Logbook - 1899

1898 | 1900

1899 

23rd January 

Reopened School, only 10 present in morning and 12 in the afternoon. 

On the 20th Inst. Mr R Howell removed [took away] some old windows which had been lying in the playground since the residence was rebuilt. 

24th January 

T Webb, Visiting member wrote: 

Visited school and found everything in good order, also had a look through the children and found them all free from vermin and not as had been reported. 

Attendance 39 at 10.30 a.m. 

27th February [probably January]

H Bellis, Chairman, School Committee: 

Visited School today and found everything in good order good attendance and children appeared perfectly clean. 

The school has been swept three times this week and dusted twice. At present the school floor is not clean. The girls in charge of the school have been repeatedly spoken to about keeping it tidy and clean. 

2nd February 

Mr Bellis visited the school from 10.45 till 11.10. 

Temperature 84 degree [29º Celsius], And this with the door open and all the windows open 

21st February 

Found 3 young weasels and their mother in the playground at 1 p.m. 

27th February 

A fine morning but only 14 present at 9 ½ a.m. Although it is known that the examination will be on the 23rd prox. 

10th March 

Received on the 8th Inst. from the Wellington Education Board 25 large and 25 small envelopes with “On public Service Only” and “The Secretary Education Board, Wellington” printed thereon.

13th March 

Great rain since yesterday and the river flooded. Only 11 present 

21st March 

C Bell and A Nicholls hid R Manning’s Cap Last Night. R Manning had to go home bare headed. Punished C Bell and A Nicholls- three strokes each and sent them to Mr Manning’s with the cap. 

23rd March 

Annual examination from 9½ a.m. to 5½ p.m. Mr F H Bakewell M A, examiner. 

50 children present 4 failed. 

27th March 

Inspector’s Holiday - a very wet day. 

29th March 

Received and handed out pass cards and certificates to those who were successful at the annual examination. 

A note from the Secretary School Committee requesting me to close the school tomorrow for the children’s annual picnic. 

30th March 

The school today. Children’s annual picnic held in school grounds till 4¼, tea in the Town Hall at 5 p.m. after which the children dispersed. A very wet evening 

7th April 

Commenced new drill, According to the Drill Manual for School by T W McDonald 

21st April 

Received from the Board of Education for Kindergarten Teaching- 4 dozen sticks, 2 dozen boards and some clay for modelling 

21st April 

Annual distribution of prizes and dance for school children in the Tenui Town Hall, 7 - 11½ p.m.

 24th April

Inspector's Report included:

• 1 Candidate passed Standard 7 

• There was considerable weakness in the arithmetic in Standard's 3 and 4  

• The standard of spelling in Standard 3 was not up to the mark. 

• With these exceptions very fair average work was done. 

• The condition of the school on the whole be considered satisfactory. 

• As the appointment of the Pupil Teacher has considerably eased the work of the head master an improvement in the weaker subjects is anticipated for the coming year. 

25 April

Wellington Education Board announces result of school committee elections:

Tenui School — Messrs. H. Dellish (Chairman), J. A. Perry, D. Speedy, W. Langdon, A. Nicholls, J. Munro, and H. Moore. 

26th April 

In compliance with a suggestion in the Annual Report of the Inspector to Schools just received the teachers will see that all lunch papers, rubbish and litter etc. are regularly collected and burnt. Advised Miss Manning re the above. 

28th April 

Received from the Wellington Education Board the following kindergarten materials. 

1 Dozen needles,
1 bundle of sticks 

2nd May

Since her appointment as Pupil Teacher Miss Catherine Manning’s conduct and attention to business have been entirely satisfactory. She gives promise of becoming a useful and satisfactory teacher and she is also able to teach plain sewing. Recommend then in according with the Board’s Regulations that Miss Manning’s Appointment as Pupil Teacher be confirmed. 

8th May 

Mr A Nicholls brought three loads of willow for firewood 

16th May 

Received from Wellington Education Board a set of 9 tin models 

Jane Bell permitted to go home after morning roll call on account of illness of her mother. 

17th May

Owing to the bad weather having set in, the re-erection of the much-talked-about Te Nui bridge will not be proceeded with till after the winter.

The visit of the Education Board's Truant Officer (Mr. Varnham) to this district has had a marked effect in improving the attendance at the public school.  

19th May 

A load of Manuka for firewood left in playground from Rewi [Speedy].

23rd May 

Miss Manning gave first lesson in kindergarten 

29th May 

A new axe supplied to chop firewood 

5th June

A quart bottle of ink (blue block) received for school use: price 3/6d 

9th June 

Received from School Committee for school use - half a gross of penholders and a box of nibs.

Gave Miss Manning for the use of his own divisio. 24 penholders and the same number of nibs as directed by the chairman School Committee 1

4th June 

Very sharp frost during the past three nights: temperature 24º Fahrenheit [-4 degrees Celsius] on the grass last night.

16th June 

More rain which makes the roads again almost impassable 

22nd June 

Although the roads are in bad state the weather at present is mild: but there is sickness among the children of whom 17 are present today 

28th July 

Owing to a long continued spell of wet weather the roads about Tenui are now almost impassable, and most of the children are unable to attend 

29th July 

Advised the Board and the Chairman School Committee that Mr J [Joseph] Schofield has been politely requested not to send his children to school for some time as one of them (Bert) is reported to be ill with measles. 

31st July 

A note from Mr Schofield stating that his son Bert is ill with measles. Sent Mr Schofield’s letter to the chairman.

2nd August 

Received from the chairman School Committee (by post) a packet of Hawke’s Ink Powder (2/8) for school use. 

7th August 

By request of the chairman School Committee (2¼ p.m.) a note received from him at 11 a.m. was forwarded to Wellington “without remark” as the children who had measles are now convalescent, and the local doctor does not think it is necessary to close the school. 

1st September 

Received and handed to Miss Manning the Manual of preparatory and Physical Drill for Girls and for Standard’s 1 and 2 

27th September 

Received from Board of Education One box of No 117 beads and two boxes of No 231 Metal Tubes for kindergarten occupation. This completes a set of kindergarten apparatus 

2nd October 

Received regulations for the organisation and control of Public School Cadets and For Instruction in Drill 

19th October 

Very High Wind. Two of the principal houses in Tenui Mrs Adams’s boarding house and a large dwelling house and store formerly occupied by Mr J Johnston, were burnt to the ground at noon- This unfortunate circumstance affected the attendance in the afternoon. 

25th October 

For climbing on the dividing fence during the dinner hour Alex Southey was sent in to the school. He did not go when told, and for disobedience he got a slap on the hand with a rod. 

31st October 

Advised the Board’s Secretary that there was No School here today owing to a storm which still continues. 5 children came at 10.00 but the river rose so rapidly afterwards that their father considered it advisable to take them home again. No others came.

6th November 

Received a Map of the Seat of War South Africa and a Map showing Railways through Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, South African Republic and Rhodesia 

7th November 

Fred Smith, Grace Smith and C Bellis permitted to go home at 2½ p.m. owing to signs of a storm. 

15th November 

A note from Miss Manning asking a day’s leave of absence to attend a drawing examination in Masterton on 2nd December 

24th November 

Sent Mr Varnham the truant officer a list of children who have not made the required number of attendances during October and November to date.

28th November 

Miss Manning took charge of the singing and gave first lesson in the tonic solfa system. 

6th December 

A Nicholls, Visiting Member, wrote:

Visited school found things in fairly good order - attendance rather small. 

8th December 

D H Speedy and J A Perry wrote as visiting members of School Committee: 

Visited school and outbuildings. Found that the tap of the tank in the girl’s playground is out of repair, the nut and washer being lost, would recommend that a new tap be procured. Found the school clean. The attendance was 30. The tank at the residence is leaning from the building. The stand on the outer side having shrunk several inches 

14th December 

Miss Manning absent on leave to be in time for the Pupil Teacher’s Examination in Masterton on the 15th and 16th inst.

Back to top

1898 | 1900