MAORI HISTORY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 35, 25 February 1937, Page 6

MAORI HISTORY

Hastings High School Essay Competltion BISHOP BENNETT S SHIELD A shield, to be awarded annnally, has been presented by the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt. Rev. P. A. Bennett, to the Hastings High School for a competition for the best essay on some subject relating to Maori lore, customs or history. The Principal of the school, Mr W. A. G. Penlington, has 'acquainted " the Hastings Branch- of the Historical Society with the conditions of the competition. They are: Elsdon Best's book, "The Maori As He Was," shall be xegarded as the basis for subject matter, and a number of copies of the book shall be available to intending competitors for study. A choice of three subjccts, which shall be. selected by the principal of the School, will be allowed; and the subjects shall be announced at a xeasonable interval before the closing date of the competitions. • The prineipal will arrange for the holding of the competition and for the judging of the essays. The Hawke's Bay Historical Society will present a book or books dealing. with the Maori, to the value of one guinea. The course which was adopted this year was as follows: Pour copies of Elsdon Besfs book were available for several months before the date of the competition. The choice of subjects was announced about a week. before (the idea being to encourage the pupils first to read widely and finally to specialise on their selected subject). The subjects were "The Home Life of the Maori," "The Maori at War," and "The Maori as a Fisherman." Essay s were wntiun in school, under supervision, and a whole afternoon was allowed. Candidates were allowed to bring with thern. notes not exceeding 20 words. They used nom-de-plumes to which only the supervising teacher knew the key. After obtaining the opinions of four people (two history teachers and two others) regarding the ossays, the principal made the flnal decision himself.