THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL

Te Ao Hou, December 1959, Page 53

THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL Against this social-economic background, let us now examine the functions of, and the demands upon, the Tolaga Bay school throughout its long history to the present day. The first school on the coast was set up at Waiomatatini in 1871, at the instigation of Major Ropata Wahawaha. The next school was founded a year or two later at Waipiro Bay. The Tolaga Bay school was erected about the same time and it was situated in Hauiti, on the south bank of the river. The school was a native school administered by the Native and Defence Department. The land was given by the elders of the Aitanga a Hauiti tribe and the school was reputed to have stood somewhere near the present Hauiti marae. Unfortunately all the records relating to the school during this period were lost in a fire. In 1880, Mr and Mrs R. O. Stewart, of Whakatane, were appointed to succeed Mr and Mrs Parker as teachers and they remained with their new school which had been newly erected on the northern bank of the river, for a further three years. The school was first visited by Mr Pope, Inspector of Native Schools, in August, 1880, and he found that there were only fifteen pupils in attendance. In 1888 the school changed its status as a Native School to that of a European School and came under the control of the Hawke's Bay Education Board. The Tolaga Bay School was the first European School on the East Coast north of Gisborne. Additional buildings were erected to cope with the new greatly increased roll of pupils, and the school undertook to provide equal education for both European and Maori children. Mr John M. Nelson was the headmaster of a new school of 87 pupils and he was to remain there for twenty full years until December 1908. He made a great contribution to the scholastic advancement of both races within the district and his strict insistence upon the golden rule of the ‘Three R's” bore fruit in the careers of many of his pupils. A District High School was instituted on the same site about 1926. In 1951, a modern school was erected by the Uawa River and this is where the Tolaga Bay District High School now stands. Here, the Maori children greatly outnumber the Europeans. The same is true for the three largest contributing schools which are Maori schools, while the other John Paea, Maori All Black, at work at Tolaga Bay Dairy Factory. (Kandid Kamera Kraft).

two contributing schools are administered by the Hawke's Bay Education Board. There are many difficulties in rural education of which Tolaga Bay naturally has its share. In remote areas highly qualified secondary teachers are hard to get; there is the problem of giving academic children a specialized and a sixth form education. The increase in fees has stopped many Maori parents from sending their children to boarding colleges where these difficulties would be less great. In addition we must recognize that Maori children fall into two categories. The first category consists of those who move to the cities. First and foremost, this group should fit smoothly into a European way of life. To accomplish this they have to decide on what they want to be early in their school life, take their scholastic attainments up to the requisite standard, enter their chosen vocation, remain there, allowing for changes in securing advanced positions, purchase their own home and merge their identity almost completely into the suburb or district where they live. If one could secure the necessary statistics and analyse them, one would probably find that this sequence breaks down quite often. The second category consists of those children who are less likely to find their home in the city and whose future lies right in Tolaga Bay. Their education should be aimed at providing the fullest and richest possible life in this Maori area. Educational policy would be incomplete if it did not also cater for this category of pupils. Undoubtedly, this will mean the retention of all that is good in Maori culture. It is perhaps an anomaly that modern scientific methods are going to prove one of the most potent means by which Maori culture will be perpetuated. The introduction of the tape recorder, more scientific methods in teaching languages, the radio and later television, the introduction of rational methods into the teaching of Maori culture to Maori and European children, together with the already vast literature in English and Maori, the teaching of Maori in Maori schools and schools with significant numbers of Maori pupils, its extension in the Secondary and Correspondence Schools, the provision of lectureships in response to popular demand in the northern universities, are all European educational techniques which greatly benefit the development of modern Maori culture. The great vitality of the Maori religious gatherings of the great Churches would be reduced to impotency if full scope was not given to the employment of Maori Culture in song and language, those who speak in English at the great huis of the assembled tribes gain no favour, while the business of the Land Court and the Land Incorporations is best understood by those most interested when conducted in Maori. The classical language at tangis, weddings, birthdays and similar occasions is Maori and sorry indeed is the man who has to resort to English when he makes his speech on these occasions. The action songs change with the occasion and every new hit parade tune is borrowed and adapted to provide a vehicle for the many beautiful and potent sentiments that are composed to suit the various occasions to be honoured. The Tolaga Bay School has moved in harmony with the demands made upon it to provide a full and comprehensive education for its pupils. The primary department teaches the wide range of subjects found in any school of a similar size. Maori language and culture have been taught whenever a bi-lingual teacher was available at the school; however, it has been difficult to ensure a continuity of such bicultural teachers. The headmaster, Mr Hawthorn, found a solution by co-opting the services of Mrs S. Wharehinga who has regularly attended the Primary and High School too, when needed, and she has taught the children of both races the elements of Maori conversation and has also managed to impart to them a very high standard of attainment in action songs, poi and haka. She has done this on a purely voluntary basis and her demands on the pupils time is only one period every Wednesday morning. A syllabus has now been drawn up to systematise the teaching practice of this subject. The children formed a Maori culture club; those who were interested joined and made almost unbelievable strides with their language and culture lessons. The Junior Group won the first prize for general excellence in haka, poi, action song and moteatea, at the last Maori Festival Competitions held in Gisborne. The Maori parents formed a Parents' Committee to assist their children and full use was made of those who possessed special talents in teaching the various aspects of poi, olden time songs, hakas, etc. Advice was freely given as to stance, actions and the interest of the parents was greatly stimulated in respect of their children's various school activities. Some of these children will leave school to become teachers and their bicultural talents should find expression, perhaps in far flung communities who will be most happy to have them. The close association of the school with the activities of a predominantly rural district may one day find expression in the establishment of an agricultural course for those who intend to leave school, on completing their fifth form year, for occupations such as shepherds, stationhands, dairy farmers, shearers and fencers. By and large the school has moved with the times and it is to be hoped that one day it will attain full High School status. The establishment of secondary industries or increased subdivision of land, or both, may precipitate the rapid increase in population that alone can bring about this very desirable end.