PUKEKOHE EN FETE.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 605, 4 February 1921, Page 5

PUKEKOHE EN FETE.

TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL OPENED.

BY RIGHT HON. W. F. MASSEY.

function a magnificent success.

Yesterday was a red letter day in the history of Franklin, when the official opening of the Pukekohe Technical High School was performed by the Prime Minister, Mr. W. F. Massey.

Before the ceremony took place a very large concourse of visitors and the Pukekohe public had gathered at the school. The greatest order prevailed right through and each and every speech received an attentive hearing. A pleasing feature of the gathering was the turning out of the Pukekohe School cadets, some 80 strong, under Lieut. A. R. Hatt. Mr F. Perkins, chairman of the Pukekohe School Committee, in a most happy speech welcomed the Prime Minister, the Minister (>i 1 tlucation, the Plon. C. J. *’arr, Mr. Bollard, M.P., Hon. G. Garland, M.L.C., the chairman of the Auckland Eduoa tion Board and other speakers. He said he recognised that it had been at great sacrifice on Mr. Massey’s part that he had taken time to come all the way from Wellington to open the school, but they all appreciated very highly his presence there that day. Coming to the matter of the school, Mr. Perkins said there were many people throughout the country who had helped in its completion. He desired to thank the Government of New Zealand for the monetary assistance given. Great thanks were also due to the Franklin County Council and the Pukekohe Borough Council for the splendid manner in which they had shared in the cost. The whole school and grounds had cost something like £14,000. Of this £3OOO had been raised in the district.

Continuing, Mr. Perkins said the primary school was called upon to accommodate 90 pupils more tnan it was meant to do, and it was the desire of the School Committee to have further buildings erected on the block of land first acquired in connection with the technical school. He appealed for assistance in achieving that object. The Technical High School was built for 150 pupils, but pi'ovision has been made for extension, and he was very desirous that the pupils would be forthcoming.

The Mayor of Pukekohe, Mr. C. K. Lawrie, and Mr. Claude Motion, chairman of the Franklin County Council, delivered short addresses of welcome and paid a high tribute to the energy of the Pukekohe School Committee in accomplishing the work they had Mr. Massey. The Prime Minister then rose to speak and was greeteed with loud and prolonged cheers, t9stifying to the great esteem in which this veteran statesman is held in his own electorate. Mr. Massey congratulated the district on the building which had been provided for technical education. He declared himself delighted to hear that the people had put their hands in their pockets and helped to piovddo the school. He also congratulated the

the town on the progress made in the last 10 or 12 years. He was perfectly certain, however, that this was nothing to thp progress which would be made in the next dozen years. When population increased the first need was education. Great Need for Development. The young people of the Dominion, said Mr. Massey, were worthy of all the education they could be offered.

He hoped the time would come before very long when no young man need go abroad to achieve a position such as he could not obtain in his own country. There was plenty to do. Land was waiting to be brought into cultivation, roads to be made, railways to be built, and many other acivities to be pursued. Education had not been developed to the full during the war. They did all ‘they could, and in that connection Mr. Massey paid a tribute to the work of the Hon. J. A. Hanan while he held the portfolio of Education.

Much work remained to be done, continued the Prime Minister. For one thing, many newly-developed districts were crying for school buildings, which must he provided. Education in the future must not aim merely to teach the young man to keep his coat and collar on, and his hands white. He believed, for instance, that a farmer would be all the better for having had a sound and practical education. Success and hard work went together. The man who did not work with his hands must with his brains. He declared that true success must include work for the good of the community as well as the individual. Re acknowledged that much had been done by the teachers in instilling true patriotism into the minds of the children. He believed that even more should be done in the future to maintain pride in the Empire and its flag. The best league of nations—without saying anything against the other league—was the league of British nations, which would be a force for progress, civilisation and peace.

Mr. Parr. The Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, was the next speaker and expressed his graification at being present at the function. The new school would provide a general course of high school subjects, a commercial course, domestic science, and more than all, it must cater for technical subjects. This last should be determined largely by the character of the district in which the school was placed.. It was necessary to keep the country boys away from the towns. Consequently the school should have a bias toward the principal industry of the district. There were too many lawyers, doctors and bank managers, and too many boys entering upon such occupations. They must be taught to take their coats off, and get down to the work of the country. The post-primary stage of education was not receiving the attention that it should. It was the most important and interesting period—the time for development. This period required to be reviewed in New Zealand to get away from the tyranny of the old literary system. He hoped when the new appointments were made to the department he would get a director or an assistant director who was an expert in this period. There were in New Zealand to-day continued Mr. Parr faddists who declared that in educating buildings unnecessary, and desks an anachronism, that children should not be made to do the things they disliked, and that the teacher should be principally a companion advising and directing them. While he would not dismiss any idea in education, there was too much of this soft pedagogic talk in New Zealand to-day. Work, and hard

work, was required in the schools. Nothing could be got in this world except by hard work and keen diligence. By no way could success be 1 achieved in the schools but by hard work. That was the means of making true men and women of the boys and girls. A six-hour day programme and a go-slow policy would result in the loss to the country if care was not taken. In the schools, what was needed was work which would develop good men and women, strong in physique and character. j Mr. E. C. Banks, chairman of the. Education Board, Mr. E. CL Purdie, secretary to the Board of Education, | Mr. C. W, Garrard, chief inspector of schools, Auckland Education District, Mr. George George, Mr. J. P. Kalaugher, and Mr. Munro, headmaster of the new school, spoke briefly, congratulating the district on the advance in education embodied by the mv school, and expressing every confidence in its success. School Opened. Mr. Perkins then presented Mr. Massey with a golden key and in doing so thanked him for all he had done towards the school. Continuing, Mr. Perkins said the School Committee would not rest until the Thames express was permitted to stop at Papakura, so that children attending from that centre could return home.

Mr. Massey, in returning thanks, said: “Well we might as well settle the matter of the train. I can tell you that the Thames express will stop at Papakura. (Cheers). The Prime Minister than unlocked the doors and declared the school open.

THE LUNCHEON. After the ceremony the Prime Minister and visitors were entertained at luncheon in the Pukekohe Hotel. Host Gardes had excelled himself and provided a magnificent and- well ■~g£rved luncheon, which the Prime Minister '{Pgr in the evening said equalled if not exccrreC-d many that were served up in Auckiancfr - T.’w toast of s The Government,’ 7 coupled with the names of Mr. Massey, the Hon. G. J.- Garland and Mr. R. F. Bollard, M.P., were enthusiastically honoured, as was that of “The Education Department, 7 ’ proposed by Mr. J. Parsons, to which Mr. Parr and Mr. C« W. Garrard responded. The following additional list was somewhat curtailed through the majority of the guests requiring to catch the train for Auckland:—“The Auckland Education Board” (Messrs. Banks and Purdie), by Mr. A. F. Brown; “Technical Education” (Messrs George George and J. P. Kalalugher), by Mr. Brown; “Local Government” (Messrs. W. C Motion, C. K. Lawrie and D, Fulton), by Mr. J. W. Johns; “The Architect and Builder” (Messrs J. Farrell and Downie), by Mr. W. Wyatt; and “The Headmaster and Staff” (Mr. Munro), by Mr., John Russll. Other toats were “The Ladies” and the “Press.” The function concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

- Opened yesterday by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Hon. W. F. Massey, P.C. The new school is situated within easy distance of the main street and the railway station, and is substantially built of red brick. Attached to it are 15 acres of ground, giving ample room for expansion, playing areas, and agricultural plots. The buildings themselves, which cost some £9,000, provide four main class rooms, one large laboratory, library, and numerous other offices. They are lighted by electricity, to allow of night classes being held.