BUNNITHORPE SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 123, 28 April 1925, Page 3

BUNNITHORPE SCHOOL

OFFICIAL OPENING OF NEW BUILDING. BY SIR JAMES PARR. Yesterday marked the attainment of an objective for which the Bunnythorpe School Committee has worked throughout the past two years—the official opening of an up-to-date scholastic institution in that thriving community. The continuous and united efforts of tho committee bore good fruit, and parents wei-e rewarded by witnessing the children last week enter upon their scholastic duties for 1925 in a building complete in almost every detail, while the grounds are an object lesson to many of the more populous districts, their condition being a direct tribute to the energies of the committeemen themselves. The opening ceremony was performed in the presence of a gathering of some 200 to 1100 residents by Sir James Parr, Minister of Education. THE NEW BUILDING.

The chairman of the committee, Mr J. H. Dixon, in outlining the activities of the committee and the residents of the district in their effors to gain a new school for the town, stated that there was once a man who had said that hope deferred made the heart sick. Such a condition might well have been applied to the Bunnythorpe School Committee, for their hopes had been unattended with success for quite a period. Ultimately, ly, however, their wishes were fulfilled, and they then suffered a further setback owing to the enforced vacation due to the dreaded infantile paralysis, for they had expected the ceremony, which was being held that day, to have eventuated in February. Nevertheless, the day had at last dawned and the speaker was thankful to say that, save in one or two isolated cases, the children had practically escaped scathless from the scourge and were present in their full Health and strength. The speaker took the opportunity to congratulate Sir James Parr on the honour the King had conferred upon him. It had been strangely fitting that two of those gentlemen who had been so honoured —Sir James Parr and Sir Truby King —had interested themselves in child welfare. He was also pleased to have with them that day Hon. D. H. Guthrie, and Mr J. Linklater, members for the districts surrounding their doors; and Mr W. A. Collins, chairman of the Wanganui Education Board, for they one and all had aided them in various ways. It was a pleasure also to have with them Mr G. H. Espiner, who had for so many years held the position of headmaster at the old school. Ho had to apologise for the unavoidable absence of Mr L. Pascoe, tho secretary of the committee, whose duties had called him elsewhere. Passing on to a review of the activities leading up to the erection of tho school, the speaker stated that two years ago, with a view to strengthening their hands when they approuched the Education Department, a canvass of the district for funds had been undertaken, when tho response had been all that could he desired, some £375 resulting. The committee had then approached the department and had offered to purchase an area of four acres for the site of the new building, and the department had consented. Later, the Minister for Education, Sir James Parr, had been interviewed when passing through Bunnytliorpe, and ho had assured the committee that the amount for the school building would be placed on the Estimates. It been a very joyous day when the work had been undertaken, hut it had not been fully completed with the erection of the building itself, for some 20 chains of fencing, the planting of 300 macrocarpu trees surrounding tlio grounds in addition to an ornamental hedge, the concreting of the entrance to the building from the roadway and the playground area at the rear of the school, und tlio shifting of the old outbuildings which had been put to various uses, had been undertaken by the committee, the greater portion of the work having been done by voluntary labour on their part. The Education Department, continued the speaker, had purchased the adjoining two acres and thus the school possessed a playing area of six acres, of which some 100 feet by 40 feet was laid in concrete, apart from the pathways, the incidentals having entailed the expenditure of £125 on the part of the committee. MINISTER’S TRIBUTE.

“It is impossible for a Minister to get to all school openings,” stated Sir James Parr, in liis opening remarks, but be bad decided to attend the Bunnythorpe function for lie laid realised and appreciated the spirit of the ’’committee which bad led to their being prepared to themselves help in the attainment of their desires. The chairman bad referred with pride to the attainment of their desires, and

he personally wished to extend bis congratulations to the committee on the work performed for the benefit of the children. The department had appreciated the action of the committee and residents of supplying the four acres and he would have liked to have done more for them, but want of funds restricted bis activities. The residents had conferred a blessing on the children in furnishing them with sucl} a play area, for it would assist in the building up of strong bodies, and without sound bodies what was the good of scholastic knowledge ? There it was where the children obtained the team spirit such as had been displayed on Anzac Day ten years ago. Owing to lack of* foresight in earlier days, many of the schools in the cities stood on areas of not more than a quarter of an acre, but such would not lie said of Bunnythorpe when it attained the dimensions of Wellington. (Laughter.) The school belonged to the district in reality and in the helping of its interests, the residents were helping the better part of themselves—the children. The purpose of the school, continued the speaker, was to give knowledge, for knowledge was power to-day; yet it had a greater purpose—the cultivating of art to enjoy their Jives. Although farmers had told him that they worked 25 hours out of the 24 (laughter)—it was essential for the future men and women to know how to enjoy tlieir leisure hours, and to this end tho development of a taste for good literature and also for music should be inculcated in the minds and hearts of the young. Scholastic training was in consequence not only learning how to earn a living, but how best to enjoy the leisure hours, for the greatest handicap in life was to possess a closed mind. Other functions of school life were the development of good character, loyalty to the school, country and Empire. An important task faced every teacher in the moulding of tho child’s character and the making of true men and women. There was no country to approach New Zealand, and God had given a great heritage to the people of the laud, but it was essentiaf that the

future generation be such as to prove worthy of it- that the hoys grow up afraid to tell a lie, loyal to their mates, school, teachers and committee, and the girls grow into intelligent, noble women so that the future would find them vying with the mothers of men of the stamp of theAnzacs. TEACHER’S IMPORTANCE. After all, added the speaker, although the Minister, education members, etc., were necessary, the teacher stood in the firing line, they being merely in reserve, for it almost invariably followed that, as the teacher was, so was the child. To assist in the development of the teacher, the educational authorities were playing an ever greater role. Whereas, when he assumed office, there were 327 teachers attending training colleges, to-day found that number extended to 1257. They were thus being given wonderful opportunities, but it was necessary that the future teachers of the children bo of the right stamp. The teacher was the most important person in the community, for his work could not he over-estimated. In referring to the school motto, “Perseverance,” which adorned the school wall, the Minister stated that it was undoubtedly an excellent one, for it was not always the wise mail who secured the prizes in life; the fruits ot attainment more frequently passed to one who was prepared to persevere and overcome all obstacles. In conclusion, he exhorted the pupils to ever bear that in mind and to do their utmost which would guin for them victories in later life. “LIVED ON THE JOB.” Mr W. A. Collins, chairman of the Wanganui Education Board, in revealing the circumstances surrounding Ids first meeting with the present, committee, stated that two years ago a burly-looking lot of men had called on him and demanded a new school. The board had found that the visitors were prepared to help themselves and this had played a big part in the actions of that body. The building before them, which consisted of three class rooms with headmaster’s office, cloak room, etc., had cost £2332 to erect, plus half of the heating apparatus, £65, and £325 for the school furniture. The school committee had borne half the cost of the heating apparatus, in addition to undertaking all the work of improvement to the school grounds. Some of the members ot tho committee had apparently lived on the job, and no doubt the Minister would reward them by paying to the committee a subsidy on the work they had so willingly undertaken. Tho school itself, concluded the speaker, had been built by day labour, which system was far superior to letting work by tender. GOOD DISTRICT AND LIVE PEOPLE.

Hon. ]D. H. Guthrie, in the course of a few brief remarks, stated that the original school had been one of the first to be erected outside Palmerston North or Feilding, and it had served its purpose faithfully and well. The new building differed vastly from the old, but it was by no means too big or too grand, and lie was of tho opinion that ere long it would prove too small. The district was a good one and the people were fully alive to their own requirements and lie was pleased to find that they were quite prepared to work for the attainment of their ends. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT’S TASK.

Mr J. Linklater, in referring to the presence of Sir James Parr, stated that lie was sure that gentleman was the right man in the right place. Although the attainment of their desires had seemed over long to the people of the district, it must be remembered that the Minister had some 6000 schools and 241,000 children under his charge, and the catering for all their wants was a momentous task. Relative to the remarks passed concerning His personal activities in the matter, he assured the committee that what he had done had been performed willingly, but he was pleased to learn that the residents liau realised the value of. their School Committee by returning them again to office at the recent elections. They were without doubt the best in tho world. (Applause.) The children present were entering upon a new life, but he hoped that they would not forget the traditions of the old school. CALIBRE OF THE PIONEERS.

Mr H. Mclntyre, district representative on the Wanganui Education Board, in thanking the committee for its invitation to be present, explained that they had ever expected great things from Bunnythorpe and it was apparent that, in turn, nothing less than great tilings would satisfy the residents of the district. The speaker recalled the old days when the pupils helped fell the bush surrounding the building and then humbly took their places at their desks. Those pupils had worked their way through life against great obstacles, and it was indeed pleasing to find them maintaining their interest in their district school. It had been evident that the residents had ever been kindly natured, for Mr G. H. Espineiythe former headmaster, had been with them for some 37}- years, and had apparently enjoyed every moment of his time, or at least his leisure moments. (Laughter.) A RESPECTED MASTER.

On Mr G. H. Espiner rising to address the company lie was greted with sustained applause which pointed to the high esteem which is entertained for him by the old jiupils. “It is undoubtedly a red letter day for Bunnythorpe,” stated the speaker, “that you have two such important functions on in one day. The roots of my existence are closely attached to Bunnythorpe and I am able to look back over a long period of years. Changes have taken plaee ( but the most important change has ucen in the education principles. In the old days results were viewed by examination proficiency and to that end it had been considered necessary to cram in or smash into the minds and brains of the pupils as much knowledge as 1 they could absorb. The pupils had been likened to a lot of horse-s lined up—the racer, the hunter, the hack and the draught. The first two classes were all right, the third required a certain amount of whip, while the fourth was hopelessly out of it. It had been a case of spoil the rod to save the child, and, owing to the teacher suffering from what was called ‘inspectoritis,’ the child was harassed at homo and at school and, as the Americans said, had a ‘hell of a time.’ (Loughter.) During the past decade the child has, however, come into his own. The child is ‘king’ and the Education Department lias fully realised this. Unfortunately, the one ■ ‘king’ is subjected to the influence of another ‘king’—the almighty dollar—and Sir Jaine.s Parr has ever to pinch to provide for the many wants of his family.” FORMER CHAIRMAN.

Messrs Currie and W. Eggleton, former chairmen of the school committee, recounted conditions pertaining in the olden days, maintaining that the spirit of self-help which had been evidenced down the passing years had been directly Attributable to the influence of their old master, Mr Espiner. While secondary education had its advantages,

stating the latter speaker, too much importance had been attached to it, and it was preferable that a good, sound foundation be laid in the primary school. The headmaster, Mr J. O. Webber, extended thanks on behalf of the teaching staff and himself for the kind references made relative to them. He had still distinct recollections of Iris dismay when he had first viewed the old school and the erection of the new building had carried with it a good deal of satisfaction to himself. No one knew better than himself the vast amount of effort entailed on the part of the committee in the attainment of their objective, and he did irot hesitate to say that the committee was the best ho had encountered in his 20 years’ experience. Air W. B. Duthie, a member of the committee returned thanks to Sir James and Lady Barr and the various speakers for thier attendance, Sir James, in turn, calling for a vote of thanks, which was carried with acclamation, to the head teacher and his staff and the committee.