Class of ‘59 celebrates a teacher

There may not be as many of them as there were in 1959 (over 30) but the North School Class of ‘59 was keen to journey back to Dannevirke to celebrate the 90th birthday of their teacher at North School Pat Mills.

The idea came to Marie Power (nee Stephens) when she heard Pat Mills was turning 90.

Despite having celebrated their 50th Jubilee in 2009 Marie knew they would return for this unique occasion.

And so they met in Dannevirke’s Black Stump for a dinner in the evening of March 7 and Pat Mills was thrilled. She said that this was “a prime class and very special, memorable for their camaraderie”.

She felt “very privileged to be invited and be made to feel she was someone they appreciated”.

She had fond memories of the school under the principalship of Jaz B Johnson who “ran a very good school being a stickler for punctuality and uniform”.

By the time Pat reached North School she had been teaching six years at South School, taking a year off to go overseas.

On her return principal Duncan Scott enticed Pat to teach physical education, geography, social studies and mathematics at Dannevirke High School but she yearned for her own class and landed a job at North School teaching primers. This was soon replaced by standard six and she stayed nine years.

This was when she met the class of ’59 who were a composite standard five and six.

She ended up teaching the standard fives for two years saying she was “fussy, friendly and faithful”.

Spreading her wings Pat then taught eight years at Havelock North moving to Matamata Intermediate before teaching in Aberdeen, returning overland through India in a very memorable journey.

In 1970 she went to a brand new school in Mt Maunganui which had “no grass and only a blackboard ruler, duster and chalk to teach with”.

In 1980 she became the first woman principal in the Hamilton Education Board at Merrivale School before joining the Educational Psychology division of the ministry helping children in three high schools, intermediates and primary schools.

She retired from teaching after 40 years’ service spent three years on a lifestyle block at O¯ mokoroa and then returned to Dannevirke to be with family.

She says 40 years teaching was “a long haul” but she loved her career, especially the children, and she hoped she made a positive difference.

The North School Class of ’59 with their teacher Pat Mills on her 90th birthday. Back row left to right: Janice Hall, Joan Wright (Leatherland), Rex Omundsen, David Barrett, Irene Allen (Scully), Pam Dowling (Gilmore), Les Giddens, Carol Gimblett (Mackay). Front row: Meryl Dingle (Cavanagh), Yvonne Hewitt (Johnson), Pat Mills, Barbara James (Stirling), Marie Power (Stephens), Katharine Boyce (McLaren).

Pat Mills with her birthday cake.

Pat still has a great memory for reminiscing — about homework!