PUHA SCHOOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2576, 10 August 1909, Page 2

PUHA SCHOOL.

—<3>— OPENING CEREMONY. ' The new' public school at Puha was formally opened yesterday afternoon by Mr W. 3). S. MacDonald, M.P., and Messrs G. E. Darton, W. Morgan, and Malcolm McLeod, members of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, in the presence of a large number of residents of the district. The school building is situated about half-a-mile from the Puha railway station, on the Whatatutu road,arid Stands on a 'Section of about- two acres, of dry sandy soil. The building is an ideal one for a country school, and was designed by Messrs Brownlee and Grenfell, architects, and erected by Mr, A, F. Lawrie, at a cost of about £3OO. There is only one large schoolroom, cap- t able of seating 40 scholars, but the entrance is through a well-designed lobby, 1 which greatly adds to the appearance of the building. The light enters from two large windows on the northern and one on the western side of the room, and the desks are so arranged that the light is thrown over the children’s shoulders on to the desks in front. The many people who we.ro present were loiul in their praise of the suitability ofi the school for the present needs of the district, as the design is most artistic; all available space is put to use, and the structure is solid, and reflects great credit upon both the architects and the builder. The only disadvantage is that the school has already proved itself too small.' It was designed to accommodate 40 scholars and, to the 'surprise of the members of the Education Board, 47 scholars were enrolled on the opening day. There are seven standards observed by the teacher in charge, Miss Morgan, hough the greater proportion are in the lower classes, more than half the pupils being in standards one and lower. Consequently, Miss Morgan will, until the attendance is large enough to warrant the engagement of a second teacher, have a difficult task to instruct scholars in the work appointed for seven separate standards in one room. Miss Morgan is, however, an experi- ' enced and highly qualified teacher, and the Puha School Committee have every confidence in her. Should the average attendance he kept to a high mark, it should not be long before the school will have two teachers. When the Hawke’s Bay Education Board approached the Minister of Education for a grant for the school, they asked for a building large enough to accommodate from 70 to SO scholars. The Minister, however, decided that a school to hold 40 pupils would be large ’ enough, hut it is already apparent that tin's was an erroneous estimate, and that another room will have to be added in the near future. So far only about 22 scholars have been drawn from the larger school at Te Karaka, where there are four teachers. The majority of the pupils at Puha are young children, and it is considered that the number is not- likely to grow loss, but will gradually increase. Forseeing that fact, the members of the Education Board present yesterday advised the Puha School Committee and the settlers of the district to at once set to work to urge upon the Education Department the need for a larger building. • The opening ceremony was quite an interesting function, settlers came from miles around in traps and on horseback for the occasion, and the children all looked their best, bright, happy, and interested. Mr. W. L. Spence, chairman of the Puha School Committee, presided, and in a brief speech called upon Mr. W. D. S. MacDonald, M.P. for the district, to declare the school open. 1 Mr. MacDonald said he was pleased to be present at the opening of the school. He had always been interested in school work, and all forms of education. The parents were paying for the education of the children, because they recognised that the children of to-day were the men and women of the future. It was apparent to all, from the large number of names entered upon the roll, that- the Puha School was an absolute necessity, and the thanks of the settlers of the district were due to Mr. W. L. Spence for the way he had worked to have the school established. It was often asserted that the people, living in the back-blocks, were neglected by the Education Boards, but education was an expensive necessity in out-of-way places, and the Boards had to consider the expense before they opened a school that was likely to have only a small attendance. A school in No. 1 grade cost- the Board an average of £lO 14s per year for each scholar, whereas a large school, such as the Gisborne School, only cost the Board £4 8s per scholar per year. Still, it was the duty of all to take an interest in the education of the children living m the country districts. New Zealand had always kept education in the forefront of all progressive work. The legislators of the past had set aside liberal endowments for educational purposes, and he was sure that not one member of Parliament! would wish to reduce the vote for education. The education of the children in New Zealand cost the country £900,000 a year. The estimated value of the various school and educational buildings was y 1,366.000, while repairs and additions to those buildings totalled £60,000 a year. The Puha School was a long time promised, but it was a fact at last, and the residents of the district were indebted to the Hawke’s Bay Education Board for their work in obtaining the Government grant for the school, and for the appointing of sucli an experienced and; highly qualified teacher as Miss Morgan. He would remind the parents that if the school was to be successful it was necessary that the children should be taught to hold their teacher in respect, and the consideration of the difficulties under which the teacher worked should also be remembered by the parents. The training received in the primary schools did a great deal to develop the character of children, and so great was the importance of that education that a child was now able to go from the primary school to the university without any expense to its parents. He hoped the children of the Puha School would win many successes in educational contests, and that the school would have a bright future.

Mr. W. Morgan congratulated Mr. Spence and the Puha School Committee ■on the completion of the school, and advised them not to bo satisfied until another classroom was added to the building, and that if the attendance could only he kept up to an avorage of 3G the school would he entitlod to the services of an assistant teacher. Air. Darton, in an appropriate address to the children, reminded them of the pride they should take in thenschool and .their school work. Ho pointed out to the scholars that their teacher was their friend, and was th ; cru tp look after their interests, to tram and equip them for a good start in the battle of life. Mr. Aialcolm AlcLeod and the Rev. V. H. Roberts also gave short and interesting addresses to the scholars. Three'’cheers were then given for Mr. MacDonald and the members of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, and the scholars wero marched outside, where a photographer was in attendance. After the camera had boon turned upon the scholars in one group and the visitors in another, the ladies present dispensed afternoon tea and cakes, and an enjoyable function was brought to a closet Previous to visiting the Puha School, the members of tho Education Board paid a visit of inspection to the Te Karaka School, where Mr. Darton inspected tho drainage, to roport upon the question to the Board.