By 1904, the Ohau School was overcrowded and a side school was opened on 3rd February, 1904, in a small hall [shown in drawing on left] just over the Muhunoa East Bridge on the east side. [The hall was subsequently moved further up Muhunoa East Road for use as a hay shed on Triplow's farm - as shown in the photo on the right taken about 1980.] There were 16 pupils on the Roll at the commencement, and Miss Arcus was the first teacher. This school which was under the jurisdiction of Mr. Feist (Head Master of the Ohau School) catered for children in the primers and up to and including Standard II only. (As the writer had passed into Standard III at this time he had to continue to go to Ohau School until he left in December 1907).
The teachers who followed were Miss Hurley, Miss Sullivan, Miss Newton (later Mrs. F. Roe of Levin) and Miss Atkinson.
First Day Pupils:
Dennis Campion; James, Thomas and Dorothy Cooper; Gertrude and Lillian Death; Frank and Elsie Joll; Stanley and Godfrey Read; Robert, Elizabeth and John Rolston; Myrtle Whiley; Edgar and Edward Williams.
Others who attended later were Ruby Arup; Glen and Madge Campion; Henry, Eva, Elsie, Sylvia and Joseph Death; James Denton; Eric and Rachel Joll; Alice, Edward, Leonard, Cyril and Irene Nicholson; Charles, Stanley, William and Morgan Read; James and Penwill Rolston; Arthur, Herbert, Spencer and Eileen Stratton; Ian and Topsy Taylor; Edna, Franklin and Harry Webb; Valentine Whiley; Leonard and Mary Williams.
As there were only lady teachers in charge of the school, the older boys took advantage of them and constituted to some extent an unruly element rather hard to control.
One day a fight was on; this time it was two girls that were involved; Lizzie ---- and Eileen ----. They had had a “tiff” or something, the cause of which I never could find out. Both were in the right and neither would capitulate, and it was agreed between the two parties to settle the matter with a fight. The contest was to take place after school and the teachers had left and only on condition that no boys were present.
Some of the other girls were evidently in possession of the information which was to be kept secret, but in some mysterious way it leaked out. The boys had heard a whisper. Were they interested? They sure were … “For boys will be boys”. The contest duly took place in the schoolroom and believe it or not the big boys were spectators unobserved. The girls wore long hair at that time and whether hair pulling or fists were used is not quite clear, but probably both had their place – neither side won, it was a draw and the contest well worth-while, for they were good friends ever after. Lizzie who was one of the contestants gave me the information many years after. She has now passed on.
School at the Foot-hills
The land for the permanent school was purchased from Mr. Alex Campion by the Wellington Education Board, and the school was built in 1907, by Mr. P. Arcus, at a cost of £305.5.0. The school which constituted one room and porch was a complete primary school, primers to standard VI, and was opened in February, 1908, with 52 pupils on the Roll. [Drawing on left shows the school in 200?.]
The first teachers were Miss Atkinson in charge and Miss Armstrong as assistant teacher.
The school opening was celebrated with a picnic and a dance held in the evening when Mr. A. Dean supplied the music with an accordion.
Shortly after the opening of the school, also in February, 1908, a great fire fanned by a north-easterly gale swept across the foot-hills of the Tararua Ranges, and across the flat land of the district.
At this time the country was covered with stumps and logs the aftermath of the bush which had been felled, some years previously, and by this time was in a dry and decaying condition, and the sparks from several fires were carried by the gale, and in a very short time the whole of the foot-hills and country-side was ablaze.
The smoke from the inferno was almost suffocating. The children in the school were smoked out like bees in a hive, and Miss Atkinson sent them all home in the afternoon.
This was a very anxious time for the settlers as all their homes and other buildings were in danger from flying sparks, and the gale made it more difficult. The home of Mr. & Mrs. Alex Dean on Florida Road was completely burnt to the ground. The timber for this home had been pit sawed by hand by Mr. Dean and his brother William and it must have been truly hard to see it all go up in smoke. The large Rimu and Rata logs and stumps took many days to burn out.
The school residence was built in 1909. [Drawing on left shows the school house to the left of the school.] The builder being Mr. William Pringle of Levin, and the cost £385.8.0. Mr. B.T. Blake, M.A., was appointed Head Teacher in 1909, and was the first to occupy the residence. Miss R.A. Bell was the assistant teacher. Up till this time the older boys had taken advantage of the lady teachers, and had become most unruly. On the coming of Mr. Blake someone must have tipped him off as to the unruly element.
The very first day there was a straightening up of things in which the birch played a prominent part, and the boys were suddenly reduced to second place.
Their heroism had abated. My brother Jim informed me that he earned two strokes with a green supplejack 2 hours after opening.
Mr. Blake was regarded as a teacher of outstanding ability and the children made good progress under his tuition.
Unfortunately the School Roll declined after a few years, owing to several large families leaving the district, and the school lost its grade.
Mr. Blake went to a position at Mt. Cook school Wellington. He gained rapid promotion, was appointed to the Inspectorate, and later became Chief Inspector to the Wanganui Education Board. He died in January, 1946, at the comparatively early age of 63 years.
Numbers attending the school continued to decline and in 1922 the school was closed, and remained so until it was reopened in 1926.
Teachers who taught at the school at the foot-hills, Muhunoa East, were Miss Atkinson, Miss Armstrong, Mr. B.T. Blake, M.A., Miss Bell, Miss Sullivan, Miss McCall, Mr. Grant, Mr. Galt, Miss Feist, Mrs. Arcus, Mrs. Birch, Miss Hooper, Miss Brand, Miss McKinlay, Miss Shepherd, Miss Rule, Miss Wright, Mrs. Dring, Miss Shirley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Nees, Mr. Fentonby, Miss Fullarton, Mr. Finley, Mr. Andrew, Mr. Holder, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Morgan, Mr. O’Donnell, Mr. Taylor, Mr. May, Mr. Kull (present teacher).
Over the years the school room was used in the evenings for social functions such as dances and political meetings etc. Also religious services were held there on Sundays for a time by the Anglicans and Methodists, they taking alternative Sundays.
Bible in school lessons are conducted in the school for a period of half an hour one day each week. Mr. R. Greenfield conducted these from about 1961 to 1966, and now 1967 the lessons are given by Mr. W.H. Rolston, Mr. Greenfield having been given another school.
The School Log Book of 1904-1922 and other official records appear to be lost.
Early in January, 1926, the following petition was drawn up by residents and forwarded to the Education Board.
“We the undersigned, residents of Muhunoa East, being desirous of having the Muhunoa East School re-opened, respectfully ask you to do so in time to start the New Year, the present arrangements being unsatisfactory.
(Signed) J. Bertram, W.H. Miles. A. Evans,
H.H. Stratton, A. Cooper, A.M. Colquhoun,
T.A. Burling, H.H. Aldwick, A.S. Death,
R.A. Rolston.”
A reply dated 21st January, 1926, was received by the Committee Chairman, Mr. C.E. Waller, stating that the Board had decided to re-open the Muhunoa East School as a separate school from 1st February, 1926.
<<Click here to go back to the Table of Contents for the book. Click here for the Next Section of Mr Rolston's book.>>