NEW SCHOOL

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1922, Page 8

NEW SCHOOL

STRATFORD INSTITUTION. , V TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. THE OPENING CEREMONY. The opening of the new Technical High School at Stratford marks an epoch in the history of technical education in Taranaki, and one that is probably destined ro have an important bearing on the advancement of knowledge, especially that of practical agriculture throughout the province. It is hoped ultimately to make the institution the centre of agricultural instruction for Taranaki, and the favorable position it occupies, and the excellence of the building for the purpose, make the realisation of the hope appear probable.

The official opening ceremony, was performed yesterday by the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, in the presence of a large gathering of the general public. Among those on the official platform with Mr and Mrs. Parr were Messrs. R. Masters, M.P., S. G. Smith, M.P., J. W. McMillan’(Mayor of Stratford), P. J. H. White (chairman of the Taranaki Education Board), E. Walter (chairman of the Stratford County Council), J. W. Boon (chairman of the Stratford School Committee), L. C. Sladden (New Plymouth High Schools Board of Governors), H. W. Insull (secretary to the board), C. H. Moore (architect), and the school staff. A number of apologies were read from various gentlemen interested in the school, including a letter from the late headmaster (Mr. F. A. Tyrer)., On reaching the platform Mrs. Parr was presented by Miss Molly Copping with a bouquet. A HOSTEL WANTED.

In introducing Mr. Parr, Mr. J. W. Boon (chairman of the advisory board of the school) said they were greatly indebted to the member for the district and to the Education Board for their activities in getting the school founded. He also mentioned the necessity of a boys’ and girls’ hostel in connection with the school. He did not wish to harass the Minister at the present time of financial stringency,* but such hostels were an absolute necessity if the best results from the school were to be realised. Residents in distant .parts of the country did not care to send 'their children to live in the town to attend the school without some kind of parental control, and the hostels would fill this need. It was the intention to give the school a strong agricultural bias, and in this connection he mentioned the proximity of the Stratford demonstration farm, in conjunction with which it was hoped to make the school the centre of agricultural instruction in Taranaki in the future. Mr. E. Walter (chairman of the Stratford County Council) extended a welcome to the Minister on behalf of the county. The Mayor of Stratford( Mr. J. W. McMillan) welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Parr on behalf of the of Stratford. The function, he said, was Jo celebrate the completion of a scheme which commenced seven or eight years ago. He mentioned the work of the late headmaster of the Stratford School, and presented the new school with an enlarged photograph of Mr. Tyrer, inscribed with a eulogy of his work for the school. The Mayor took the opportunity of welcoming Mr. Amess and Mr. Furrie, who had recently joined the staff of the school. A DISTRICT SCHOOL.

Mr. P. J. H. White spoke of the progress of education in Taranaki. He looked forward to the commencement of university classes in Stratford. He paid a tribute to the past work of the schools in Stratford, and urged the children to aid the good work being done for education. Mr. .R. Masters, M.P., on behalf of the electorate, extended a welcome to the Minister. He said that although the school was located in Stratford it was not only a Stratford school; it was for all in the district to come and make the best use of it. The school provided academic classes right up to the university. That the school should have a strong agricultural bias was as it should be in an agricultural district. They were fortunate to get the school when they did, as a little later on there would have been great difficulty in raising £15,000 to £17,000 for school purposes. Mr. White then introduced Mr. A. R. R. Amess, the newly-appointed director of the school, who said the school stood for labor and all that was good and noble in hard work. In some schools there was a tendency to regard hard work with shame, but this school stood for better things. He appealed to the people of the district to join in with him in making it a school to be proud of. Mr. J. W. Boon presented Mr. Parr, on behalf of the advisory board, with a silver key, and in doing so hoped that in the near future the surroundings would show an appearance in keeping with the new school. EPOCH IN EDUCATION. The Minister said they were present to greet a new epoch in the history of education in the town and district. “Believe me,” he said, “this school marks a most distinct advance in the history of education in Stratford. You waited for it, I have been told, with exemplary patience. You have got it, and your patience has been amply rewarded, for the school has cost a lot of money.” (Laughter.)

The beginning of things so far as the school was concerned, Mr. Parr‘said, went back to 1918, when the first Government grant was made. That amounted to £l7OO for the purchase of the site. He congratulated them on the excellent site, the situation close to the Model Farm being an exceedingly wise provision. “You will never regret it,” said the Minister, “and it is one that will have a marked effect on the instruction that will be given within these walls.” Reverting to the stages in connection with the establishment of the school, the Minister said the grant for the building (£7500) was also made in 1918. The sum, however, was soon found to be a mere drop in the ocean, compared with the legitimate demands of Stratford, and he had had to supplement that till the cost of the building now amounted to £17,500. In addition to that the building would have to he furnished. Already grants totalling within a few pounds of £lOOO had been made for the furnishing and equipment of the school, so that the total bill for the school to-day exceeded the sum of ,£20,000. He believed that the money had been well spent, and that they had got good value for it. He wanted them to realise in the spending of the money that the Government wanted them to feel that it was not a Government school—it belonged to the people of the district, and it behoved them to make the best possible use of their own , property. He joined heartily with Mr. ’ Masters and the headmaster in the wish that when the hat went round among themselves in connection with the appeal on behalf of the grounds improvement I fund they would not be behind in giving ‘ - ...

THE-SCHOOL’S RECORD. “If the school attains in its new sphere the same success as the old district high school had in its day I shall be satisfied,” continued the Minister. “I join Very heartily in all that has been said in regard to Mr. Tyrer, the late headmaster of the school. He was not a man of high academic distinctions, but he had something which academic attainments do not always bring—he had a true vision in regard to education. In including agricultural and dairy science he did the wise and right thing; he was ahead of his time. All over New Zealand we desire that these schools shall have a vocational bias, in some direction or other, and, in a district like this, preferably in agriculture.” Traversing the record of the school, Mr. Parr said that last year a number of higher leaving certificates were granted, <36 pupils gained free places, and, above everything, the school had the honor —a unique one among district high schools—of winning a junior university scholarship. Therefore, if the new school, under the expert guidance of a competent headmaster and staff, could continue the work of the old school it would have achieved something. Reference had been made to the object of these schools; it was perfectly true that the department hoped to have running a particular course of instruction. They wanted the old type of academic course and also the commercial course. The former was desired because they realised that the country boy should have a chance with his town brother of studying for the professions if he desired. At the same time, there should be a bias towards a vocational course, and that course should be the primary industry of the country. Mr. Parr rejoiced with the people in taking such a keen interest in the school. He wanted to see the boys grow up to be good men and good citizens. He wanted them to remember that nothing in this life that was worth while could be got except by hard work. He wanted to say to the boys that there was no pleasure in life equal to the pleasure got from a good task nobly done. With regard to the girls, he hoped they would grow up to be good women and wives, remembering that some day it would be their higher function to keep a home of their own. They should have kindly hearts to be good women, citizens and mothers of the Dominion. Declaring the school open, the Minister said he hoped the generation of young people would grow up to be loyal-hearted, efficient citizens of the Dominion. Mr. Parr then turned the key of the main door, the ceremony being followed by the singing of the National Anthem.

At the conclusion of the opening cere mony afternoon tea was dispensed in the domestic science room, an orchestra enlivening proceedings. Meanwhile the school was thrown open for inspecc'on, and for some time was thronged with an interested crowd. A FINE BUILDING. The new school is a handsome concrete structure, finished in roughcast, with a wide-spreading ground plan in the f orm of the letter “H”. The first impression of the building is of utility and substantiality rather than of architectural beauty. The many windows and ventilators are eloquent of ample light and fresh air. The spacious grounds, in their crude state, detract from the general appearance of the school, but the lack of funds has so far precluded any attempt at beautification. .However, energetic committees already have schemes for the raising of funds for this purpose in hand, among which is an. effort by the Stratford retailers to raise £lOOO by the surprise envelope system. The main entrance to the building is in the centre of a long corridor, out of which open the masters’ and prefects’ rooms and several class rooms. Crossing this corridor at right angles and at each end are the two main wings. The right wing is devoted to the girls, and the chiefly to the boys. A large and airy domestic science kitchen occupies the front of the right wing, the girls’ cloak rooms, etc, extending to the rear. The left wing, which extends further back and branches to the rear of the main building, is chiefly occupied by the boys, being divided into a number of class rooms and two large laboratories, one for agricultural science and the other for physics. At the present time very little furniture or appliances have been fitted in the school, but this is arriving in instalments, and meanwhile classes are being carried on under difficulties. The ultimate intention is to give the institution a strong leaning towards the advancement of agricultural knowledge, and, being in the centre of a great agricul Rural district, there is no doubt that the school has a bright future before it in this respect. The Stratford demonstration farm adjoins the grounds at the and it is stated that arrangements will eventually be made to connect the functions of the two institutions.