I discovered via a Google search today that Dr. Roger Chesswas, PhD, has been appointed Director of Research at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL). From the PREL newsreel:
Dr. Chesswas is responsible for the design and development of multiple complex research programs at PREL. He has worked in the field of education evaluation for almost 30 years, including 15 years with the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) system. His work included conducting internal and external evaluation programs, exploring uses for technology in teaching and learning, performing classroom interventions, and designing school reforms. Most recently, Dr. Chesswas worked with WestEd, based in San Francisco, CA, where he conducted trials focusing on standards-based instruction, English language learner development, and training for Early Head Start program staff.
Prior to working in educational research, Dr. Chesswas evaluated corporate and association training programs and worked on professional program assessments and testing.
Dr. Chesswas worked in the international arena in the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) and UNESCO, training educational planners from developing countries, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
PREL is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that serves the educational community in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands, the continental United States, and countries throughout the world.
The only Dr. Chesswas ever, Roger has a PhD in the study of Comparative Education. Part of the New Zealand branch of the family, Roger is the grandson of Herbert Chesswas who grew up on the Waitotara Valley farm at the turn of the 20th century, then immigrated to England around the time of World War I. The New Zealand branch of the family have lost touch with Dr. Chesswas, so if you discover this site Roger we'd be interested in hearing from you, or if someone could put him in touch with us we would be grateful.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Pastor Russell Embling in the News
Church services sidestep so congregation can watch rugby (from stuff.co.nz 27 October 2005)
Rugby is arguably one of our most popular religions and it seems at least one Tauranga church agrees.
Greerton Bible Church is scrapping its Sunday church services in favour of supporting the men in black - with the congregation due to watch the All Blacks Grand Slam Tour on a big screen instead.
The Chadwick Rd church's senior Pastor Russell Embling said the event, dubbed the Big Screen Grand Slam Tour, would replace its regular weekly service each Sunday throughout November.
"A lot of people are going to watch the All Black games on Sunday morning, so we figured if we can't beat 'em, join 'em.
"Rugby and the All Blacks are a big part of Kiwi culture, there's no denying that."
Churchgoers will instead have the option to attend a Friday night service at 7pm during November.
The Grand Slam - in which the All Blacks go head-to-head with Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland - was last attempted in 1983.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe last All Black team to beat all four sides was Graham Mourie's 1978 team.
And while the four-test tour of Britain and Ireland was a rare event for New Zealand, Mr Embling admitted cancelling a service was pretty much unheard of among churches.
"We have never done anything like this before in terms of shifting our Sunday service to make way for anything - let alone the rugby."
Despite going against the norm, it seems the 250 strong Christian congregation are fully behind Mr Embling's decision.
"Everyone is really looking forward to it and can't wait - I have had a really good response.
"It's bound to be great fun for all those who decide to come along and watch the games."
While the aim of the event was to enjoy the game as it's played out on a 4m x 5m television screen, Mr Embling has also organised some well-known rugby identities to pop in.
At 7am each Sunday, starting with the test against Wales on November 6, the congregation would also be treated to a visit from Chiefs coach Ian Foster, former-All Black Eroni Clarke and Bay of Plenty Steamers players Grant McQuoid and Hayden Reid.
All sportsmen were renowned for their passion for both rugby and faith.
"They will provide a bit of post-match analysis and they will then talk about how their faith relates to rugby or rugby career to their faith."
It's not all about rugby, though, with hundreds of the church's parishioners being treated to a fully catered breakfast, children's entertainment and spot prizes.
There will even be some half-time entertainment, he said.
Tickets for each week's event were free and were available from the Greerton Bible Church office throughout the week.
*Pastor Russell Embling is married to Lois Chesswas and together they have three adult children. Lois' parents are Thelma and the late Alan Chesswas of Wanganui, son of Ed Chesswas, eldest son of Jack Chesswas from whom all NZ Chesswas are descended.
Rugby is arguably one of our most popular religions and it seems at least one Tauranga church agrees.
Greerton Bible Church is scrapping its Sunday church services in favour of supporting the men in black - with the congregation due to watch the All Blacks Grand Slam Tour on a big screen instead.
The Chadwick Rd church's senior Pastor Russell Embling said the event, dubbed the Big Screen Grand Slam Tour, would replace its regular weekly service each Sunday throughout November.
"A lot of people are going to watch the All Black games on Sunday morning, so we figured if we can't beat 'em, join 'em.
"Rugby and the All Blacks are a big part of Kiwi culture, there's no denying that."
Churchgoers will instead have the option to attend a Friday night service at 7pm during November.
The Grand Slam - in which the All Blacks go head-to-head with Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland - was last attempted in 1983.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe last All Black team to beat all four sides was Graham Mourie's 1978 team.
And while the four-test tour of Britain and Ireland was a rare event for New Zealand, Mr Embling admitted cancelling a service was pretty much unheard of among churches.
"We have never done anything like this before in terms of shifting our Sunday service to make way for anything - let alone the rugby."
Despite going against the norm, it seems the 250 strong Christian congregation are fully behind Mr Embling's decision.
"Everyone is really looking forward to it and can't wait - I have had a really good response.
"It's bound to be great fun for all those who decide to come along and watch the games."
While the aim of the event was to enjoy the game as it's played out on a 4m x 5m television screen, Mr Embling has also organised some well-known rugby identities to pop in.
At 7am each Sunday, starting with the test against Wales on November 6, the congregation would also be treated to a visit from Chiefs coach Ian Foster, former-All Black Eroni Clarke and Bay of Plenty Steamers players Grant McQuoid and Hayden Reid.
All sportsmen were renowned for their passion for both rugby and faith.
"They will provide a bit of post-match analysis and they will then talk about how their faith relates to rugby or rugby career to their faith."
It's not all about rugby, though, with hundreds of the church's parishioners being treated to a fully catered breakfast, children's entertainment and spot prizes.
There will even be some half-time entertainment, he said.
Tickets for each week's event were free and were available from the Greerton Bible Church office throughout the week.
*Pastor Russell Embling is married to Lois Chesswas and together they have three adult children. Lois' parents are Thelma and the late Alan Chesswas of Wanganui, son of Ed Chesswas, eldest son of Jack Chesswas from whom all NZ Chesswas are descended.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Update
I decided my first post, other than the introduction, would be a biography of my late grandfather W.A. Chesswas, but I am giving the piece some time to do him justice. Hopefully I will have this finished within the next month.
Also, I have enabled the comments function so that anyone can post. Once I have published the biography of my grandfather I will send an email to all Chesswas folk that I know, to get the word out about this forum.
Also, I have enabled the comments function so that anyone can post. Once I have published the biography of my grandfather I will send an email to all Chesswas folk that I know, to get the word out about this forum.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Wæs Hæil!!
Wæs hæil & welcome to the Chesswas family weblog. I have created this website for the purpose of sharing with fellow Chesswas family members, friends, and genealogy and history enthusiasts, the history of the Chesswas family both in England and across the globe.
Firstly, a bit about who I am and why I care. Growing up on the Chesswas family farm in Tututawa, Stratford, I knew little of our family history. I knew that my grandfather had been born in an isolated valley (Waitotara) in the middle of nowhere (between Taranaki & Wanganui) at the end of the Earth (New Zealand), and that his ancestors were probably the cheesemakers of Was, and were obviously German, as the town of Was must have been German (it just sounds like it is!). Six years ago, though, I began a journey of discovery, and I now know that the Chesswas family were not German but English, that "Chess" probably has more to do with their probable Cheshire origins than with Cheese, and that there are no towns in Germany called "Was".
The journey began sitting at a computer at Massey University. My parents had just purchased a new computer and opened their first email account, and I had written them an email. As I sat and scrolled through my inbox I discovered a reply, but not from my parents.
"Sorry, I can't help you with your financial situation", the email read, "but I do know that your father is John Chesswas, your grandfather is Walter and that you are my sixth cousin, twice removed and we share the same ancestor John Chesswas who was born in 1697."
The email I had received was from Graham Chesswas of England, and I realised I had emailed hotmail.com instead of xtra.co.nz. Graham's uncle Donald Chesswas had begun compiling a book on the family history, and had known about our branch in New Zealand since the 1970s. While he had been in touch with some members of the New Zealand clan, my mother and father apparently did not know and were still stuck on the "Cheesemakers of Was" story.
My father seldom spoke of, or cared for, family history, and it seems many Kiwi blokes are the same. After all, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers were so busy doing the work of settlers and pioneers that they just didn't have the time, energy or sentimentality to spend on such leisurely pursuits. Furthermore, as the story goes, they had often left family backgrounds riddled with poverty and oppressed by the English class system, where family defined everything about you. Rather than reproducing the past they were focused on creating the future - a vision of a New Zealand where men were free and all were equal, and where one would be defined by their own character and achievements rather than that of their families.
My generation, though, has been barraged through our TVs and radios with American culture and continental ideas, and advertising tells us every day that life is all about the individual getting what he or she wants. Liberal governments and schooling have emphasised the rights of the individual, and have produced policies and laws that have had devastating effects on families. The social fabric of our nation has changed to the point that the family is almost becoming an endangered species. At the same time there has been a revival of whanau (family) and whakapapa (genealogy) among the Maori of our nation (New Zealand), which I began to learn about in my studies at Massey University, and which made me start to wonder about my own culture and heritage. So when I began emailing Graham and his uncle Donald all those years ago it sparked an enthusiasm in me to learn all I could about my ancestors, my cultural heritage, my connection with those dusty old history books on the shelf.
I have been in contact with many different members of the Chesswas family - here in New Zealand, across the ditch in Australia, in the States and, of course, in the mother country England. Donald published the Chesswas Family History in Easter 2003, which happened to coincide with the first NZ Chesswas family reunion for about 25 years. I have a lot of information at hand to share for the benefit of family members, genealogists, historians and friends, and will endeavour to update this site regularly and do my best to give it a user-friendly format. I also imagine I will be able to set it up so other family members have the ability to make their own posts and add more information, so the site can act as a place for exchanging information and getting a better picture of just what it means to be....
Firstly, a bit about who I am and why I care. Growing up on the Chesswas family farm in Tututawa, Stratford, I knew little of our family history. I knew that my grandfather had been born in an isolated valley (Waitotara) in the middle of nowhere (between Taranaki & Wanganui) at the end of the Earth (New Zealand), and that his ancestors were probably the cheesemakers of Was, and were obviously German, as the town of Was must have been German (it just sounds like it is!). Six years ago, though, I began a journey of discovery, and I now know that the Chesswas family were not German but English, that "Chess" probably has more to do with their probable Cheshire origins than with Cheese, and that there are no towns in Germany called "Was".
The journey began sitting at a computer at Massey University. My parents had just purchased a new computer and opened their first email account, and I had written them an email. As I sat and scrolled through my inbox I discovered a reply, but not from my parents.
"Sorry, I can't help you with your financial situation", the email read, "but I do know that your father is John Chesswas, your grandfather is Walter and that you are my sixth cousin, twice removed and we share the same ancestor John Chesswas who was born in 1697."
The email I had received was from Graham Chesswas of England, and I realised I had emailed hotmail.com instead of xtra.co.nz. Graham's uncle Donald Chesswas had begun compiling a book on the family history, and had known about our branch in New Zealand since the 1970s. While he had been in touch with some members of the New Zealand clan, my mother and father apparently did not know and were still stuck on the "Cheesemakers of Was" story.
My father seldom spoke of, or cared for, family history, and it seems many Kiwi blokes are the same. After all, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers were so busy doing the work of settlers and pioneers that they just didn't have the time, energy or sentimentality to spend on such leisurely pursuits. Furthermore, as the story goes, they had often left family backgrounds riddled with poverty and oppressed by the English class system, where family defined everything about you. Rather than reproducing the past they were focused on creating the future - a vision of a New Zealand where men were free and all were equal, and where one would be defined by their own character and achievements rather than that of their families.
My generation, though, has been barraged through our TVs and radios with American culture and continental ideas, and advertising tells us every day that life is all about the individual getting what he or she wants. Liberal governments and schooling have emphasised the rights of the individual, and have produced policies and laws that have had devastating effects on families. The social fabric of our nation has changed to the point that the family is almost becoming an endangered species. At the same time there has been a revival of whanau (family) and whakapapa (genealogy) among the Maori of our nation (New Zealand), which I began to learn about in my studies at Massey University, and which made me start to wonder about my own culture and heritage. So when I began emailing Graham and his uncle Donald all those years ago it sparked an enthusiasm in me to learn all I could about my ancestors, my cultural heritage, my connection with those dusty old history books on the shelf.
I have been in contact with many different members of the Chesswas family - here in New Zealand, across the ditch in Australia, in the States and, of course, in the mother country England. Donald published the Chesswas Family History in Easter 2003, which happened to coincide with the first NZ Chesswas family reunion for about 25 years. I have a lot of information at hand to share for the benefit of family members, genealogists, historians and friends, and will endeavour to update this site regularly and do my best to give it a user-friendly format. I also imagine I will be able to set it up so other family members have the ability to make their own posts and add more information, so the site can act as a place for exchanging information and getting a better picture of just what it means to be....
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