Logbook - 1911

1911 

30th January 

School opened at 9.30. Three pupils were found to have left and one new pupil entered. 

Owing to the teacher mistaking the time, the children were dismissed twenty minutes before the proper time. The mistake was pointed out to the teacher too late to correct it. Teacher remained till the proper time with one pupil -  Gordon Speedy 

8th February 

Workman was engaged in mending (temporarily) the approach of the river at the point where it enters the school grounds. 

20th February 

Workman commenced to put in repair all the fences to the school property on both sides of the road 

10th March 

The School Committee, having decided to hold the children’s annual picnic today, school was closed all day. 

Prizes were distributed to the children in the Town Hall in the evening when the children entertained their parents 

14th March 

Inspector F H Bakewell visited the school and inspected and examined the children.

15th March 

Inspector Bakewell continued his examination of the children.

16th March 

Rose Oliver fell from the swing and was allowed to go home for the afternoon. 

17th March 

Three wall sheets dealing with Temperance were received from the Education Department for use when dealing with this subject under the revised syllabus expected to be issued shortly 

27th March 

The following books for school use were received from the Wellington Education Board:

3 Histories No 4,
3 Tom Brown Schooldays,
3 Robinson Crusoe. 

31st March 

The Mangapakeha School Committee having invited the children attending this school to the picnic they were holding today. It was decided to keep the inspector’s holiday this day to allow children to accept the invitation to the picnic. 

3rd April 

Inspector's report included:

• The school is faithfully taught and managed and the teacher's promotions were in all cases endorsed 

• At present the numbers in the primer classes are out of proportion: 17/30 

• This because of the admittance of a number of children who have not previously had any schooling 

• Manners and general behaviour especially commended. 

26th April

The head teacher at Tinui School also served as county clerk for the Castlepoint County Council, which met on a Saturday. This prompted some debate at a Wellington Education Board meeting.

UNDERPAID TEACHERS AND TEMPORARY OUTSIDE POSITIONS. 

A discussion more or less interesting took place at the Wellington Education Board yesterday on the question of a country teacher doing outside work in a temporary official position. 

The head teacher at Tenui, who was granted permission to temporarily retain the county clerkship of the council in that district, wrote, asking for an extension of time. There was some discussion on the matter, and Mr. Vile asked for the board's ruling — that is, how long the "temporary" appointment was to go on, and as to whether the board's teachers were to be allowed to enter into competition for such positions with outsiders? 

The teacher concerned wrote an explanatory letter that, under instructions from the County Council, he had advertised for a county clerk. There were fourteen applications made, but, after consideration of these, the County Council asked the teacher to continue his services with the council. He hoped the board wonld not consider he had gone outside his province in the matter. 

Mr. W. C. Buchanan moved that the teacher be allowed to continue his services with the County Council until the board saw reason to cancel the permission. The mover expressed the opinion that so long as the duties of clerk did not interfere with his scholastic duties the board should not withhold its permission. The County Council always met on Saturday. The board ought not to refuse the teacher's application. 

The motion was seconded by Mr. J. Kebbell, who stated that many years ago a local body, which met on Saturday, had as its clerk a teacher in the Native College at Otaki. 

Mr. Vile continued his protest. He was prepared to admit that many teachers were underpaid, but that was no reason why they should enter into private competition for such positions. Of course, if the board was going to establish the precedent that an underpaid teacher might do this thing, well and good — it would have other underpaid teachers doing so. 

The motion was passed, Mr. Vile alone dissenting.

27th April 

Dinner hour was curtailed and school closed an hour earlier than usual (with the consent of the School Committee) to enable the teacher and senior scholars to attend the funeral of Miss Nellie Groves (Ellen Lucy, aged 16 years) who had passed through all the standards in this school and recently finished her education at Wanganui College.

11th May 

Heavy rain last night after a long dry spell. Mrs O’Connor fearing they would be flooded and took her three children home early in the afternoon. 

2nd June 

Muriel Hancock was reported ill with measles. Her brother Pratt was therefore kept at home. 

10th June 

Received instructions from Mr T Hancock- chairman of the School Committee - to close the school during next week owing to the epidemic of measles. 

The school firewood gift of Mr D H Speedy- was cut up by circular saw this day. 

21st June 

A supply of coronation medals sufficient to supply one to each scholar was received in today’s mail. 

As nearly every child in the school was ill with measles it had not been possible to arrange for any local celebrations for coronation day. The medals will be held to the reopening of the school on the 3rd July 

18th July 

A workman was engaged today in fencing off new garden from the horse paddock. 

19th July 

By an oversight on the part of the teacher school was kept open today (Arbor Day) Instead of the holiday, additional time will be devoted to the school garden. Which will require much time to have it ready for planting this season. 

30th October 

Inspector’s report, T R Fleming. Included:

• Miss Ainsworth relieving. 

• Owing to Mr Sutton’s illness the school was not reopened until 15th February when Miss Ainsworth to charge as relieving teacher. 

• The general classification was approved but in one or two cases I recommended that the children might be allowed to work in a higher standard as their work in reading and composition was above that of the Standard in which they are classified. 

• The buildings have been painted

•  Four desks of the largest size are required. 

9th December

Painting school residence at Tenui, Welch and Hope, Masterton.