Lansdowne Pre 1909 26th February 1906 The residents of Lansdowne intend making an appeal to the Wellington Education Board for the erection of a school within that district, and at present a petition is in circulation for signatures. It is urged that there are approximately one hundred children of, or near, school age and that with either the school at Masterton or at Te Ore Ore, the distance is fairly long, and the roads and bridges crossed are much used for stock traffic and therefore dangerous. A suggestion is made that the Te Ore Ore school, in a district where settlement is not progressing and with the school attendance consequently on the decrease, should be transferred to a central position at Lansdowne. The matter is being taken up heartily by Lansdowne residents. 30th April 1906 At the meeting of the Education Board, last week, a petition from parents and guardians of children, asking that a school be established at Lansdowne, was considered The memorial contained the names and other particulars of children within school age. The number being over 80, while an almost equal number was given of children under 5 years. It was decided to refer the application to the Inspectors and the Masterton School Committee 11th May 1906 TE ORE ORE SCHOOL. Suggested Removal to Lansdowne Sub Committee Appointed to Make Enquiries. The advisableness of removing the To Ore Ore School from its present site was discussed at the meeting of the Masterton School Committee, last evening, when a letter was received from the Education Board asking the Committee's opinion on an application received from a number of residents at Lansdowne for the erection of the school in that district. The Chairman stated the erection of a school at Lansdowne would mean the closing of the Te Ore Ore School, and would also have an effect on the attendance at, the Masterton District High School. He understood the application was being made by parents on the ground that the distance to the Te Ore Ore School was too far and along a road used a great deal for stock. It was reported by the Secretary that the closing of the Te Ore Ore school would be inconvenient to a number of school children at that end. Aa no information accompanied the communication, and the Committee was somewhat in the dark in the matter, a Committee comprising the Chairman and Messrs J. Carpenter, W. A. Fendall and Thos. Duncan was appointed to enquire and formulate a reply. 11th May 1906 A letter received from the Education Board with reference to an application received from a number of residents at Lansdowne for the erection of a school in that locality. The board desired the Committee to consider the matter, and give such advice as in the Committee's opinion would best tend to the welfare of matters educational in the Masterton district. Mr Brown stated that the Committee were aware that there was a school at Te Ore Ore, and the opening of a school at Lansdowne would mean the closing of the Te Ore Ore School, He thought the opening of such a school would have an effect on the Masterton School. He understood that the application was based on the fact that a large number of children from Lansdowne attended 1 the Te Ore Ore School and the distance was thought too far. The question was whether the Committee should consider the question of again including Lansdowne in the Masterton School district. The Secretary stated that from his experience as truant officer he knew there would be a large number of children greatly inconvenienced by the closing of the Te Ore Ore School. On the motion of Mr Duncan a Committee, consisting of the Chairman and Messrs Fendall, Carpenter and the mover, was appointed to obtain information on the matter with power to report to the Board 16th May 1906 According to the last census returns the population of Lansdowne is 439 (males 218, females 221). The population in 1901 was 288 29th June 1906 Mr Hogg asked why the Lansdowne (Masterton) petition for, a new school had not been given any effect to.—Messrs Hogg, Feist, Vile and the chief inspector were appointed to look into the matter, which had been lost in a chaos of committees and persons who were to report. 29th June 1906 SCHOOL FOR LANSDOWNE. Proposal Objected to by Masterton School Committee Lansdowne residents have been agitating for some time past for the erection of a schoolhouse in a convenient locality in that district, contending that both Masterton and Te Ore Ore schools are too remote for young children to daily attend them, and further that both routes are largely used for driving stock along, and as bridges have to be crossed there was reasonable cause for apprehension as to the children's safety. In making application to the Wellington Education Board for a school' at Lansdowne the residents suggested the removal of the Te Ore Ore school to a site closer to Lansdowne so that the requirements of both districts would receive due consideration. The matter was referred to the Masterton Committee for an opinion and at last night's meeting it was discussed in Committee. Having considered the various aspects of the question, a resolution was carried, on the motion of the Chairman (Mr R. Brown), seconded by Mr Thos. Duncan, " That in the opinion of this Committee the proposed new school at Lansdowne would prejudicially affect both the Masterton and Te Ore Ore schools, and is not required." 30th June 1906 Proposed Lansdowne School. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The members of the Masterton School Committee, " having considered the various aspects of the question," are of opinion that the proposed school, at Lansdowne, is not required, because it would affect the attendance at the Masterton and Te Ore Ore schools. The Masterton School Committee do not seem to care very much - whether the young children at Lansdowne (of whom there are a good number—when the petition to the Education Board, signed by the residents here) get schooling or not, so long as the attendance at the Masterton School is not affected, It is very hard that young children should be deprived of preparatory education through any lack of consideration on the part of a school committee. There is no need for the Te Ore Ore school to be interfered with, as the majority of the children attending it come from the Native pahs, and that school will be necessary for them for years to come. The Masterton school is much too far-away and the road is quite unfit for young children. The stock traffic makes it dangerous. It is a shocking mud-hole on a wet day, and children are liable to be molested by drunken men, who are often to be seen hanging about the bridges. The law makes it compulsory for children to attend school, and I maintain that schools should be placed where there are enough children to support one, and not make one school have a monopoly of the lot. I hope the residents of Lansdowne will not let the matter drop, but will rise up and make a fight for the education and the welfare of their children.—l am, etc., Oscott. Lansdowne, 29th June. 2nd July 1906 Proposed Lansdowne School. To the editor.] Sir,—The decision of the Masterton School Committee, re the above, reminds one of the old saying that “history repeats itself." Many years ago, when it was suggested to establish an “infant school," the same cry was raised: "It would affect the attendance at the main school." After some opposition the school was started, and still the main school flourished. If the Committee have thoroughly gone into the phases of the case, it is difficult to believe they are serious when they make such an excuse for recommending the shelving of Lansdowne's educational needs. They may be surprised to learn that all the members of the Education Board who, because of their knowledge of the exact state of things, have been interviewed and consulted, have expressed their opinion that the Lansdowne parents have an exceptionally good case, and that if the funds at disposal do not justify the expenditure just now, the Board in a very short time will be compelled, from force of circumstances, to erect the school. Yet the Masterton School Committee, which is pledged to watch over our interests, and which is supposed to be conversant with the needs of each district, have arrived at the conclusion that it is “not required." Comment would be superfluous.—l am, etc., “Lansdowne." July 2nd, 1906. 7th July 1906 Lansdowne School. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The Masterton School Committee has, unintentionally, no doubt, inflicted upon the infant children of Lansdowne a grave injustice, and it is to be hoped that the parents and residents of that locality will not let the matter rest in its present unsatisfactory position. There are upwards of one hundred children at Lansdowne, on whose behalf a petition was presented to the Education Board for a school. The Board, having favourably considered the matter, referred it to the local Committee for a report and, to the astonishment of everyone> the local Committee, who surely ought to be the last to hamper the claims of the children, has come to the obviously inconsistent conclusion that a school at Lansdowne is not required! To make its decision still more ridiculous, it adds that a school at Lansdowne would affect the Masterton School! What on earth has that to do with it? In the first place, the contention is incorrect, and in the second place, it is no argument against the proposed school.