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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Educational

Educational.

Carterton Public School, situated in High Street at the south end of the township, occupies a site of one-and-a-quarter acres in extent. The school, which is conducted in a wooden building, was established in 1862. The front part is new but the back part has been up for many years. There are six class-rooms, which afford accommodation for a large number of children: one large central room contains accommodation for two classes. The number of pupils on the roll is 336, the average attendance being 290. The school, which is well supplied with gymnastic appliances, has an unusually good library, containing over 370 volumes, amongst which are the latest books on science and standard classical works. Black and white photograph of Carterton Public School There are good football and cricket clubs connected with the school, and military exercises provide gentler recreation for the boys not devoted to pastime. The staff consists of five certificated teachers, two ex-pupil teachers, and a pupil teacher. Mrs. Jones, the assistant mistress, has been here about thirty-three years, is now sixty-eight years old, and is still able to conduct her class well. She was second teacher in the place, Mr. Moore being first.

Mr. Francis Bennett, Headmaster of the Carterton Public School, who traces his descent back to Lord Howard of Effingham, the victor of the Spanish Armada, was born near Durham, England. When a child he was taken to Blænavon, Monmouthshire, where his father was employed as architect by the Blænaven Iron and Steel Company. His education, begun at the national schools, was continued at a private school and at Wesleyan schools. In the last of these he served for five years as pupil teacher, and was afterwards appointed first assistant, a position which he held until his departure for Australia. In connection with the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, he received, during his sojourn at this school, instruction for several years under Mr. W. L. Cocks, B.A., in several branches of experimental science, and also in art, and at the end of the terms obtained science and art certificates. Mr. Bennett, after qualifying as a teacher under the English Code, sailed in 1879 on board the s.s. “Chimborazo” for Melbourne. Here he remained only a short time, and came on to New Zealand in the same year. On arrival in Wellington he was appointed supernumerary teacher to the Wellington Education Board, in whose service he has continued to the present day. As supernumerary he taught in the Mount Cook Boys', the Newtown, the old Te Aro, and the Tenui Schools, and afterwards received the appointment of second assistant in the old Te Aro School. For a short time he supplied the position of headmaster in the Karori School, and was then appointed second assistant in the new Te Aro School. Here he remained three years, and gave such satisfaction that in the annual examination his classes received special mention for excellence of work. From Te Aro he was promoted to Johnsonville, and during his stay of about three page 909 years there, the attendance was doubled, and the school was raised to a higher grade than it had hitherto occupied. His next promotion was to the position of first assistant in the Newtown School, and while there he conducted evening classes in connection with the School of Design (now the Technical School) for three years, during which time his pupils distinguished themselves in the annual drawing examinations. His day classes also stood highest in the drawing lists for the city, and four of his pupils gained Education Board scholarships—the first obtained by the Newtown School. One of his boys has since secured the first place for all New Zealand in the examination for chemists. During these years Mr. Bennett also attended classes in degree work conducted by the Wellington Graduates' Association. After a stay of four years at the Newtown school, he was appointed headmaster of the Eketahuna School, where the attendance increased so rapidly that two large rooms were soon added. His success here may be gauged by the fact that at the time of his appointment the school passed only fifty-two per cent. in the Annual examination, and three years later passed no less than ninety-nine per cent. In drawing, singing, drill, and science, his classes received high commendation from the inspectors. On leaving Eketahuna after a stay of about five years, Mr. Bennett was presented, on behalf of the committee and the parents of his pupils, with a beautifully mounted illuminated address. In January, 1895, he was promoted to the position of headmaster of the Carterton School, where the attendance so increased that more accomodation had to be provided, and the school was soon raised to the highest grade under the Board's classification. Mr. Bennett has now been teaching for about twenty-five years, and at all the schools through which he has passed he has been the recipient of handsome presents from his pupils. He holds the first second grade full certificate issued by the Education Board, and has won at the Technical School certificates for shading. Many testimonials from headmasters and inspectors speak in the highest terms of Mr. Bennett's discipline and school management. From the foregoing sketch it will be seen that he has made a thorough study of his profession. Nor has he confined himself to the discharge of his scholastic functions. During his stay at Eketahuna he took a prominent part in establishing the public library there, and also interested himself in the literary society, of which he was vice-president, and when he removed to Carterton he filled the same position in the debating society of that town. In 1894 he was vice-president of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute. Mr. Bennett also interests himself in horticulture, and has taken first prizes at the shows in several parts of the district.

Ahia Ruhi Public School, about eight miles east of Carterton, was opened on the 27th of July, 1896, when fifteen children assembled. The small wooden building, which was planned to accommodate about thirty children, is erected on a section of two acres. There is a small library attached to the school.

Miss Elizabeth Rutherford, Mistress of the Ahia Ruhi School, who holds an E2 certificate, was born in Ashburton Gorge, Canterbury, and after receiving her primary education at the local public school, she attended the Christchurch Normal Training School for a year. After five years at Springburn and two years at Pirinoa, she was appointed to her present charge.

Parkvale Public School, which is situated about three miles from Carterton, was opened in 1880 with twenty-five children. The numbers in 1896 were sixty-three, the headmaster being assisted by a pup[gap — reason: illegible]l-teacher. The building, which contains two rooms, is situated on a site of about two acres in extent in one of the highest parts of the district, from which a capital view is obtainable.

Mr. Robert Crawford Drummond, the Headmaster of the Parkvale Public School, was born in Wellington in 1869, and was educated at the Wellington College. Entering on his educational career, Mr. Drummond was engaged as a teacher at the Mount Cook Boys' School for eight years, and was in charge of Te Horo School for two years, receiving his present appointment in 1895.