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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

Educational

Educational.

The Greymouth High School Board was founded under the Greymouth High School Act of 1883. The Board of Governors consists of six members, two of whom are appointed by the Governor-in-Council, one by the Grey County Council and the Inangahua County Council, respectively, and one, respectively, by the Grey Borough Council and Grey Education Board. Members for the year 1905: Messrs W. R. Kettle (chairman); the Hon. A. R. Guinness, M.H.R., C. Parfitt, E. I. Lord, J. T. Skoglund, and M. Hannan. Mr. F. W. Reimenschneider is secretary. Four annual scholarships are given by the Board; two to town, and two to country, schools. The Board derives revenues from endowments vested in the Westland School Commissioners, and from £1000 invested at interest. An annual contribution is paid to the Education Board of the district of Grey for secondary education.

Mr. Fred. William Reimenschneider was appointed Secretary of the Grey High School Board of Governors in the year 1894. He was born in New Plymouth in 1856, and educated at the Bishop's School, Nelson. Mr. Reimenschneider entered the Native Department of the Civil Service, and was stationed at Wanganui for four years. He was subsequently in the Waikato district for two years, and afterwards for ten years in Wellington. Mr. Reimenschneider removed to the West Coast, and was appointed acting clerk to the Westport Borough Council during the illness of Mr. James Payne.

Secondary Schools.

The Greymouth District High School , which is conducted in the District School buildings was established in the year 1883. There are about forty scholars under Mr Alan A. page 560 Adams, the principal. In order to promote secondary education, the Grey Education Board offers four High School scholarships annually, two for pupils attending the town schools, and two for the pupils attending country schools. The curriculum includes Latin, French, Arithmetic, Algebra, Euclid, Physics, English History, Geography, Trigonometry, and Mathematics. Pupils are prepared for the New Zealand University junior scholarship, medical preliminary, matriculation, junior and senior Civil Service examinations, and for commercial pursuits. The art course embraces drawing in freehand, perspective model, geometry, and also from the cast in outline. A cricket and a football club are in full swing during their respective seasons, and the school teams can more than hold their own in contests with other juvenile clubs in the district. There is an excellent gymnasium attached to the school. The school buildings are situated in Tainui Street, at the west end of the town. A portion was erected in the year 1876, but considerable enlargements have been made since that time. The school contains seven class rooms and seven porches, affording accommodation for the various standards, and adjoins the Children's Park. There are commodious playgrounds, with separate portions for boys and girls. There are 550 names on the roll, and the average attendance is over 500. The headmaster is assisted by an extra teacher, who takes charge of the secondary classes, and there is a standing staff of teachers and pupil-teachers.

Mr. Alan A. Adams , the Principal of the Greymouth High School, and Headmaster of the District School, was born in the year 1859, and educated at the best colleges in Dublin, Galway and Paris. Having come out to New Zealand, he received his first appointment in Napier, where he was second master in the Grammar School, under the late Canon D'Arcy Irvine. He resigned this post in order to go to Canterbury, where he was appointed second master in the Rev. Mr. Brown's classical school at Timaru. Mr. Adams has been about eighteen years in the Greymouth school, and has held his present appointemnt since 1890. He is much esteemed, and takes a keen interest in the wellfare of his pupils, large numbers of whom have distinguished themselves in the University, Law, and Civil Service examinations, and his successes long ago established him as one of the most capable teachers in New Zealand. Mr. Adams is married to a native of Nova Scotia.

Mr. William Semmens Austin was appointed First Assistant of the Greymouth District High School in the year 1903. He was born at St. Just. Cornwall, England, in the year 1871, arrived with his parents at the age of six years, in New Zealand, by the ship “Caroline,” and was educated at Westport and Reefton. As a Freemason, Mr. Austin is a Past Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge, New Zealand Constitution, and is secretary of Lodge Mawhera at Greymouth.

Mr. John Harrison Malcolm , formerly Second Assistant Master at the Greymouth District High School, was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, in the year 1865, and is a son of Mr. W. A. Malcolm, Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland. Mr. Malcohn received his primary education at Tokomairiro, and at the West Christchurch public school, at which he was a pupil teacher for four years. He then became a student at the Normal Training College for two years. He was a relieving master under the North Canterbury Education Board for two years, and matriculated in 1885. Whilst performing his duties as a teacher Mr. Malcolm underwent a two years' term of study at Canterbury College. He is married to a daughter of Mr. R. J. Johnston, late District Engineer, of Greymouth. After leaving Greymouth, Mr. Malcolm went to the North Island.

The Education Board of the district of Grey. Members for the year 1905: Mr. J. Byrne, chairman: Hon. J. Marshall, M.L.C., Messrs J. Petrie, S. R. Harris, J. Flynn, W. R. Kettle, F. White and J. McCarthy. Mr. J. Kerr is Treasurer, Mr. H. Smith, Inspector of Schools, and Mr. C. Phillips, Secretary. For a long time the whole of the educational districts of Westland were under the control of one Board, but in June, 1881, two separate bodies were formed. In the year 1904 there were thirty-three schools, fifty-seven teachers, and 1384 scholars in the Grey district. The chief schools are the Grey District High School, with a roll of 550 pupils, the Taylorville school, with about 200 children, Cobden school, with 180, and Blackball with over 100 scholars. The offices of the Board are in a brick building in Mackay Street, and were built in 1905 at a cost of £545. The building contains a Board room, and a secretary's room, with a strong room.

Mr. John Byrne , Chairman of the Grey Education Board, was born in the year 1810 in Tipperary, Ireland, where he went to school. He afterwards went to Australia, and landed in Melbourne, in 1859. After some experiences on the goldfields, he removed to New Zealand, and settled on the West Coast in 1866. Mr. Byrne is the proprietor of a hotel at Paroa. He was elected to the Grey Education Board in 1887, and has been continuously a member since that date.

Mr. Harry Smith , B.A., (New Zealand University), Inspector for the Education Board of the district of Grey, was born in London, England, in the year 1869, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1875. He received his primary education at Geraldine, was a pupil teacher, and served as an assistant master for over eight years. In 1889 Mr. Smith removed to the West Coast, and was appointed head teacher at the Paroa page 561 school, about four miles from Greymouth, and remained there for over two years and a-half, when he resigned in order to attend the University
Mr. H. Smith.

Mr. H. Smith.

classes at Canterbury College, Christhurch, where he matriculated. On returning to the West Coast, he was appointed first assistant at the Kumara public school, and, pursuing his studies, he graduated B.A. in 1895. In 1896, he successfully applied for the position of first assistant teacher at the Grey District High School, and with the headmaster did much to bring the school to a high state of efficiency. In the year 1902, Mr. Smith was appointed Inspector for the Education Board of the district of Grey. He takes a great interest in athletics, especially in cricket and football.
Primary Schools.

The Greymouth Public School is situated in Tainui Street at the west end of the town, and is an exceptionally fine wooden building. It contains a separate room for each class, as well as the headmaster's and teachers' rooms. The headmaster is assisted by a staff of fourteen. Very large playgrounds are allotted to the boys and girls respectively, and there is an excellent system of supervision in force. Between 500 and 600 scholars are on the roll. In conjunction with the school, there is a manual class for carpentry, which is taught by Mr. W. Arnott, a builder and architect of great ability. The class, which is entirely selfsupporting, was started some years ago, and has gradually developed until now it is one of the best of its kind in the Colony.