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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Educational

Educational.

The Masterton Public School, which was established about thirty years ago, occupies one of the highest sites in the borough, at the south end of Queen Street, the land extending right through to Chapel Street. The large wooden building, which has a spacious infant department, eight class-rooms, teachers' sitting-room, and an office for the headmaster, was erected in 1881, being enlarged to the present size in 1894. The area of the section is three acres. Playgrounds have been provided at the back, while the front grounds are ornamentally laid out and planted. An improved sanitary system has been adopted, and a plentiful supply of pure water is conveyed through iron pipes from a spring twenty or thirty chains away. Liberal grants are made by the Town Lands Trustees, and this school is better supplied with apparatus for science teaching than any other school in the district. There are 609 names on the school roll—slightly more boys than girls—the average attendance being 510. The teaching staff includes the headmaster, five assistants, and six pupil-teachers, who are nearly all certificated. A large two-story residence, occupied by the headmaster, is situated opposite the school, in Chapel Street.

Mr. William Henry Jackson, Headmaster of the Masterton Public School, was born in 1858 in Oldbury, near Birmingham. Educated at the Oldbury National school and at Messrs. Chance Brothers' School, Mr. Jackson entered the teaching profession in the Old Land. For five years ending 1876 he was pupil-teacher and assistant at Oldbury National School, and after obtaining a Queen's Scholarship was for two years subsequently a student at the Saltley Training College. At the final examination he obtained a high position in the “first division.” Until Mr. William Henry Jackson page 949 1883 Mr. Jackson was in charge of St. Mark's Lower School, Birmingham, which he left for New Zealand, and arrived in Wellington per s.s. “British King” about Christmas of that year. He became first assistant at Mount Cook School, Wellington, where he remained till 1888, filling the position of first assistant for four years and headmaster for one year. For the last eight years Mr. Jackson has been in charge of Masterton school, and is deservedly popular. A member of the Anglican Church, he acts as lay reader at St. Matthew's Church, and is ever ready to assist in any local effort. Mr. Jackson is a student, and often gives lectures on scientific subjects, with illustrations and experiments. He has taken a leading part in promoting the establishment of technical classes, for which a building is to be fitted up by the Trust Lands Trustees. In 1882 Mr. Jackson was married to a daughter of Mr. Thomas Foden, of Osmaston, Derby, England, and has two daughters and a son.

The Masterton Infants' School, which was established about ten years ago, is held in a wooden building of the usual design, which was erected in 1893, and contains a large and a small class-room. The land occupied, which is about an acre, and extends from Victoria to Wrigley Streets, provides two large playgrounds. The children on the roll number 105, with an average attendance of 85, and are instructed up to the first standard, the head-mistress being assisted by two pupil teachers.

Miss Laura Louisa Keeling, Headmistress of the Masterton Infants' School, was born in Victoria, where she was educated. Arriving in the Colony in 1876, Miss Keeling was appointed assistant at Te Aro Main School, Wellington, two years later, and after a few months was transferred to Masterton to a similar position. In 1886, when the infants' school was established, Miss Keeling was placed in charge. Her spare moments are devoted to painting in oil colours, sometimes from nature, her special favourites being flowers.

St. Patrick's Roman Catholic School, Masterton, is situated in Queen Street behind St. Patrick's Church. The school has been established a great many years, the building being of wood, with accommodation for eighty children. There are seventy-two children on the roll, the average attendance bring about sixty. The institution is supported by fees and voluntary contributions, with a grant from the Masterton Trust Lands Trust. Its maintenance costs about £200 a year, the teaching staff being a master and one assistant.

Mr. Bernard J. Dolan, Master of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic School, Masterton, was born in Sligo, Ireland, in 1874. He came to Wellington in 1893 and received his present appointment the same year. A gold medallist of the Intermediate Education Board of Ireland, he was first in English out of 4488 competitors. He also holds several South Kensington certificates, and is a singer, swimmer, oarsman and cyclist.

Girls' Collegiate School (Mrs. and Miss Sheppard, principals), Queen Street, Masterton. This school, which was established in 1879 in Napier, was removed to Masterton in 1891. The two-story wooden building occupied contains twenty-two rooms, accommodating twelve boarders and about sixty day pupils. The principals are assisted by about ten teachers.