Logbook - 1906

1905 | 1907

1906 

3rd February 

Mary Johnson left Tenui for Wellington. Her parents elect for her to hold her scholarship at the Wellington Girl’s College 

5th February 

A wet morning after two days heavy rain. Only one present at 9.30. Morning attendance 8, afternoon 11. 

6th February 

Nellie Collerton returns to school after an absence of several months. She had been suffering from extreme weakness of the eyes. Her name was not entered on the roll as it uncertain whether she was well enough to continue to attend. She only came on trial.

8th February 

Nellie Collerton was entered on roll today 

12th February 

Weather today dull and threatening after 10 days of almost continuous rain. On Saturday Morning the river was fuller than on any occasion within my experience of 3 years and 3 months 

23rd February 

Tom Langdon suffered from toothache during the whole afternoon and was unable to do lessons.

14th March 

The children spent an enjoyable day in the grounds of Mr R Langdon at Ngapopatu. 

20th March 

At about 3 O’clock a sharp shock of earthquake occurred. It much alarmed some of the girls and little ones, who were unable to regain their composure during the remaining half hour 

22nd March 

Many of the children were absent attending the picnic given to the Langdale children today. 

9th April 

During the dinner hour the boys accidentally kicked their football into the river. In trying to reach it, the boy Pratt Hancock fell into the water at a spot where the water was about 4 feet deep. He appears to have had a narrow escape from drowning. When pulled out by the other boys, he at once went home. 

10th April 

Pratt Hancock attended school, apparently none the worse for his wetting. The Boys were warned against. going to the river. Boys of the sixth and seventh standards were told that they might go to the river only for such purposes as regaining a lost ball, and that they were expected to see that none of the younger children went near the water on any account 

11th April 

The rule about going to the river was written out and hung on the wall of the school. 

15th March 

Easter Monday. Mr Burton, acting under instructions from Mr Hancock, repaired the gutter on the roof of the teacher’s residence. He also discovered several other leaks in other parts of the roof. The Board’s Clerk of Works, on the occasion of his visit, September 21st 1905, left instructions for the repairs to be done as soon as a competent workman should be engaged in Te Nui.

23rd April 

Householder’s meeting should have been held this evening to elect a new School Committee. Only 3 householders attended, which was not a sufficient number to form a quorum: consequently no committee was elected.

1st May 

Received from Wellington Education Board 

Rain Gauge
Barometer Tube
1 lb Mercury
Mariner’s Compass
Thermometer 

8th May 

School closed at 12.30 for the day, to allow children time to reach home and prepare for prize distribution and school treat in the evening. The weather was very wet but all the children were present at the Town Hall in the evening, as well as a large attendance of parents and friends. Prizes were distributed by the Chairman, a few songs were sung by the children; and the rest of the evening was devoted to games and dancing.

9th May 

School, after being closed for the evening, reopened at 1.30. Owing to the stormy weather and bad roads only 5 children attended. 

13th April 

Inspectors Report ( T R Fleming) included a) 

• The average age of children on Standard 6 who obtained proficiency was 14 years, 7 months  

• The standard 7 candidate obtained a certificate of proficiency 

• Easy but workable discipline 

• Bad roads in winter interfere with attendance. Efficiency very fair. 

• Roll 29 

• The general work of the school may be classed as fairly satisfactory 

• The tone of the school has improved very much under Mr Sutton’s management 

• A scholar from this school (Mary Gibb Johnston) won a Board Scholarship at the examination in December. 

• An order was given for a rain gauge etc.

• Owing to leakage at the tap, the tank was empty 

• Mr Sutton reports the drainage as satisfactory since the School Committee cut a new drain and deepened the old ones.

16th May 

Mr Benton, builder, made further repairs to the roof of teacher’s residence. The two brass taps lately supplied (27th April) have not yet been fixed to the school tank 

28th May 

The following Gentleman were elected as members of the School Committee:

Rev J H Sykes, Chairman and Secretary,
F Groves,
A T Hancock,
J Johnston,
A B Nicholls,
J Perry,
D H Speedy 

11th June 

At about 3.30 pm word arrived from the Wellington Education Board to the effect that school should be dismissed as a token of respect for Mr R[ichard] Seddon, the Premier, who had suddenly passed away. And as a mark of sympathy with his bereaved friends. 

Lessons were at once cut short, the reason explained to the children and school dismissed. 

15th June 

School closed on Monday and Tuesday and, if the Funeral ceremony be on a later date, then on that day also. 

20th June 

As it was found that the late Premier’s funeral was fixed for Thursday school opened for today and closed again tomorrow. 

3rd July 

Olive Hooker arrived at school at ten minutes before 12 o’clock--too late for her attendance to be entered in the registered. 

16th July 

The river was in flood this morning after heavy rain yesterday. Four boys attended in the morning. No girls attended 

17th July 

Heavy rain continued to fall. The rivers rose over Whareama Bridge. Attendance, 4 boys all day. No leak was observed from the gutter on the roof of the residence which was lately repaired by Mr. Benton, but the roof leaked badly near the chimney of the residence and in two places on the roof in the classroom 

25th July 

Arbor Day, no school today, beautifully fine. 

31st July 

Olive M Hooker entered school at 5 minutes after twelve too late for morning roll call. She gave as her reason for being so late that she had had to return home with a message from the blacksmith 

2nd October 

At a meeting of the School Committee included were these topics. Written by D H Speedy 

• School fences all more or less out of repair

• Fences on road want wires tightened and a number of battens 

• Boundary Fence against Mrs Owen’s property is in bad state 

• Against. D Speedy’s the land in several places has slipped away and left the fence swinging 

• Should recommend that heavy poles be hung underneath the fence to keep sheep out 

• My own portion of boundary fence is out of repair also, the land having slipped away. 

• I noticed that calves had been under the girl’s shelter sheds a good deal, and although all droppings had been cleared away the shed smelt of cattle 

• The tank at the school was empty or almost so, the tap on the boy’s side being useless. 

• It was decided to fence off a pieces of the playground to be used by pupils of the school for garden plots

• All the members present promised contributions towards the work

• Mr Hancock subscribed 10/- and Mr Sykes promised like amount 

• Messrs Speedy and Groves promised a supply of posts for fencing and Mr Perry a strainer and ½ cwt of galvanised wire.

• The teacher reported the school clock was useless. The Secretary to write to the Wellington Education Board 

• The School Committee also discussed the possibility of providing a strong and reliable swing for the children. 

8th October 

Messrs D H Speedy and F Groves members of the School Committee visited the school for the purpose of selecting a site for the plots. It was decided to fence off a strip running the whole length of the boundary fence between the two playgrounds on the boy’s side. In the afternoon a workman commenced the work of fencing it off. 

9th October 

Mr Perry, member of the School Committee, supplied (gratis) a set of steps for use of the children when examining the rain gauge He and his son spent over an hour in fixing the same. 

10th October 

Labour Day School closed for the day The work of fencing off the school plots was finished today The School Committee have not been able to arrange for the ground to be dug. 

The work of repairing the school fences- playground and horse paddock is now in progress. 

11th October 

Garden plots were marked off and boys began to dig their respective pieces.

12th October 

Gardening operations took the place of drill this afternoon as it time most of the seeds were planted.

25th October

Leishman Langdon arrived at school at 11.15 

12th November 

The School Committee supplied a new drinking cup for the use of the boys. 

20th November 

F H Bakewell, Inspector, wrote: 

I visited the school today without notice. Found the attendance poor 12/28. The prevalence of sickness in the district is accounted for this. 

The condition of the premises as far as cleanliness is concerned is highly credible. 

Good work is being done in cottage gardening. 

23rd November 

School nearly empty owing mainly to bad colds and influenza. Only present 1 the morning and 9 in the afternoon. Most of those present have bad colds. 

24th November

Received instructions from the School Committee to close the school owing to the epidemic of influenza and other ailments.

1st December 

Received instructions from chairman, School Committee, to keep school closed for another week in accordance with recommendations of the doctor. Suggested that a written statement from the doctor should be forwarded to the Board 

17th December 

Received one clock for school use.

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1905 | 1907