EASTERN HUTT SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 129, 25 February 1919, Page 6

EASTERN HUTT SCHOOL

OPENING OF NEW CLASS ROOMS. Yesterday morning the Hon. T. 11l Wilford, Minister of Justice', and member for the district, performed the opening ceremony of the two new rooms that had heen added to the Eastern Hutt School. The chairman of the school committee (Mr. H. Baldwin) outlined the rapid growth of the school, which was opened in 1910 as an infant school, and had fiityone scholars. In 1915 it was opened as a separate school with a-roll number of 293, and to-day the roll number was ■Ml, and- at the, present rate of growth it would soon bo the premier school of Lower Hutt. Mr. E. P. Rishworth, member of the Education Board, referred to the good 'work done by Mr. Baldwin and JCr- Wil'lord in furthering the cause of education. He hoped the scholars would take an interest in the beautiful grounds provided for them. . The headmaster of the school thanked the committee and those responsible for the_ present school. The school had a •good record, and the parents were to be congratulated on the fact that last year's attendance averaged 97 per cent, of the roll number.

Iu declaring the class rooms open, tho Hon. <T. M. Wilford said that in his opinion, after tho war, the Minister of Education would be the man with the big opportunity. He (the Minister) believed that from the schools should come, not only knowledge, but character; schoolrooms should not be intellectual barracks, as they were in Germany, turning out educated automata, but places where the character should be formed and the bent in life discovered and assist, ed. School building torday had in the light of experience changed both in form and 1 character,' A 1 sum of .£IOO,OOO was voted in 1917 for 6chool buildings, .£400,000 in 191S; ,£IIB,OOO had been voted for increases in teachers' salafies. The Minister of Education, though anxious for a larger vote, had to be content, but he would not be content with such grants in future. The country understood now how commercial and economic efficiency depended on education, ordinary and technical. In " tho race for' supremacy in the days to come technical education would have a'tremendous part. Parents must not be'content .with primary education, but must, when conditions improved, insist on secondary education. A vote had' recently been passed by Cabinet 1 for technical' tducation in the Hutt. Valley, and lie'intended.seeing that tho money was spent to tho best advantage. Ne\v Zealand in the near.future would be called upon to find huge sums for education, especially for . teachers' salaries and for now school buildings. . This was realised by the Minister, of Education, who was earnest in his'endeavours to. assist. .After all, said Mr. Wilford* tho country could stand tho call thijt would bo made, and, personally,'he believed that the'country would stand anything which-was necessary for. the national welfare if it was clearly explained. ' All that was required was resolution and confidence, and though, as Chatham said,; "confidence is a plant of slow growth ii? ail aged bosom;" it would be found that; there were many young and vigorous minds in this country with every confidence in tlie future, and the possibility of helping in tlie direction indicated by him. Messrs. Baldwin and Rislnvorth thanked the Minister for the valuable help he had given tfl education in the district. The visitors were aflsnvnrds entertained by tho ladies and teaching staff at morning tea.