THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 18, 10 July 1912, Page 1

THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

—♦ AT THE OPENING FUNCTION. SPEECHES AND PREDICTIONS. AN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE FORECAST.

The District High School Committee did their best to make the opening of the recently completed Technical School a red-letter day in the annals of Pukekohe, and the Fates were kind, for it was a perfect winter day. The Education Board party, consisting of Mr G. J. Garland (chairman), Mr G. H. Murray (one of the members of the Northern Ward), Mr George George (director of Technical Education), Mr Farell varchitect) arrived by the express, and were subsequently joined by Mr E. K. Mulgan (chief inspector). The visitors were entertained at lunch at the Pukekohe Hotel, where they were joined by the members of the Franklin County Council and other residents of the town and district. After lunch the party proceeded to the school grounds, where the cadets and children wero mustered by the new Te< hnical School. A largo number of people also assembled to listen to t laspeeches. The Technical School is erected at the back of the High School, some distance away. It is well built of weatherboard. There is a domestic science room, the dimensions of which are 28ft fiin by 2.5 ft, with a 14ft stud. There are seven large windows in the room, so that there will be ample light. The fittings provide all the facilities for instruction in the art of housewifery. Water is laid into the sinks, there is a copper for the washing, a room for heating the irons, a pantry and a lavatory. The girls of Pukekohe are thus to be provided with the means of becoming the practical housewives of the future For the boys there is a woodwork room, similar in size to the domestic science room. In this room the art of the carpenter and joiner, and such other crafts as maybe decided upon, will be taught. The Arrangements. The cooking room received its " baptism," as one member remarked, and was converted into an afternoon tea room. Mesdames Perkins, Pilkington, Erlandson and other ladie- were in charge of this, and when ai'terao-ii tea was served found numerous willing helpers. During the afternoon a collection to defray oxponses—for the School Committee suffers from chronic impecuniosity—was taken up, when the sum of £4 10s was realised. The Rev F. Dobson and Mr F. Perkins were the collectors. "You could not get two better men for the job," was the chairman's opinion. Speeches. Mr C. K. Lawrie (Chairman of the District High Sehol Committee ) after welcoming the visitors, said he was pleased to see that the people were with them- in their movement The gathering was an advertisement. They wanted to show the people how they had improved the grounds They were contemplating going in for swimming baths, and ho felt sure they had only to ask and the people would be with them. Mr R. F. Webster drew comparisons of the first school in Pukekohe with the fine buildings they had that day. The tirst school was a building of slabs, a nikau roof and an earthem floor. He detailed the history of the schools in Pukekohe from this building to the present day, and paid a tribute to the early settlers, who had such a hard tight to provide the necessities of life and education for their children. Reforring to the building they wore opening that day. the movement was first started in 1909. They were sot vory ambitious, and thought if they could raise t'H'O they were doing very well. Thanks, howuver, to the euergy of the Committee, and particularly to one member, whose efforts wore responsible for the collection of £l3o—the sum of £2OB 12s was raised. They now had the building, and it remained for the parents of the children to see that they attended, " or else this will be a white elephant." Competition throughout the world was becoming keener and tiny must prepare themsilves to tak< 'henpart in tin- commercial tight " Boys and girls, you now have a chance of getting a better star' than your parent? over had." He < oiicluded by urging upon children to take advantage of the opportunities the Technical School presented. Tin-chairman then called on Mr G J Garland, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, to open the school. On behalf of the Committee he presented Mr Garland with a silver key bearing the following inscription, "Presented to <j Garland, Esq, chairman Auckland Education Board, on tlie opening of the Technnal School, Pukekohe.'' Mr G. J. Garland expressed Ins pleasure at being present oil tinoccasion. The people of Pukekuiic

had been largely responsible for the tine building he was called to open Had it not been for their liberal financial response the school would not have been there that day. Ho touched at some length on the various schools that had been in Pukekolie, stating the first building was erected in 1887. ("He is only talking about weather board schools " whispered Mr Webster to our reporter). The averI age attendance for the June quarter j was 207 at the primary school, 18 at the secondary department. He predicted that ere long the school would be found too small and " the Committee would badger the Board for i another room, and if they badgered hard —for the Board would badger the Department- th°y would get it.'' In referring to th° -'ducationa! progress of the diMnrt, h>- said: "You have 'done' well and will now be glad that everything is in ' motion." This was a play upon the names of the Mayor and the County Council ("hailman. The speaker paid a tribute to the services of Messrs J W. Johns, It. F. Webster and the members of the Committee. The School and laboratory had i.ist 11,200, " so the Department has not tieated us badly, But if you good folks had not helped yourselves the Board would not have met with such assistance.The Department had also granted £2M for the equipment of the school, and this did not include appliances for the laboratory He thought the Board could be congratulated in having a live man at the head of their Technical affairs and eulogised the enthusiasm and energy of Mr George George. He complimented the headmaster Mr D It. Fiavell'', and his stall' «n the excellent work they were doing. He claimed that the Board was never ou j better terms with School Committees i than at present. The Board never J refused to do anything that was j reasonable or just. lie hoped that the day was not far distant when the I present building would be used as an I Infants School and " on yonder site'" I —pointing to the paddock behind the playground '' there will be an Agricultural Cottage or i School with an Agricultural -I 'Dias." lie hoped j

that they w< uld be aide to hand over very shortly to the Committee the four acres at the back. Referring to the agricultural value of Pukekolie district Mr Garland said : " Jou have a splendid district here ; one of the finest heirlooms Nature ever presouted to man." He emphasised the value of the Technical School to tlio District. He then unlocked the door and formally declared the school open. Three cheers were given for MiGarland. Mr George Gouge dwelt at some length on the value of wood work, not merely with the idea of turning out carpenters or joiners but as a completion and balance of any buy's education. Classes would be held at the Technical School in cookery, dressmaking-, drawing and other subjects for adults. " A sural course " was very important in any agricultural district and he ventured to assert that a very laige percentage of New Zealanders did not realise that the prosperity of New Zealand depended on the growth of the produce of New Zealand. Some day the present prices might fall and then the producer would realise the necessity of scientific production. He predicted that in five or six years South -litfrica would be a serious rival t<>V;'New Zealand in the London markets Mr E. Iv. Mulgan, Chief Inspector of the Auckland Education Board, spoke at some length on the aims and ideals of education, and explained the change in theory which had taken place in recent years. " Education like money has no value unless used." He regretted that the' attendance at the secondary department, not only in Pukekohe but elsewhere was not nearly as satisfactory as was anticipated or desired In the High Schools pupils were taught the elements of agriculture. No attempt was made to teach them to become farmers. It was his belief that a great many farmers looke I with a feeling of amused contempt upon the work done in the High Schools Farmers fro- j quently failed to realise that things j would not remain they are, audi thus were inclined to overlook the j good work done by the High Schools. I The objects of those institutions was to iuduce pupils to bring intelligence j to bear upon their work. There was > a terious danger of young people j being attracted to town:. It was easy ! to understand why, the town life Con- ] tained u.ore pleasure and attractions.!

j He hoped that pareuts would take i advantage for their children of the ' piiv.leges jjlnxjcd within their readi. He referred to the ! excellent work done by the Board's urehit'Ct and could say there were ; very few, certainly no better, school | buildings than in the Auckland district. In wishing- the Technical | .School ewry success he asked for the j co-operation and support of the | district. | At this stage the Chairman read ! the following telegram from Mr W. ! F. Massey, M.P. : j " Kindly apologise for my unavoid--1 able absence to-day. Allow me to ! congratulate the district upon its ! remarkable progress, and to express ; the hope that the Technical School will I prove an invaluable help to the town and district." Mr Garland stated he had also i received a telegram from Mr Massey ■ asWfijjfcliim to apologise for his inabitflpto be present. He felt sure if i had been there he would I have congratulated the townspeople j on their becoming a Borough and the j i country residents on forming a j County. j Mr \V. Dunn, Mayor of Pukekohe, | refeired to the necessity of appreciating the value of a Technical School. As one who had taken an active part in the up-hill work of raising funds he wished on behalf of the community to acknowledge the' whole-hearted fcuppoit they had received from the j Education Board. He was quite in agreement with Mr Garland as to the friendly relations which existed be- [ tween Boards and Committees, not only at present, but in the past. He was whole-heartedly a supporter of technical education. He took the opportunity of welcoming the members of the Franklin County Council, and the chairman and members of the Manukau County Council. Mr J. Flanagan apologised for the absence of Mr C. Motion, chairman of the Franklin County Council. He refeired to the difference that 30 years had made to Pukekolie. He hoped full advantage would be taken of the Technical School. The present was the age of specialisation and parents must see that their children were fully equipped to take their part in the battle of life. He wished the school every success. Mr Mackenzie, chairman of the Manukau 'County 'Council", hoped in ten years to attend the opening of an agricultural college in Pukekolie. It was one of the most tlourishing and rising towns in New Zealand. "It's the people that push that get things ; your worthy Mayor is a pusher, and it won't lie his fault if Pukekolie does not get what it wants.'' The chairman, after thanking the public for their ' attendance, the staff for the manner they had arranged things, and the children for the way they had behaved, announced that afternoon tea was ready and the children would have cakes given them. Judging by the outburst of shrill cheers this was the most popular speech of the afternoon. The public then entered and inspected the school, afternoon tea being handed round.