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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Education Boad

Education Boad.

The Education Board of the district of Otago is charged with the management and control of the whole of the schools in the provincial district, with the exception of those in the counties of Lake, Southland, Wallace, and Fiord, over which the Southland Education Board exercises jurisdiction; in other words, the boundary extends from Waitaki in the north to Arthurton in the south, and from the ocean to beyond Lake Wanaks. On the 31st of December, 1902, the total number of schools in the Otago educational district was 215, of which 139 had on the rolls only fifty children or less; fifty-one had from fifty-one to 200; eighteen from 210 to 500; and seven above 500. The total number on the school rolls was 20,041; namely, 10,313 boys and 9,728 girls, the average attendance being 9,357 boys and 8,546 girls. These young folks are disciplined and instructed by 520 teachers—190 males and 330 females—exclusive of about fifty teachers in training, and there are four inspectors. The cost in salaries for 1902 was £62,637 14s 3d. At the end of the year named there were fifty-four scholarships current; of these twenty-one were junior scholarships of the value of £15 per annum, tenable for two years; and thirty-three were senior scholarships of the value of £20 per annum, lasting for three years; these scholarships entitle the holders to tuition at the several high schools an additional allowance being available for pupils who reside at a distance from the secondary schools, so as to enable them to attend. The highest average attendance of any school in the Otago district was that of the Kaikorai school, where the grand total reached 668. In addition to the primary schools the Board has nine district high schools, where secondary education is imparted in addition to the usual primary course; namely, at Palmerston, Port Chalmers, Tokomariro, Balclutha Lawrence. Hampden, Mosgiel, Naseby, and Tapanui. There is likewise a school of Art and Design in the Normal School building in Moray Place. Dunedin. and also a Training College for teachers. When, in 1878. the Otago Education Board was constituted under the Education Act of 1877, the number of schools in the district was 134. as against 215 at the commencement of 1903. The number of teachers had increased from 334 to 520, and the average attendance of scholars from 12,619 to 20,041. The Board has its own architect who employs masons, bricklayers, carpenters, builders, painters, and labourers, and enters into contracts for the purchase of materials required in connection with the erection of new buildings and the repair of old ones. The Education Board office. in Crawford Street and Jetty Street has been, erected satisfactorily under this system. The annual report of the Education Board of the district of Otago is a voluminous pamphlet of eighty pages. dealing fully with all matters pertaining to education in the district. Monthly meetings of the Board take place on the third Wednesday in each month, at the Board room Jetty Stret.

Mr. Patrick Gunn Pryde . Secretary and Treasurer to the Education Board of the district of Otago, has held those offices since the month o April, 1878. He was born in Caithness, in the north of Scotland, and arrived in the Colony as a lad of sixteen years, with the intention of devoting his life to agriculture. After two years, during which he underwent considerable hardship, he was compelled by ill-health to abandon the dream of his earlier years, and was induced by friends to accept a cadetship in the Education Department of the Otago Provincial Government. Entering the public service on the 1st of August, 1869, Mr. Pryde speedily rose to the position of chief clerk, and, on the removal of Mr. (now Dr.) Hislop, to Wellington, to take up the position of first Secretary for Education, became acting secretary of the Education Office in Dunedin, Mr, Pryde carried on the duties of the department as acting secretary from the close of 1877 till the first members of the Board were appointed, and, at their first meeting in April, 1878, was unanimously appointed secretary and treasurer. He is an officebearer in Knox Church, but, beyond taking a general interest in church and social matters, has devoted his time and energies wholly to the performance of the onerous duties of his dual office.

Mr. William Sanderson Fitzgerald , one of the Inspectors of Schools for the Otago Board of Education, came to New Zealand in 1861. While first assistant in the senior department of St. John's Grammar School, Hamilton, he was appointed by the colonial committee of the Free Church of Scotland to the Pigeon Bay academy, a well-known day and boarding school in Canterbury in connection with the Presbyterian Church. This position he filled until 1869. when he became rector of the Oamaru grammar school. He was subsequently appointed principal of the Dunedin Normal school and also rector of the Training College, and, such, entered upon his duties in January, 1876. Mr. Fitzgerald held this appointment until September, 1894, when he jolnted the inspecting-staff of the Otago Eduction Board. The New Zealand Educational Institute was constituted on lines laid down by Mr. Fitzgerald, and he was the first president of the Council.

Mr. Peter Goyen, F.L.S. , one of the Inspectors of the Otago Education Board, was born in St. Austell, Cornwall, England, and came out to Victoria with his parents at an early age. He was trained as a teacher at the Melbourne Training College, under the late Mr. Dixon, and occupied position as assistant teacher and head master in important schools in Victoria. When the Southland district was made into a separate educational distric in 1878, Mr. Goyen was chosen out of a large number of applicants for the position of inspector. He entered upon his duties with energy and worked with great page 163 enthusiasm and marked sucess; and was appointed to the inspectorial staff of the Otago board in 1882. Mr. Goyen is well known as the author of a number of educational works, among which may be mentioned “The Principles of English Composition,” “Higher Arithmeticand Mensuration,” and “Companion to Higher Arithmetic.” Which were published by Messrs. Macmillan and Co., of London, and have gained a wide reputation. Mr. Goyen has also written some smaller useful educational works, and several papers on the “Arachnida of New Zealand.” He was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society of London, in 1888, and is an enthusiastic botanist and arachnologist.

Mr. Charles Reynolds Dalton Richardson , B.A., one of the Inspectors under the Otago Education Board, was born in Roxburgh. Otago, and educated at the local school, where also he entered upon his pupil-teachership at the age of fourteen. After a short course at the Normal School. Mr. Richardson matriculated at Otago University and took his D. certificate as a teacher. He was then appointed head-master of a small country school on the goldfields, and two years later was appointed junior relieving-teacher to the board. rising to the position of senior relieving-teacher, in which capacity he served for nine years. During his professional career. Mr. Richardson studied in connection with the University and obtained his B.A. degree in 1893. In August 1894, he was appointed rector of the Balclutha High School; on the death of the late Inspector Taylor he became acting-inspector, then assistant -inspector in January, 1895, and inspector in 1902. He has been an energetic and indefatigable worker, and as relieving-teacher has filled every position in the service of the board from a junior assistant to the more onerous and responsible one of head-master in the largest school in the district. Apart from his scholastic work, he is a good athlete and a keen angler.

Mr. Charles Richard Bossence , one of the Assistant Inspectors of the Otago Education Board, was born in Victoria, where he served as a pupil-teacher in one of the largest public schools. After completing his course of studies in the Victorian Training College under the late Mr. Gladman, he was put on the relieving staff of the Victorian Education Board for some time. Afterwards he was appointed an assistant at Footscray public school. In 1882 Mr. Bossence was selected out of a large number of applicants as head master of the Model School at the Christchurch Training College. He was next appoited first assistant at the District High School at the Thames, and occupied that position until he recived his present appointment in January, 1895.

Mr. James Rodger . who was appointed Architect to the Otago Education Board in August, 1901, is the eldest son of the late Mr. James Rodger, founder of the firm of Messrs James Rodger and Son, building contractors, Dunedin. He was born in October, 1867, was educated at the local public schools, and afterwards served his time to the building trade. He subsequently spent about twelve years as a builder, and for some years was associated with his father in the trade Mr. Rodger neither comes of a family distinguished in the calling which he has adopted, nor was he trained to the profession; the degree of proficiency which he has attained as an architect is due entirely to his own ambitious nature and characteristic determination to succeed. When a builder he closely applied himself to the study of architecture; attended classes at the Dunedin School of Art, and obtained private tuition, thus fitting himself for the important duties attaching to his present office.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.kk Mr. J. Rodger.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.kk Mr. J. Rodger.

Mr. John English Ryan , Truant Officer to the Otago Education Board, was born in Bendigo, Victoria, in 1862, and is the eldest son of the late Mr. Lawrence Gubbins Ryan, hotelkeeper, of Alexandra South. He was educated at Alexandra and at Lawrence, and was subsequently trained as an agricultural implement manufacturer. At an early age he entered the employment of Messrs Reid and Gray. and remained with them for twenty-two years. resigning in 1902 to take up his present position. Mr. Ryan was married, in 1885, to Miss Isabella Paisley, eldest daughter of Andrew Paisley. one of the pioneer settlers of Otago, and has three sons and four daughters.