Logbook - 1907

2nd May 

The river was rising all day yesterday and reached its maximum dimensions about 6 p.m. It proved to be a greatly exceptionally great flood. The small bridge at Flag Creek was carried away, thus cutting off the boys at Ngapopatu from school for some days at least. The rain gauge showed a fall of 7½ inches [190.5 mm] in about 41 hours. 

Mr Hancock, member of School Committee, visited the school this morning. Only 5 boys were present 

6th May 

T R Fleming’s inspectors report: 

• 20 present; 30 on roll 

• The general work of this school is satisfactory 

• Some of the children have a considerable distance to travel to school and as the roads are bad in winter the average attendance is not high 

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

• A Scholar in Standard 6 won a Junior Board Scholarship at the examination 

• A very good garden has been made by the children in a plot fenced by the committee 

• The rope for the flag is broken 

• A short close-boarded fence should be erected to shut off the teacher’s back yard from the school grounds. 

8th May 

Received from the Wellington Education Board School Journals: 5 copies of Part 1. 5 copies of Part 2 and 4 copies of Part 3 

23rd May 

The children were addressed by the teachers on the subject of Empire Day. Afternoon school finished with the singing of the national Anthem. Owing to the cord being cut it was impossible to fly the flag. So the children were not told to assemble next day for the purpose of saluting it. 

24th May 

Empire Day. Observed as a holiday. 

3rd June 

Tom Hancock, who was awarded a Board Scholarship last December, left Te Nui to hold the scholarship at Masterton District High School, Masterton.

22nd June 

The children were allowed to spend the dinner hour on the hills behind the horse paddock, as the playground has become too sloppy for them to use. Mr Speedy gives permission for them to use the hills until the lambing season, about August 10th. Boys use one hill and the girls another. 

1st July 

Three long posts ordered by the School Committee and intended to be used in erecting two swings for the children were delivered here on Saturday night. 

Arbor Day to be held on Wednesday 24th July 

5th July 

Messrs Perry and Hancock, members of the School Committee, were engaged all day in drawing drift wood from the banks of the Te Nui River to supply the school with firewood. 

8th July

Received 18 school journals. Also a good map of the Te Nui School District. 

11th July 

Mr F Groves brought a load of manuka for school firewood. He also cut up by machine the school firewood. 

26th July 

Sewing lesson omitted this afternoon, owing to the absence of the sewing mistress, due to a fall in the mud when coming to school. 

13th September 

Very heavy rain this morning and during last night. No scholar present this morning. 

26th September 

In accordance with instructions from the Board, the day was observed as a holiday, by way of celebrating the occasion of the change of title from “Colony” of NZ to “Dominion” of NZ 

3rd October 

The girls received an additional sewing lesson missed on the 10th. The boys did gardening for that lesson. 

4th October 

Mr Simms, acting under instructions from the Agricultural Department of the Government, gave a demonstration in the planting, pruning and spraying of fruit trees, to the public at Te Nui at 2.30 p.m. today. All the school children attended the demonstration after the close of the first lesson after school. 

7th October 

The first lesson this morning was a recapitulation of the demonstration given by the government specialist on Friday the 4th inst. 

Received from the Education Department a roll of 19 battle pictures and a book and Nelson supplement to the school journal, all of which are to remain the property of the school. It is suggested that the battle pictures be mounted on stiff paper or cardboard with a view to their preservation. 

9th October 

Rose Marsh absent from school owing to a fall in the playground yesterday afternoon. Her knee is inflamed and the doctor has ordered her to remain in bed a few days to rest it. 

14th October 

Rose Marsh still absent. She is reported to have aggravated the trouble to her knee by using it too soon and the doctor now orders her to rest for several weeks.

15th October 

Had occasion to address the school in severe terms owing to rude and indecent suggestions (in actions) on the part of two small boys (P H and T B ) and the readiness of some of the older children to laugh at the same 

16th October 

Mr Hancock, member of the School Committee, attended this morning and spent over two hours in cleaning out the spouting round the school and the tank which supplies drinking water to the children.

4th November 

Stanley Williams was admitted for a few months only, being on a visit to his uncle from Lyttleton. Had not attended school since passing Standard 3 in July.

Rose Marsh again absent after making a few attendances last week. She is reported to have greatly aggravated the strain to her knee and side. 

15th November 

The School Inspector, Mr T R Fleming, paid a visit to the school, without notice, at 9.15 this morning. He examined the registers, log book, scheme of work book etc. Mr A T Hancock, member of the School Committee, met the inspector here and drew his attention to those portions of the fences that are so frequently washed away by the river when in flood. His attention was also drawn to the leaky condition of the roof of the teacher’s residence. 

The inspector then addressed the children on the subject of “Good Manners’ especially on the propriety of addressing their elders and their school teachers as Sir of Madam 

15th November 

While children were playing before school commenced, Doris Hancock drove a tennis ball through a pane in one of the school windows, while playing at rounders. 

30th November 

A small parcel of books (second hand) for the school library arrived this morning. 

6th December 

Attendance has fallen heavily. Average 14.6 on a roll of 30. Most of the absentees are suffering from the epidemic of influenza. 

Sewing lessons were omitted this week owing to the absence of the sewing mistress, who has been called into Masterton to nurse her son who is suffering from measles. 

10th December 

Two men in the employ of Mr Harding the painter were today engaged in painting the roof of the schoolroom. 

18th December 

The examination of Standards 1-V was completed today and the necessary promotions made. 

18th December 

The hinge at the top of the horse paddock was found to be broken this morning. The teacher removed it from the gate, sent to be welded and replaced in the evening. 

20th December 

Inspector’s Report included:

• During the year there have been 18 excepted days on which the attendance was less than half. 

• The winter has been severe, the river has been in flood several times and the roads have been in a worse condition than for many years.

• The residence still leaks badly.

• A close boarded fence should be erected between the teacher’s back yard and the school ground

• The recent rains have washed way part of the fencing.

• The fencing of the Horse paddock has slipped away in places allowing the entrance of stock.

Top of page

1906 | 1908