SIXTY YEARS AGO

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20728, 11 February 1939, Page 9

SIXTY YEARS AGO

SCHOOL’S FOUNDATION WHATAWHATA JUBILEE REUNION OF FORMER PUPILS Memories extending over 60 years were revived to-day when the diamond jubilee of the Whatawhata School was celebrated at a reunion of former pupils. The function recalled the early efforts of the pioneers to make provision for the education of their children in the days when the Whatawhata district wa9 without roads and wheat grew where the present farmers now graze their cattle and sheep. In 1877 the district’s earliest settler, Mr John Ferguson, who had come to Whatawhata in the fifties to manage a flour mill, led an unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Education Board to provide a school. In the following year the settlers again asked for a school, and the board, faced with providing for 34 children of school age, arranged for the constitution of a school district at Whatawhata, enabling the settlers to elect a committee. Private arrangements had been made in the meantime with Mrs M. E. Hooper, of Auckland, to open a temporary school, which was established in a former military hospital re-erected near the old racecourse. Later the school was moved to a house owned hr Mr J. Moore, nn the riverbaftk in what is now Mr R. Martin’s property. First Householders' Meeting At the first meeting of householders the following committee was elected: Messrs Cornelius Day (chairman), James Braithwaite, Arthur Dawson. T. R. Hiridle. and T. Bernard. The Education Board was recommended to reserve 1i acres for a school, and this was done, the original building being completed in May. 178. In the early days the school was the community centre, being used for church services, dances and social functions. With the expansion of the town area at Whatawhata a hall and church were built, and this relieved the school of its burden as the centre of social functions. Shortly after the opening of t.he school Mrs Hooper left to take up a position at Karakariki, and Mr H. N. LeGallais took her place. By 1892 the roll had increased considerably, and a probationary teacher. Miss M. Butcher was appointed. Well-known Headmaster During the sixty years that the Whatawhata School lias served the educational needs of the district probably none of its teachers was so well known as Mr James Sul ton. who for 25 vears was headmaster. Particularly interested in all sports. Mr Sutton was responsible for keeping his school's name well to (lie fore in competitions in the Waikato. Mr Sutlon now lues in retirement at Katikati. * llie following is a list of the bead

teachers since the school's incepflon: Mrs M. E. Hooper, 1878. Mr H. N. LeGallais, 1879; Mr R. Gooddine Boler, 1880-1882. Mr James La Trobe, 1882-1883 Mr Charles A. Walter, 1883-1880. Mr Henry B. Wilson (relieving), 1883. Mr George B. Morgan, 1886-1889. Mr John Pain, 1889-1891. Mr Walter Bapson, 1892-1895. Mis 9 Mary Sturtevant (relieving), 1895. Mr W. A. Pilkington, 1896-1901. Miss R. Bowen, 1902-1908. Mr James Sutton, 1909-1933. Mr Kenneth McKenzie, 4934-1939. j In charge of the arrangements for ' the jubilee celebrations to-day are Mr H. Johnstone, chairman of the jubilee committee, and Mrs A. Rowe and Miss N. Egan, joint secretaries.