Schools’ histories being saved
The 150th jubilee of state schools in Pleasant Point two years ago has led to valuable research for some history buffs, and the community.
A display of schools that had closed in the area, shown at the reunion, piqued the interest of a few locals.
Heather Fifield said the group, calling itself the Pleasant Point District Schools Archives, discovered 19 schools had closed in the wider area since the 1930s with some of the original school buildings still standing.
As small country state schools closed, including Rockwood, Mt Gay, Hazelburn, Totara Valley, Cave, Taiko, Rosewill, Waitohi, Kakahu, Kerrytown, St Joseph’s, Cannington and Opihi, more pupils came to Pleasant Point.
The group also heard anecdotes such as when Opihi School burned down in the summer of 1935/36 and a teacher was the suspected arsonist.
Fifield said the group planned to put information boards outside 16 of the existing buildings of the schools that had closed and hoped to approach the overseers of the remainder to include them as well.
There has been a lot of interest in the project and Fifield hopes the boards will be installed within the next two years.
At markets the group displayed historical photos from the old schools to promote interest and had received a good response with some people recognising students in class photos, and offering information on them or providing more photos.
The old Sutherland School building which is now used as a hall is undergoing an upgrade.
The group was applying for funding and was accepting donations.
Fifield said the Taiko community had been very supportive and theirs would be the first information board to be unveiled outside what is now used as the hall, on December 5.