Logbook - 1894

1894 

24th January 

Opened School today after 6 weeks vacation. 

31st January 

Mrs Bell instructed the girls in sewing 

9th February 

Sydney Young and Fanny Belliss left.

12th February 

May Nicholls left 

13th February 

Ronald Owen [started as] First Year Pupil Teacher ¹ &#185

14th February 

Mr Southey wrote objecting to his daughter, Mary, being taught sewing by Mrs Bell.

15th February 

Mr O’Connor wrote complaining about the treatment his son Arturo received from Tom Collerton on his way home from school. Collerton denied the allegation 

19th February 

48 children present today 

5th March 

Admitted Eliza and Mary Dickens 

6th March 

Mr De May, drill instructor, visited the school today and instructed the children in drill. Mr Mangnuson was present. 

22nd March 

Dismissed the school for Good Friday and informed the children it would reopen on Easter Monday and, after the examination, the school would be closed for two days in lieu of Easter Monday and Tuesday 

14th April 

Admitted two new scholars -  James Power and Gertrude Sercombe 

19th April 

57 present today.

20th April 

Closed the school this afternoon to enable me to assist in preparing the hall for the children’s social in the hall. 

23rd April 

Messrs Belliss, Hancock, Wickstead, Bovie [Bovey], Perry, A Nicholls and Raleigh were elected members of the School Committee.

25th April 1894 

The appointment of a pupil teacher was authorised.

27th April 

Mr Perry attended the school this afternoon and distributed the money won by the children on the school picnic day.

30th April 

Mr Deane requested me to allow his children to leave at 3 O’clock every afternoon during the winter.

 2nd May 

Allowed the children to leave at 2.45 on account of the funeral of Mr Stewart who was accidently shot whilst pig hunting last Sunday. 

James Stewart, a sheep farmer of Waitawhiti, was out pig hunting yesterday, near Tenui, and was subsequently found dead with a bullet wound in his thigh. It is supposed he accidentally shot himself, and bled to death. 

3rd May 

Mrs Smith requested me to allow her children to leave at 3 pm every winter afternoon. 

7th May 

Mr Forman requested me to allow James Power to leave school at 3 O’clock during the winter. 

18th May 

Mr Southey requested me to allow her children to leave school at 3 O’clock during the winter 

21st May 

A sharp shock of earthquake was felt in school today at 9.45 a.m. 

4th June 

On the votes of the children for the best behaved boy in and out of the school. I awarded Mr Blair’s Special Prize to Joe Schofield 

6th June 

Mary Ann Moorcock had a fit this afternoon. I attended to her, and administered diluted brandy, which strengthened her. Sent her home in charge of Nellie Knight.

7th June

Alice Schofield was suddenly taken ill. Sent her to the house. My wife put her to bed and she remained all night, going home this afternoon. 

13th June 

Master Ronald Owen commenced his duties as pupil teacher in this school today 

14th June 

Mr Collerton asked that his sons Thomas and Joseph to leave at 3 pm each afternoon. 

Cyril Stilborn left school today.

9th July

A meeting of the Tenui School Committee was held on Saturday evening last. There were present: —Messrs Bellis [Belliss] (Chairman), Hancock, Wickstead, Perry, Raleigh, and A. Nicholls. 

In anticipation of lively proceedings several of the public were present at the opening of the meeting, but as things were prosaic they disappeared, one by one silently but slowly, until only three or four remained, Had the "fun of the fair" commenced earlier there is no doubt the public would not only have been very much enlightened, i but also much edified, 

Had not the "war clouds" so foreign to Tenui [Tinui] been gathering in strong force during the week, until they were to burst with overwhelming destruction on the devoted heads of the Schoolmaster and the Chairman, and to snuff them out once and for aye ? But, at the close of the meeting they bobbed up as serenely as ever from the wordy strife. 

The opening proceedings of this meeting were interrupted by one of the Committee directing the attention of the Chairman to the awful presence of the public, and requesting enlightenment whether the public should not be excluded on this momentous occasion. He pointed out that the Chairman had ruled at a previous meeting that the meetings of the School Committee were not public. However, the Chairman ruled that the public were to be admitted, and excluded if the meeting went into Committee.

The report of the visiting members was handed in and showed that the grounds had been drained by the cutting of three or four drains. A small culvert had been formed which had necessitated the purchase of thirteen small pipes, various improvement effected, and the ground had been ornamented by the planting of four dozen trees, the gift of Mr Raleigh. 

It also drew the attention of the School Committee to the unsafe state of the school chimney, and recommended the purchase of an iron back to prevent the bricks from being burnt through, 

It was decided to have a "working bee," on Wednesday next, at 1 p.m., to remove some outhouses, fix the shelter sheds, and do other work. 

The discussion relating to the headmaster, in conjunction with the Chairman of the School Committee, having used undue influence with the Board of Education in securing the appointment of the pupil teacher, was opened by the master drawing the Committee's attention to the fact, that he had been charged by a member of the School Committee with having undermined them in the selection of a pupil teacher. 

It appears that in '92 Mr Joplin wrote to the Education Board recommending one of his pupils as a suitable candidate for a pupil teachership in any school, at the same time enclosing a testimonial of character for the youth, 

During the past two years the average attendance warranted the appointment of a pupil teacher to the Tenui School. The master informed the School Committee, and they applied to the Board of Education, who resolved to appoint one. The Committee held one or two meetings, but could not agree which one of two applicants, who had applied, should be appointed, so resolved to leave it entirely in the hands of the Board. 

In the meantime a third applicant (the youth whom Mr Joplin had recommended in 1892) applied to the Board, and having been waiting two years with his name on the list of candidates for P.T.'s, was appointed.

The Board wrote a letter to the Committee informing them of the youth's appointment, and also stated one of the other candidates was ineligible, and the other's application was marked "no particulars," so the member of the committee in question stated at the meeting on Saturday night, 

After the Chairman had received a letter from the Board stating that they presumed that the youth whose name was on the list was to be appointed, he wrote the letter the Committee had instructed him to, leaving the matter in the hands of the Board, but added the following postscript, which formed the bone of contention: "Mr Joplin and myself are of opinion that ---- is most suitable.". 

A copy of the letter had been obtained by the grieved member of the Committee from the Education Board office, and he, instead of interviewing the teachers, admitted showing it to four of the public, with a copy of the old testimonial, which they understood had been written recently, and bore directly on the case. 

Of course it became common property, and reached the master, who at once decided to take steps to prove that he had not at any time communicated with the Board about the appointment of the present pupil teacher in this school, and very clearly he showed there was no foundation in the report spread about. He had nothing to do with his name appearing in the postscript, and if anyone used it in postscripts that was a question to be decided between him and the writer, 

After some desultory discussion it was proposed and carried "

That this Committee are perfectly satisfied with the Headmaster's explanation, and express regret that he has been caused annoyance." 

One of the members of the Committed with great earnestness proposed that "A vote of censure be unanimously passed on any member who carries reports of the meetings to outsiders." It was not seconded.

25th July 

Messrs Raleigh and Perry, two members of the school committee, opened up some drains to drain the playground and soon relieved the surface water. 

25th July

Certain repairs were authorised to be done at the Eketahuna and Te Nui Schools 

1st August 

Arbor Day. The school was closed. 

The children, under the supervision of Messrs Hancock, Bellis, and Perry, planted some trees, which had kindly been given by Davidson and Co., Seed Merchants, Masterton and Mr D Speedy, Flag Creek. 

Received books for school library for school holidays 

10th Object 

Lesson on liquids and gases. 

17th August 

Science. Pressure of the atmosphere 

3rd September 

Very cold, strong wind from the south-east accompanied with snow, rain and sleet. Weather reminds one of an English November. 

Mr Perry visiting member visited the school today. 

4th September 

Messers Belliss,  chairman and Perry, members of the School Committee visited the school today. 

14th September 

Members of School Committee visited again 

17th September. 

Martha McGuckin was very disobedient, and refused to attempt her work. I kept her in school when the scholars were dismissed, but she still refused to obey me. When she went home she told her mother that I had punished her severely. 

Her mother called on me, but she was so excited, that it was impossible for me to offer an explanation. After a while she cooled down and having listened to me, apologised and went home. I never shook her child to hurt her. This is a fresh [first] instance in my 18 years' experience as a teacher that a girl has disobeyed me, and I hope it will be the last. “Preserve me from a woman’s tongue.” 

21st September 

Mr De May, drill instructor, visited the school today, arriving at 2.30 p.m. He exercised the children in “Swedish Drill”. 

Mrs Nicholls sent for Elsie, as she objected to her daughter learning drill 

1st October 

Admitted George Moorcock 

12th October 

Closed the school this afternoon. Concert by scholars this evening in aid of school funds 

15th October 

Entertainment last Friday a great success 

20th December 

Broke up for mid-summer vacation. 

Eleven scholars left today owing to the establishment of an aided school at Mangapakeha, which is to be opened after the vacation.

¹ Robert Bruce Owen was appointed Pupil Teacher in February, 1894. 

In the 19th century many teachers did not receive formal training and learned on the job as pupil-teachers. Older pupils (aged 13 or over) were apprenticed to a school for about four years. They received a wage in return for teaching younger pupils and doing non-teaching tasks. They had to study for annual examinations in their spare time. 

1893 | 1895