LYTTELTON BOROUGH SCHOOL

Globe, Volume II, Issue 194, 22 January 1875, Page 3

LYTTELTON BOROUGH SCHOOL

This borough took the initiative in the establishment of a school under the Educational Ordinance, 1871. At the time that Act was .passed there were four denominational schools in Lyttelton fairly conducted and educating children, and there was a feeling amongst many that the old order of things should be maintained. A meeting of the inhabitants was called for an expression of their opinions, when it was decided that another meeting, in conformity with the Ordinance, should be called, which meeting took place, and resulted in the establishment of this school,the Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Wesleyan, bodies placing their schoolrooms at the disposal of the committee, to carry on the work temporarily until new schools could be erected. Through some informality, another meeting had to be called, and the woru.when the action of the previous meetingwasconfirmed, and afresh committee elected. The committee then applied to the Government for the site known, as the Market sqiiare reserve, which was granted them, the Borough Council acquiescing in the request, and a Crown grant was issued to the Superintendent. Mr W. B, Armson was chosen architect, and prepared plans, which were approved by the committee, and tenders called for. The tenders, however, were found in excess of the funds at the disposal of the Board of Education, when modified plans had to be prepared by adding 10ft in length to the two principal rooms, the erection of a second ft'am room being substituted for the building of two large rooms. Tenders .were again invited, and one firm’s tender, that of Messrs W. Stocks and Co. for £3190, was accepted. The site was valued at not less than £I6OO, in consideration of which the Board of Education did not insist on the usual proportion being raised by the inhabitants of the borough. It was afterwards considered, as the attendance at the temporary schools increased, 7 that the one-storey portion originally omitted should be erected, and additional tenders were called, and that of Mr W. Stocks accepted for £I3OO. Through using materials that had not been before employed in buildings in the province, great delay caused, and some of the iron work, which the contractor thought he could procure from Melbourne, and find ready to hand, had to be cast at some of the Christchurch foundries. The building was completed and handed over to the committee on the 14th September, 1874. Delay has since been caused by the furniture not having been executed to the ■atisfaction of the committee.

We now proceed to give a detailed description of the building. The building nearly forms a square, being 75ft x 71. It is built of red pressed bricks, relieved by black, and stone bands. The plinths, quoins, muliions and arches, etc, being of gray stone from Stock’s Sumner road quarry. The building consists of a centre and two wings fronting Oxford street. The porch is in the centre, and over that the bell tower. The wing on the south side and centre consists of a basement and upper floor, and the north wing of one room. The room to the right on entering is lighted by nine two-light lancet windows. This room is seventy feet long by twenty-one feet wide. Opposite the main entrance after passing through the hall is the Board room, twenty-one by twenty, which is not only used by the committee, but by the masters as a reception, and on occasion for a clas« room. On the left is a school room which has its principal entrance in Oxford street. This room is 60 x 21, it has an open timbered roof, and is lighted by five twolight lancet windows and two double windows composed of intersecting triangles, such as are commonly called trinity windows. From the vestibule a wide open staircase leads to that room destined for the senior classes, and also to a class room over the board room and of the same dimensions; The schools are in the Gothic style. The architect has succeeded in designing not only a commodious, but also a handsome building that will bear comparison with any school in this province. It is exceedingly well built, and every part is finished in a manner that reflects great credit on Mr Stocks, the contractor. To each room are attached proper lavatories supplied by Mr Jones of Christchurch, fitted with every necessary for ablation, and receiving water from an underground tank capable of holding 12,000 gallons. There is a cistern in the upper lavatory that supplies water for the wliole of the building. The furniture is according to the latest designs approved by the education committee of the Privy Council, each set of desks being divided by baize curtains running on metal rods. The appliances for teaching are throughout of the best possible kind. There are two large yards attached, one for the boys, and the other for the girls, in which are placed the closets on the patent earth closet principle, made by Turner, of Christchurch, provision being made for the storage of earth. Water is laid on to the urinals, and every care has been taken with regard to the drainage. This part of the work has Jbeen entirely carried out by the hard labor gang, under the supervision of Mr W. P. Jones, who deserves great praise for the manner in which he has carried out that portion of the work under his charge. At the rear of the playgrounds is a building 60ft x 30ft, fitted np with gymnastic apparatus, which can be used as a shelter in hot or wet weather. In the boys’ playground is a fives court of three bays, built of concrete, and these have been constructed as the conformation of Lyttelton forbids many games being indulged in which are common in other localities. A dwarf wall, with iron railing, and care taken to keep it in character with the rest of the building, is in course of erection. There is a retaining wall of concrete on the north side of the playground. The pressed bricks used in the building were made by Mr Neighbours, of Hillsborough. The whole of the building is cement, painted and oiled in three coats. The principal entrance is arched with cream colored stone, which is in fine relief tc the red brick. The lobby is flagged with tiles made from the Malvern Hills’ clay, laid diamondwise. In the vestibule are placed the hat and cloak pegs. The roof of the rooms is broken by massive ’ earns, and the windows are in cast iron frames. A dado of varnished Baltic timber runs round the rooms to the height of 4ft. The ventilation is from ventilators in the skirting, to which the air is supplied by perforated bricks placed some distance from the ground in the exterior walls. Arnott’s ventilators are used in the chimney-breasts, and perforated ornamental ventilators in the ceiling, and this system of ventilation is carried throughout the schools, and we thinkthis, a very desirable feature in all public buildings,* will prove a success in that we are now describing. Several of the mantel-pieces are of wood, but we understand they are to be replaced by stone, in order to avoid any chance of fire. THE OPENING.' The opening of the new Borough Schools, in Lyttelton, described above, took place last evening, being inaugurated by addresses from various gentlemen, interspersed with music. The meeting took place in the new schoolroom, which was very nicely decorated with flags, &c. On the platform were his Honor the Superintendent, his Worship the Mayor (Dr Bouse), Mr Inglis (chairman of the Board of Education), and Dr Donald. ’ Mr H. R. Webb, the chairman of the Borough School committee, presided. The chairman said before the formal business commenced he was sorry to say that he had to apologise for the absence of Messrs Montgomery and Jollie, the Mayor of Kaiapoi, the chairman of the Timaru school committee, and Mr T. W. Maude. He regretted very much that such was the case, as it interfered somewhat'with their arrangements. He (Mr Webb) could now only say that he felt the greatest possible pleasure at being called upon to preside over the opening of that school, an event in the history of Lyttelton which was worth remembering. The thanks of the whole province were, he felt, due to Mr Montgomery, to whom in a great measure was due the introduction of the Ordinance, in fact he initiated it. At the time of the introduction of the Ordinance into Lyttelton, the Episcopalians Wesleyans, and Presbyterians at once placed their schools at the disposal of the committee, and their masters, Messrs Ross, Arny, and Borthwick, very cheerfully came in, and under great disadvantages taught in the schools, and he thought they deserved the highest possible, credit for the way in which their work had been done. [Cheers.*] He was glad to be able to tell them that they possessed one of the most perfect and complete buildings in the province, and it had been so pronounced by architects and other professional gentlemen. The cost of the building he thought, would be about £SOOO or £6000; he was not sure as to the exact amount, as several accounts were not yet in. This was exclusive of the levelling which had been done by the hard-labor gang, and he had to thank bis Honor the Superintendent, and the Provincial Executive, for their kindness in allowing the bard-labor gang to carry out this work—and it had been done well. The committee begged publicly to thank Mr W.P. Jones, the overseer, for bis

unremitting attention and care during the progress of the work. As regarded the progress made by the schools, he might say that when the denominational system in force the total number of attendants on the roll at the schools was 213, with an arcrage attendance of 170; now the total number was 676, with 433 in actual attendance. This, he thought, was a highly satisfactory state of things, and one of which they had reason to congratulate themselves. [Hear.] He would not longer detain them, but ask his Honor the Superintendent to say a few words to them, as ho had kindly promised. [Cheers.l His Honor the Superintendent said that this was the second time within the last few months on which he had been called •upon to assist in the opening of the large schools of the province. No occasion gave him greater pleasure than to be present on such occasions, and he thanked the committee for their courtesy in inviting him to attend. The occasion upon which they had met that evening, and the gathering of the day previous, seemed to him to point to the conclusion that the question of education was one which had a far deeper interest, a wider and more extended circle of influence, than politics, and one which occupied the attention of statesmen worthy of that name. Here they were, he was glad to say, nearly all family men, and the circle of bachelorhood amongst them was of a restricted character, With regard also to the other sex, no one need long remain in a state of ornamental single blessedness. [Laughter.] The gathering that evening showed them that the Legislature of the province had taken a right and wise view of this question,and had done the proper thing in introducing the system of education into the province. He took it that education was not only a selfish protection against filling the gaols or poisoning the minds of the children, it was a mutual association of all ages and all sexes ; it was twice blessed, it blessed those who gave and those who had taken. He trusted that there would be no halting ; that, once having put their hands to the educational plough, they would not look back, but still keep on. In Lyttelton the results, he thought, were such as to lead them to thank God and take courage. Of the increase of attendants, he might say that the number of the children in 1871 attending primary schools was 4000; now it was .10,000. This was a great increase, and one over which he thought they should rejoice. The question of education, he thought, was one which gave all connected with its administration the greatest possible anxiety, and it was one in which they were to a great extent their brother’s keeper, and it was their duty to see that their neighbors as well as themselves had the means of properly educating their population. They all knew the influence of an educated mind in a community for good, and just so much was that of one brutish nature for evil. They were now having people brought to their shores by thousands, and it was their duty to press forward with it; indeed; their utmost efforts would only be able to keep pace with the requirements of the colony in this lespect. They were drawing on posterity for Public Works, and it seemed to him that they should also draw upon posterity for the cause of education, because, as he had said, the influence of education throughout the colony was so great, so lasting, and so enduring, that it was most important that the first ''inhabitants of a young country should set a high example, which should last for all time. In 1870 a gentleman to whom Canterbury owed much in the matter of labour in the cause of education (Mr Tancred), brought in a Bill called the Borough Schools Bill, which contemplated the erection of schools, such as the one they were now in, at the centres of population. This he felt was a wise proposal, and now they were carrying it out at a cost double or treble what it would have been then. Of course in the limits of a shoxt address like the one allotted to him, it was impossible to refer to all the points of this great subject. There were, however, one or two . points upon which he wished to say a few words. First, he hoped that teachers and school committees would not attempt to carry out a system of cramming. Education was mental training—not cramming ; and it was mental capacity for dealing with all the varied questions which might arise which it was necessary to cultivate. [ Hear.] It was also with great pleasure that he saw that the Board of Education insisted on those who undertook the education of children producing certificates of their fitness to do so. [Hear, hear.] This he took it was what should be. [Cheers.] There was one point, however, that had been overlooked, vizi, the establishment of High schools for girls. [Cheers.] This, bethought, was a project to which the public would very gladly respond. [Hear, hear] He would not detain them longer, as others were to speak, but he desired to express the deep interest he felt in the work of education, and particularly the cause of their meeting that night. He did this not only as the head of the province, but also as a settler and one who owed all he had to the land of his adoption. [Hear, hear.] The establishment of schools of the character of the one they that evening were present to open at the threshold of the province, the gate through which many had passed to fortune and ease and comfort, was a guarantee to those who might come after that they had not been unmindful of higher aims and aspirations, as well as mere material prosperity. Those who came to the threshold of the province, seeing the orphanage on one side and the noble pile of school buildings on the other, would see that they at least had done their pait in the great work of educating their young. ( Cheers.] He felt sure that numbers were that evening deeply interested in their proceedings, as those who had in this goodly laud secured to themselves competence and comfort. [Cheers.] Madame and Miss Winter then played a piano duet, “ Lord of Lome Lancers,” by Dan Godfrey, very nicely, and were deservedly applauded. Mr John Inglis, the chairman of the Board of Education, said that His Honor the Superintendent, as far back as 1863, had been busily engaged in preparing the way for the system under which they now lived. He had only recently discovered that a most valuable report, on the subject of education, had been drawn up by several residents in the province, amongst whom was his Honor the Superintendent. [Cheers.] After the many difficulties and trials through which the compaittee had passed, he was sincerely glad to be be able to congratulate them upon at last being in their own building. The building also was one which was by far the best of the kind erected, and one which reflected the greatest possible credit upon those concerned, [Cheers,] The Board of Education,

he might say, would endeavor, so far as possible, to assist in the carrying forward of the work which they had begun. It was now for the people themselves to help the staff of teachers to carry on their work, and to take advantage of the great privileges placed at their disposal by the State. They had an efficient staff of teachers, the Board, through their inspectors, wontd see that the work was done decently and in order, and, therefore, it remained with the people themselves to do the rest. They must recollect that the rising generation of to-day were their future legislators, and if they did not take advantage of the facilities placed before them by the State, they would be bringing up a generation who would be unfit to rule the destinies of the country. Let them look at the children of some countries where they Kad not been taught the three TVs, and they would see the evil effects of neglecting the education of their children. While saying this, how ever, he aid not wish to see the system stop at elementary education ; far from it, he was at one with his Honor the Superintendent when he shadowed forth a system of high schools for girls and boys too. The best friends of the system of education wished to see it go beyond the elementary portion, and he might say that the clause under which this was enabled to be done was put in with a view to enable them, after the elementary system had been well grounded, to push on higher. [Cheers.] He commended this question to the consideration of the committee, in the hope that, so soon as their classes were firmly settled and ready to go on beyond elementary education, they would avail themselves of the provision in the Ordinance. He came from a country where this was done, and if it could be in pair auld Scotland, why could it not be so in rich New Zealand. [Cheers,] Many, of course, had not yet been able to extend this, as their time had been taken np in laying the foundation, but so soon as this was done, they hoped to go on. [Hear.] There was a cry raised that they were over educating the children, but he might say that this was all nonsense. The * reason why this cry had gob up, was, he thought, because there was so much money being expended in schools, normal schools, teacher’s sala-ies, &c., but this was not over educating the people ; these buildings did not constitute all, because there was more than this required. It had been said that they would by carrying out this system over-educate the children, and make them dissatisfied with the position in which they were placed, but he contended that they should give all the opportunity of cultivating the ability of which they might be possessed, rather than to refuse them the facility to do so. [Cheers.] It might of course be expected that as chairman of the Board of Education he should give them a few statistics shewing the progress made in Lyttelton and the province. In 1863 the attendance was 296 ; in 1870, 224 ; in 1871, 330; in 1872, 425 ; in 1873, 619 ; and in 1874 (estimated), 651, These figures would show that of late years there had been a steady increase in the attendance. The cost of the school had been, so far as had been ascertained, about £7OOO, or £lO 15s per. head of the attendants. This compared favorably with the cost of schools per head in the old country, when the high rates of labor and materials were considered. The staff of teachers was maintained at a cost of £1285 per annum, or £1 19s per bead of the attendants. It was to be presumed that the latter would be increased, and the average rate reduced. If they looked at the progress of the schools in the province during the same period, the approximate results were still more remarkable. In 1863, the attendants at all schools numbered 1651, at a cost of £6700, or over £4 Is per head. In 1871, when an amended Ordinance was passed, the attendants at all schools numbered 5652, at a cost of £lO, M 9, or nearly 38s per head. In 1874 the number of attendants was estimated at 12,668, at a cost of £19,773, or nearly 32s per head. These estimates included fees and Government grants for maintenance. They had every reason to be satisfied with such results as these ; and what some persons considered a dangerous experiment would, he believed, yet achieve still greater results when the present system, which was now only in its infancy, had fully developed and had a fair trial throughout the country. They had a splendid building, well fitted with every appliance, and he could only say that if the attendance increased in anything like the ratio that they might anticipate from past results, they would soon require to erect an additmoal wing, and the Board of Education would, he felt sure, be only too willing to assist in every way possible the action of the committee in making provision for the education of the children of the borough. He could now only say that on the part of the Board of Educa ion he wished them the greatest possible success in the work that day inaugurated. (Cheers ) Miss Winter then sang “Esmeralda” capitally, receiving well deserved applause The chairman called upon Mr Newell Philips to give a reading. Mr Philips read Arthur Sketchley’s “ Mrs Brown on the Royal Russian Marriage.” Madame Winter then played a fantasia on popular airs, which was loudly applauded. Dr Donald next addressed the meeting. He claimed for himself the honor of being the pioneer of this movement, as twentythree years ago he had endeavoured to get the Colonists’ Society to memorialise the powers that ’then were to establish schools of a character similar to that in which they were now. In doing this he had a sort of local feeling, because at that time it was tried to remove all the teaching power to Christchurch, leaving them out in the cold, as it were, with only their parish schools to depend upon. In this, the hour of his triumph, he might say that he was proud to be there that night to witness the inauguration of a building in furtherance of a scheme which he claimed to be the pioneer. [Cheers.] They had in the old times rather been prone to waste theneducational strength in driblets, by dividing them amongst too many schools. He was glad, however, to see from what his Honor the Superintendent and Mr Inglis, chairman of the Board of Ed ucation, had said that they were in favor .of abolishing this waste of potver in teaching. They had now provided for them a perfect system, and it was for the people to take advantage, and by co-operat-ing with tire teachers and committee, assist them in the work of educating the young. Some time back, when speaking of this subject, he had said that if the system went no further than the three R’s, the game was not worth the candle. He still held the same opinion, and hoped to see it still go further, though when he said this he must not be understood as undervaluing primary education,

far from it, but he wished to point out that by offering still higher facilit’ s of education, they were thus fittin- : heir children to take any position whic i in the colony they might aspire to. The address lie was delivering was somewhat of a desultory character, and he must then fore be pardoned if he wandered somewhat from the subject. What he wanted to impress upon parents now was, that as they had secularised education, and religious instruction could not, therefore, be given in the schools, that they would see that they received instruction in the fundamental truths of religion. [Hear.] While admitting the great influence of education, he felt that there was something even higher which should not be neglected. He exhorted the parents of children attending the schools to see that they received that religious instruction which was so necessary [Cheers] He would, not longer detain them, but would desire sincerely to congratulate the town upon possessing so able a staff of teachers, headed by a graduate of a British University, and so handsome and commodious a pile of buildings for the purpose of education, [Cheers ] Mr Woledge then sang “ Fayre Rosamond,” and being encored, gave “ Three little pigs,” most comically. This was followed by a piano duet, nicely played by Miss and Master Grange, and deservedly applauded. Miss Winter next sang “Molly Asthore ” capitally, with much taste and expression. His Worship the Mayor then rose and proposed a vote of thanks to his Honor the Superintendent and Mr Inglis, the chairman of the Board of f ducation, for their kindness in corning amongst them that evening. It seemed but a short time back that Mr Rolleston had taken the reins of the Government, when he was but slightly known to them in Lyttelton, Now, however, he might say that the name of his Honor was a household word in Lyttelton. His Honor had always taken the very warmest interest in the cause of education. He had come amongst them and made himself known to them, and they all respected and esteemed him. Mr Inglis they well knew ; they knew that he was a constant attendant at the Board of Education, and not only that, but was a thorough working member. He asked them to accord a hearty vote of thanks to these two gentlemen. [Loud applause.] The motion was carried by acclamation. His Honor the Superintendent said that be felt this to be one of the greatest pleasures he had experienced during his term of office. He had always taken a warm interest in the cause of education, and therefore it was that he felt a peculiar pleasure at being present on such an interesting occasion. As regarded himself, he begged to thank them for the kindly way in which the names of Mr Inglis and himself had been received. To him it was more than ordinarily interesting, because it rarely fell to the lot of any public man to know that he lived in the hearts of the people, amongst whom and for whom he was endeavoring to do his best to discharge the duty devolving upon him. [Cheers,] Mr Inglis briefly returned thanks for the way in which his name had been mentioned .

His Honor the Superintendent said that he desired to ask them to join him in according a hearty vote of thanks to their chairman (Mr Webb). He bad known Mr Webb for many years and in many capacities. In every position where he could do any good there was Mr Webb, As a member of the House of Representatives, a member of thu Provincial Council, and indeed in every capacity, Mr Webb had done good service to Lyttelton, and he felt that they could do no less than acknowledge his services by a cordial and hearty vote of thanks. [Cheers.] The vote of thanks was carried amid loud and continued cheering. Mr Webb, in responding, said he thanked them most cordially for the kind way i» which they had responded to the vote of thanks so kindly proposed by his Honor. He now wished to announce that on Monday next at nine o’clock the school open its doors to receive the scholars. He desired to take this opportunity of thanking those ladies and gentlemen who had worked so hard and well to make the picnic of the previous day so thorough a success as it undoubtedly was. [Hear, hear.] It would be invidious to particularise any one when all were so worthy of praise, but, he must especially mention the names of Mrs Kenner and Mr Oliver, [Cheers.] He now declared the building open for the purposes for which it was built, and would ask those present to join in singing the National Anthem.

The National Anthem was then sung by by all present, Miss Winter taking the solo parts and Madame Winter presiding at the pianoforte, and the proceedings terminated. We may mention that the large room was crowded to excess, and that the whole of the proceedings were thoroughly successful.