SCHOOL OPENED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21188, 10 August 1940, Page 8

SCHOOL OPENED

CEREMONY AT RAGLAN EDUCATION MINISTER’S VISIT NEW SECONDARY BUILDING (Times Special Reporter) RAGLAN, Saturday Occupied earlier this year, the new Raglan District High School building was officially opened today when a visit was paid to the district by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason. Built of wood and modem in design, the school is of three rooms, accommodating 38 pupils in the secondary department, in addition to Forms I. and 11. The Raglan District High School began operations four years ago, but was housed in temporary quarters until May of this year, when the children occupied the new building. It is situated on high ground not far from the town, and enjoys a splendid view of the sea coast looking toward Ocean Beach. Official Guests Associated with Mr Mason at the opening ceremony were Mrs Mason, the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, and Mrs Martin, Messrs W. J. Campbell (chairman of the Auckland Education Board), K. I. Bowyer (a member of the board), D. W. Dunlop (secretary of the board), R. A. Pascoe (chairman of the Raglan School Committee), W. R. Moore (a member of the Raglan County Council) and H. R. Clark (headmaster of the school). Bouquets were presented to Mrs Mason and Mrs Martin by a pupil. Prior to the opening ceremony the pupils of the school gave a display of marching and drill. A welcome to the official guests was extended by Mr Pascoe, who also read a number of apologies. Before the provision of the new school, said the speaker, the pupils and teachers worked under great difficulties and they were grateful for the new building. It was in a beautiful position and was unsurpassed from a health point of view. End of Difficulties

It was hoped that the primary school children would also later be housed in the same grounds, and when that came to pass Raglan’s education difficulties would be over. A welcome on behalf of the council was extended by Mr Moore, who briefly traced the history of education in the district. Mr Campbell said that education in the Raglan district was about 74 years old, having been started under the auspices of the Wesleyan Church. After about twelve years the school was moved into cottages, remaining there for some years. In 1883 a school room was erected at a cost of £224. The district deserved the new school which was being opened, and the speaker hoped that it would become larger. He congratulated the children on their display of drill, which he described as a credit to them and their teachers. Making his first public appearance for about four months, Mr Lee Martin expressed pleasure at bejng associated wtih the opening ceremony of the secondary school, for which a wonderful site had been chosen. There was plenty of room on the site for development. With Mrs Martin, he would be pleased to donate a tree to be planted in the grounds. • “Never in the history of the world,” said Mr Lee Martin, “has there been such a need for education with character-building as a basis. If that character is not built in our school days we will be out of gear all our lives. If the ideals of truth and justice are instilled into the minds of the boys and girls hate and destruction will disappear.” Richard Seddon’s Work Mr Mason congratulated the children on their display of drill. He mentioned that the district high school system in New Zealand came into existence through the efforts of the Han. R. J. Seddon, who was one of the Dominion’s foremost workers for education. It was to his efforts that New Zealanders owed the great spread of secondary education and schools of the type which was being opened at Raglan. “When the Labour Government/ came Into office,” said the Minister, “it had to ensure that children had free education, it had to provide schools on a scale never previously contemplated in New Zealand (owing to the fact that for a number of years building had been suspended), it had to secure for the country children a standard of education equal to that enjoyed in the cities, and it had to give the teachers greater freedom. “The needs of the country children were largely met by consolidation on larger centres, conveyance services and boarding allowances. The amount of work in this direction might be gauged from the fact that conveyance costs rose from £179.000 in 1938-39 to £233,000 in 1939-40.”

Exigencies of War Several buses were also added to the school services, said Mr Mason. However, since the outbreak of war, and owing to the petrol restrictions, it had been necessary to scrutinise very carefully any new proposals for consolidation of schools, with the result that little or nothing was being done in that direction at present. Nevertheless, the Government had taken a great deal of interest in the welfare of the schoolchild, and the people could rest assured that the work would be pushed ahead as much as possible. The amounts spent on secondary schools throughout the Dominion had risen steadily from £14.679 for the year ended March, 1935, the year that Labour came into office, to £69,545 during the last financial year. Trees were planted in the grounds by the official guests and residents of the district, after which the school was declared open by the Minister. Morning tea was provided for the guests.