NEW SCHOOL AT KORU.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1921, Page 7

NEW SCHOOL AT KORU.

THE OPENING CEREMONY. A long-felt need in the Koru district lias at last been filled, a new and uptdnlate public school being opened there yesterday, to replace the old and inadequate structure that has done service for many years. The opening ceremony was performed by Mr. P. J. H. White (chairman of the Taranaki Education Board) in the presence of a large gathering of parents and children of the district. Others present included Messrs. S. G. Smith, M.P., R. J. Deare (members of the Taranaki Education Board), H. J. Thornton (seci retary to the board) and C. H. Moore I (the board’s architect). 1 Mr. J. W. Pentelow (chairman of the school committee), in welcoming the visitors, said this was a red letter day in the history of the district. They realised the financial difficulties of the board, and were pleased to see that the needs of Koru had been recognised. In response to the request of the chairman, Mr. E. C. Meredith, a pioneer of the district, briefly addressed the gathering. He said that when he came to Koru 30 years ago Mrs. Meredith took over the first school as its teacher. ■£hey had then a family of seven, and the. children had to sleep in a tent. Briefly tracing the progress of the school, Mr. Meredith told how it had been maintained and enlarged by the .aid of entertainments.

Mr. S. G. Smith said he was glad to see that the people of Koru realised the necessity of equipping their children for the battle of life. They knew that they were entitled to improved schooling facilities and by perseverance they had secured them. Some people said the country schools were not getting the same benefits as those in the towns, but he assured them the policy of the board was to foster education in the country districts. It could not be said in Taranaki that a larger proportion of money was spent on the town schools than on country schools. Mr. Smith wished the school every success, emphasising that success depended on the harmonious relations between teachers, parents and pupils. In declaring the school open, Mr. P. J. 11. White said he was pleased to be associated with the Koru people in .such an important event. He hoped the children and their parents would take education seriously. The real function of education, which was often misunderstood, was ‘to fit the children to take their proper place in life. It was more important that they should know the contents of their books than that the books should be provided free. The average politician was too apt to place education too far down the scale of importance, and the control of the principles of education was left to the people themselves. At the conclusion of the ceremony, afternoon tea was dispensed in the Koru hall. Mr. R. J. Deare proposed a hearty Vote of thanks to the ladies for providing the refreshments, and this was carried bv acclamation.

The school is on up-to-date wooden structure, well ventilated and lighted. The class-room measures 21ft Gin by 23ft, giving 494 square feet of fli>?r space. The roll number, on the op«mof the next term, will be 44, and thus each pupil will be provided wkh over 11 square feet of floor space.