SOIREE AT ONE TREE POINT.

Southland Times, Issue 1569, 26 April 1872, Page 3

SOIREE AT ONE TREE POINT.

- » We are indebted to a Long Bush correspondent for the following particulars of a soiree, which took place in the school-bouse, One Tree Point, on the evening of the 23rd inst. After stating that too much praise cannot be given to the ladies for the manner in which the arrangements for the tea were carried out, our correspondent says: — After t-^a had been disposed of, the Eev. Mr Alexander (who occupied the chair) said that the total cost of the schoolhouse was £85, and of this amount only £15 remained unpaid. To endeavor to wipe out this debt, the soiree had been got up. The chairman then called upon the Rev. Mr Stobo to address the meeting, which that gentleman did in a very able a"nd humorous manner. In the course of his remarks, Mr Stobo said that upon his arrival at the school a gentleman accosted him thus — " So you have come to the funeral ?" He was puzzled, and had to ask for an explanation. " Oh," said the gentleman, " 1 mean the funeral of all the old One Tree Point bickerings and animosities." He (Mr Stobo) thought the occasion was a very suitable one for such a burial, and hoped it would be done. When he was a member of the Southland Board of Education, they were pestered with " One Tree Point," and he had often cut off a corner to escape meeting some gentleman from that district, and hearing the inevitable One Tree Point school grievance. Now, however, they had a school, and he hoped they would esteem its benefits, and cause their children to attend regularly. The next speaker was Mr Hi slop, Inspector of Schools, who said his presence at the soiree was purely the result of accident. If the people really wished their school to go ahead, they must send their children regularly, and then if the average attendance was large, at the end of a year or so they might get a comfortable residence for the teacher. People generally expected too much from a teacher — expecting him to do what should be done at home. If they wished their teacher to get on well, they should respect him, and teach their children to do the same. In his experience he had found that the regular attendance of the children, depended greatly upon the weather. When he was a teacher, he adopted the following plan for bad ■weather: — When the children came to school wet, he devoted the first hour to drying them, and as he had recommended the parents to send dry stockings and boots, the children were able to go on with their lessons dry and comfortable, and with much less danger of catching cold. He had always held the idea that if the Government opened up the country and made good roads, the school attendance throughout the whole province would increase largely. In speaking of teachers, Mr Hislop said he always looked quite as much to the moral character as to the teaching capabilities of the man. Mr Hislop concluded by saying that he hoped the school would ges on well. After the addresses, votes of thanks were passed to the ladies, choir, and chairman, and the room was cleared for dancing.