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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Educational

Educational.

The Stratford District High School was constituted in the year 1897. There are two classes, in which botany, physics, dairying, chemistry, woodwork and dressmaking are taught. Mr. H. Dromgool, B.Sc., as master, and Miss A. M. Budd, M.A., as mistress, are in charge of the work, under the direction of Mr. F. A. Tyrer. This school has established a record in Taranaki for the number of its successful candidates at scholarship examinations. Pupils have on two occasions won Queen's Scholarships, and have also gained two out of three National Scholarships awarded to Taranaki; in 1905 a Stratford boy took second place in the colony, with 660 against 661 marks. Since the year 1898 thirty-nine pupils have passed the matriculation examination. In the year 1903–04, one pupil gained a Junior University Scholarship, another passed the medical preliminary examination, four passed the matriculation and solicitors' general knowledge examinations, and three the junior civil service. Two scholars took first and second place respectively in senior scholarships, and two third and fourth places in junior scholarships. In the year 1905 one scholar passed with credit the Junior University Scholarship, five passed the matriculation and solicitors' general knowledge, and four the junior civil service examinations, and the school also won a Queen's Scholarship. From three to five-hours each week are devoted to technical and manual work. The syllabus of the primary classes includes paper work, cardboard and woodwork. There are two cadet corps in connection with the school. The staff includes Mr. F. A. Tyrer, headmaster and superintendent of the Technical School; Mr. A. R. Gatland, B.A., first assistant; Mr. R. Brown, second assistant; Miss S. Hogg, third assistant; Miss J. Blackett, fourth assistant; and Misses King and Mackay, junior teachers. Mr. R.H. Clark is manual and art teacher.

Mr. Florance Antony Tyrer was appointed Headmaster of the Stratford District High School and Primary School, and Supervisor of the Technical School, in the year 1897.

The Stratford Public School stands on a section of four acres, at the corner of Fenton Street and Juliet Street. There are two school buildings; namely, the main school, which contains four class rooms and three porches, and the infants' school. There is accommodation for 525 pupils, though the names on the roll sometimes exceed that number, and in the year 1905 there was an average attendance of 477.

The Stratford Technical School is situated in Orlando Street, on a half-acre section, which was originally the site of the first co-operative dairy factory in the district. The building was crected in 1903. It is of wood and iron, and contains four class rooms, devoted to art work, science, chemistry, wood-work and dairy work. Mr. F. A. Tyrer, headmaster of the Stratford Public School, is superintendent, and Mr. R. H. Clark is manual and art teacher.

The Monastery Of Our Lady Of Perpetual Succession was founded in Stratford on the 23rd of January, 1897, when work was begun in a lean-to at the back of the primary school. The first portion of the present fine building was commenced on the 17th of May, 1899, and was enlarged in 1904, by the addition of a wing. The building, which is of wood and iron, is two stories in height, and contains fifteen rooms; of which four are dormitories, The high school, which is attended by twenty children, is held in the convent, and St. Joseph's primary school adjoining has an attendance of 120 pupils. There are eight Sisters in charge, and two of these travel daily to conduct the primary school at Eltham, where sixty children are in attendance.