A NEW SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1921, Page 6

A NEW SCHOOL.

UPPER MANGOREI DISTRICT. OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY. An addition to the number of up-to-date school buildings under the direction Of the Taranaki Education Board has been made by the erection of a new school in the Upper Mangorei- district. J.he school is a grade 2 institution, with a. roll number of 37, and the new building, ordered under the direction- of the board’s architect (Mr. C. H. Moore) offers every facility possible for the work, and is a contrast to the old structure The school is 23ft x 21ft, and is situated on a three-acre site, which should afford ample room for a playing area and horse paddock. The site is a good one, and the settlers .contributed a subsidy of £2.5 (made up of donations) towards its acquisition. There is a movement afoot to purchase the old school for conversion to a piiblic hall for .the use of residents.

The official opening of the new school took place yesterday. There was a good attendance of parents and scholars, and representatives of the Education Board were: Messrs. P. J. White (chairman), S. G. Smith, ALP., and C. H. Moore (architect). The chairman of the school committee (Mr. A. H. Balsam) presided, and called on Mr. White to declare the school open. After expressing thanks to the committee for the invitation to attend the ceremony, Mr. White read apologies from a number of members of the board, including Messrs. R. Masters, M.P., R. Deare, and H. Trimble. The Minister of Education (Hon. C. J. Parr) also wrote regretting his inability to attend, but wishing the committee a successful opening, and the school a prosperous future.

Mr. White expressed to the Minister of Education the gratitude of the board for his promptness in recognising the need of the district for a school when representations were made to him. Mangorei was one of the oldest settled portions of the Dominion, and some of its residents had become prominent in the history of the country.

TEACHING LOYALTY. The school, Mr. White said, was typical of the schools of New Zealand, as there were probably more of grade 3 (upon which Mangorei would be entering) than any other type of school. Of course it was schools of this size that the Government had to specially cater for. In a district such as Mangorei, and in every country settlement in New Zealand, the school should become the centre for the community. The settlers could do nothing better than try and bring every interest to bear upon the school life of the children growing up under their care. In every school house was born the seed of ambition for service, which was in the process of making some man who would afterwards become noted for the services rendered to his country.

Mr. White impressed upon parents the necessity for working, harmoniously together for the welfare of the school, and for the purpose of improving the school grounds. They should bring the life of the home in close touch with the life of the school. A good deal had been said-about loyalty of late, and lie was glifd. to. know that for y'ears past much had been done in this direction by the school teachers of the Dominion. Mr. White referred to the recent decision of the- Minister of Education to include the teaching of loyalty in the school curriculum. He. emphasised the importance of teaching history in the schools and hoped that this subject would play a much larger in the future than it did at present. One great authority had said that the British constitution set the standard by which half the world lived. It was only right therefore that the children of the present day should understand the history of the Empire, and the knowledge of what had happened before would enable them to more readily understand the sentiment which was attached to the present day customs of saluting the dag and the singing of the National Anthem. Mr. S. G. Smith congratulated the settlers of the district on the fact that the continuous efforts they had been making for some years past to have a decent building erected at Upper Mangorei, had been successful. He remarked" that though efforts were being made to change the system of education administration in New Zealand, if the settlers had not a board in Taranaki, and the representations had to be made to some officials in Wellington, then the district would not have secured the school. The board had put up a long and persistent fight in this case, and it was only when they got the Minister into the province, and placed the facts before him that he agreed to the suggestion to erect a new school. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

He urged the boys and girls to enter whole-heartedly into their lessons, and to do their duty to the teacher and their parents. In the interests of the State it was necessary that every boy and girl should have an equal opportunity of receiving the best education possible, and the world in years to come would be safe only through the education of the people. Mr. Smith remarked on the efforts made by the people of the district in contributing a sum of money as a subsidy towards securing the school site, and said he hoped the next move would be to apply for a subsidy for the erection of a flagstaff and the purchase of a Union Jack. The -flag meant a lot. The easiest way for other nations to gain the supremacy of the world would be to have the British Empire broken up. He hoped the subject of loyalty would be one of the special features of this school, as it had been in the others in Taranaki. Mr. Moore (the board’s architect), in addressing the gathering, impressed on the children the. importance of taking a pride in their school, helping in the improvement of the grounds, and making them a beauty spot. Other speakers were Messrs. John Brown and J. Pearce, both of whom expressed thanks to Messrs. Smith and White for the efforts made in connection with the institution of tAe new school.

A number of songs were given by the pupils, under the direction of their teacher (Miss Brown), and the talent shown was heartily appreciated by all. Before the termination of proceedings tJie gathering was provided with afternoon tea by the ladies.