of the building is •finished with a cement dado to a height of four feet, and above this with white plaster. The dado is colored brown, and the white plaster is distempered a pale blue, so as not. to try the eyesight of the children. Tho ceiling is of asbestos cement sheets, painted white and nicely broken off into panels with heart rimu stained battens. The building is well lighted, and the windows are so arranged that the light will not be a strain on the eves of the teachers. The contract price was £834 10s. The building is designed to form the first unit of what will in time be a large school. It is a credit to all concerned.