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James McIntyre -1866-1922

Headmaster Levin School 1892 - 1922

Date of birth	1866
Date of death	29 Oct 1922

JAMES McINTYRE
Headmaster of Levin School 1892 - 1922

The oldest son of Lachlan McPherson McIntyre from Perth, Scotland and Ann Campbell from Barrhead, Renfrew, Scotland, James was born in Auckland in 1866. The family came to Wellington in 1868.

Educated at Mt.Cook Boys' school, James then became a pupil teacher for 5 years. After passing his examination at the Wellington Training College, he was appointed first assistant teacher at Petone public school, which position he occupied for 2 years. In 1890 he transferred to Newtown Public School, Wellington.

Photo at left from 'Cyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1897'.

According to the 50th Jubilee booklet of the Levin School:

'In 1892 the position of head master and sole teacher of a 2-room school in Levin with 40 pupils was advertised and several applications received. The Chairman and Secretary interviewed the applicants at the Board's offices in Wellington. A young fellow, smallish in stature, by name James McIntyre, appealed to them, but they wanted a married man if it were at all possible. "Was Mr Mcintyre married?" "No!" but he soon would be if he were the successful applicant. Thus Miss Sophy Fox of Petone became Mrs James McIntyre of Levin, or as the Maori boys put it - "Mac's missus."

He married Sophia Fox in 1893 and she played a significant part in women's affairs in Levin.

James and Sophia had 3 children, all born in Levin: James Lachlan born in 1896, Morrison Charles born in 1898 and Kenneth Colquhoun born in 1906.

The school flourished and by 1922, when James retired, was a District High School with a roll of 660.

James played a very prominent part in Levin, starting rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis clubs and assisting in the formation of the Druid and Masonic lodges. He was also a member of the Levin Club. His involvement with these organisations as well as his application to duty as headmaster made him a greatly respected member of the community. He was known as "old Mac" with all the respect and love one gives to treasured friends.

From the 50th Jubilee booklet:

"On his retirement from teaching in 1922 presentation gatherings and farewell parties occupied nearly a fortnight and when the final day came all could say from the bottom of their hearts - "There goes a man."

At a special function, James was presented with an Illuminated Address with the following text:

"The signatories to this address, representing the old Pupils of the Levin District High School, feel that the completion by you of thirty years' service as headmaster of the school cannot be allowed to pass without our putting on record the feelings of respect and goodwill we hold towards you. We believe you have had an experience unique in the Dominion in that, coming to a small bush township as sole teacher of its original school, you remained its headmaster through all its varying fortunes until it reached the highest grade possible in this country and attained the status of a District High School. It is given to few men to continue in one position of such a nature over the period of a generation, and to still fewer to hold through so many years the affection and confidence of the scholars who pass through their hands.

You have been one of that smaller and elect company, and we as your old pupils feel that we have been privileged to have received our education under your care. Not only in mere scholarship and the imparting of knowledge have your gifts been manifested, but you have always set before your scholars worthy ideals of citizenship, of true patriotism, and of loyalty to their comrades and mates, and have given a proper encouragement to all forms of manly sport and recreation. We feel grateful in being permitted to carry with us from our school pleasant memories and lessons that have been helpful and beneficial. We bear witness also to your unfailing kindliness and interest, no less than to that strict discipline and example of thoroughness which is its complement. We take leave of you as headmaster of our old school with mingled feelings of pleasure and regret - pleasure that you are about to enter upon that leisure and respite from labour that is your due and right; and regret that your accustomed place, filled so many years with dignity and honour, will know you no longer and that succeeding groups of scholars will be without the benefits we have enjoyed.

To Mrs McIntyre also we wish to offer our respectful compliments. Her interest in the welfare and growth of the school as an institution and her personal sympathy with the progress of the scholars as individuals has endeared her to us and will ever be remembered as a happy experience of our schooldays."

James and Sophia retired to Wellington, where they lived at 189 Onepu Road.

After the death of James on 29 October 1922, Sophia at 56 went to live for a short while with her son James Lachlan at 9 Maurice Terrace, Wellington. She did some work looking after elderly people mainly. She went to Levin for a short time, came and went from Morrison's home at Okaiawa, before going to Papakura with Ken & Lillian McIntyre. Her grandson, Jim says she was always cheerful come what may. A long illness with cancer saw her hospitalised for most of 1951/2 and she died in New Plymouth in 1952.

In 1980 at a Levin School re-union, a photo of James took pride of place. An article in the Levin Chronicle of 12 January 1980 states:

"An occasion which was one of regret for those so long attached to the headmaster Mr J McIntyre was his retirement in 1922.
His past pupils, staff, present pupils and the community as a whole gathered at various functions to bid him an often-tearful farewell. For 30 years since 1892 he had been headmaster of a school which had grown from a roll of 58 - 690.
He had taught through those early years of difficulty and carried on through days of progress and during this time became beloved and deeply respected by all who knew him".

Submitted by Naomi Dement, grand-niece of James McIntyre.

Sources: family records and photos
Levin Chronicle 1922
50th Levin School Jubilee booklet of 1942
Levin Chronicle 12 January 1980

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