Koputaroa School Jubilee

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1946, Page 4

Koputaroa School Jubilee

SR0RTS MARRED BY WEATHER The celebrations in commemoration of the flftieth ariniversary oi the opening of .the Kpp^ta^roq School commenced yesterddy aftefnqon, when old pupils gathered at the school to jhbajr a welcome speech by the chairman oi the Jubilee Committee,' -Mr. C. E. C. 'Webb, followed by children's sp'oiis and | afternoon tea. " Throughout "the proceedings the weather was over-. Icast, and several heavy showers interrupted the sports prpgra,rpW?Tlie school buildings were decorated Ifof the occasion with bunting. 1 In introducing Mr. Webb, Mr. D. K. Guy said he hoped that every- ! "one present would enjoy .therpselv.ps. , I Mr. Webb welcomed the old' pupils i .ahd other visitors, and s^id thatj .'he hoped they would reriqw old S acquaintances. He explaine,d tha,t j the celebration was to' .have beeri| iheld in 19.41, but fs war con^itiona j ! would not possibly ' alloW a full , attendance, they were post'po'ned j ; until after the war.^ In -Decerpber | last a meeting was held and a com- ! rrfittee formed. A substaptial sum was donated to cover 'expenses, ahd ; advertisements ins'erted in the papers of Auckland, Wellington and i Christchurch. There ■ was little response to this appeal, however. i Mr. Webb apologisect to those old pupils who had not received invita- ! tions, aild explained that ,the compiling of the list of old pupils Irequired a great' amount of wbrk, and it was inevitable that some inames would" be ommitted. The ispeaker infprmed the old pupils -that they would each wear £ rib^on denoting the perio'd during which they | attended the school, and also a.card bearing their name, so that ! wPuld have no difficulty in r ecallmg each other. ; Mr. Webb then outlined the pror gramme and welcomed to the gathering Colonel T. W. McDonald and ; Mrs. McDonald. He concluded by isaying that the jubilee represented : a' landmark in his lif e, and handed tfye school and gro.unds over to fhe old pupils for the aftprnoon. The sports programmri was then cqnducted by the headmastpr (Mf. M. J. Ching) , while those old pu'pils who were not watching the races gathered in small gTP.ups, .meetipg" j old friends and discussirig old tipies. 1 Considerable interest was displ'ayed !iri a series of photographs, showing groups of pupils from the beginning iqf the school down to the pr.es, ent day. After the sports, tea and drmks jjor the children were" seryed in a | marquee erected by the school j huilding.

The Sports Results The following are the r.e^uits _ of ithe races and to all the place win- | ners, money pr-izes ' were presented: — Girls' five and ^ix years: Fay Henson 1, Jeanette Boddie 2, Nplda 'Cottle 3. i j Girls' seven and.eight years: Elsie j Stratton 1, Barbara Taylof '2, Noeljin'e Dittmer 3. i Boys' seven and eig'ht years: | Laurie Sanson 1, John McLriughlin i ; 2 i j Girls' nine and ten years: Pat| Spiascia 1, 'Eileen Tidswell 2, Myra i Hewitt 3. I i Boys' nine and ten years : Roy; Cottle 1, Gary Taylor 2, Malcolmj Guy 3. - j Girls' 11 and 12 years: Ellen ! Hewitt 1, Mafgaret Guy 2, Pat "Tay- ! ilor 3. | I Boys' 11 and 12 years: Robbiej 1 McLean 1, Michael Hall 2, Laurencej Jury and Brian Stratton (head ' , heat) 3. 1 Girls' ov,er 12 years: Frances. i Crosbie 1, Lorraine McLaughlin 2.' | j Boys' over 12 years:'K. Koperie, | Ruanui Williariis % -Karf "McGregor ! 3. ..... j I Girls' and boys' under school age : j ! Marian Hood T, Keith -Henson 2,- Jill j ; Taylor "3. | Single ladies: Joyce McLaughlin i 1 1, R. McMillan 2. ; Married men: Mr. Ching 1, Mr. j ! Hurliman 2. j j Egg and spoon, 10 years and under: R. Brown 1, P. Sciaspia 2, N. | Hibble 3. j Egg and spoon, over 10 ypars: R. I McLean 1, F. Crosbie 2, K. McGregor j Potato race: Pat Sciascia 1, Garyj Taylor 2, Eileen Tidswell 3. Potato race, over 10 .ypqrs : -Bill Koperu 1, R. McLean 2, Rri^riUi W,uiiams 3. - ■ Girls' relay, winning team: Paddy Taylor, Noja Trotter, Ellen Hewitt, Mafgaret Guy. Boys' relay, .winning tqam: Ppter Trotter, Ray Cottle, Tereririe' Sanson, Laurence Jury. Several events were cancelled owing to the state of the ground after the heavy showers. A Brief History The Koputaroa School opened on March 2, 1891, in a building which was brought "from Levin. The priginal building has since" fyeen .ve'placed, the present s.tqhcf.w6 i^irig of a modern design which provides a maximum of light and ventilation for the classrooms. The first teacher \n chargp was a jyiiss Howan, who wa^iri' sofe cnarg'e, land the opening roll was only 14. | ' In the first 25 years qflts -qist(oxy the school had many staff chariges", ibut in 1927 Mr. Wm. Philin w'as apjpointed headmaster, and rewajn,pd |at the school until 1944, when Mr. M. J. Ching took. over. He and his l assistants,' Miss ,G. Ffizgerald and j Miss J. Forsyth, have appxriximaltoty 88 children in their charge. ' ' Among pasft membprs of the school committegs, Mi". ,S." A. Brpadbelt, of Ihakara- mti^t'hold a recof d for length of service. Mr.- Broadjpelt was for f orty years a commit-

tee member, and served a few terws a,s* chair pian." The first school committee comprised Messrs. Jolin Davies (chairman), Hugh Dunlpp, Fred Davies, J. P. Knight, Arthur -D. Bequchapip,- Joseph Bpttplain and John Perry. The present C'bmmittoe is 1 as follows: Messrs. D. K. Gqy .(chairman) , G. Koberstein (secretary) , G. Gay, J. Hewitt, and Hurliman. After tea had been served, fhe gathering began to disperse, but"a few groups stood for some time, erijoying their chats about the pld days at school. Jubilee Dance Last evening there was a gathqring of some 300 in the Settlers H(|l11 for the grand jubilee dance. Pfopeedings were soon moving at " a mertyftempp, and all present spent a night of 'pleasing gaiety. To-^ay's Celebrations The celebrations were continued ,this afternoon, while to-night' a diriner will be held, and on Sunday there will be a church service. " • The cornmittee responpible for the Arlanisatiofi ' b*f trie jubilee is : Mr. C. E. C. Webb (president) » Hitda Keqnohan (secretary) , Messrs. '*3H. kilsby,' W- Kilsby,' G. Gay, M. rJ. Ching, t>j K/ GU'y, R. S. Brown, >R. Horne, W. J. Lancaster, D. W. Pratt and Miss C. Fitzgerald., . .. ' " '