An educator of vision helped lift standards across sector
Terry Hitchings
b December 3, 1927 d February 15, 2024
Three months before he died at the age of 96, Terence Richard Hitchings, known as Terry, was still working at Canterbury Museum as an active academic and recently appointed research fellow emeritus.
His full life was constructive, well-lived and inspirational. Hitchings was born in Christchurch and attended Beckenham School before the family moved to Wellington and he attended Miramar South School and Rongotai College. His university days were at Victoria where he completed a bachelor of science and a master of science, and then completed teacher training. He had a keen interest in the outdoors and financed his studies with the proceeds of deerstalking.
He did one of his Country Service years at Gore High School, but then chose to join the army fighting in Korea in the artillery section, where he served as a lieutenant. A film he shot there is in the National Archives.
Back in New Zealand, he taught at Christchurch West High School before taking a promotion to Riccarton High
School as head of science in 1959. He taught chemistry and physics, wrote text books and became president of the Institute of Chemistry. In the mid-70s he was a school inspector for two years. When Allan Gainsford, the founding principal of Riccarton, retired in 1967, Hitchings became principal, a position he held until 1987.
Hitchings lifted Riccarton from a curriculum based strongly on vocational destinations, with emphasis on trades and offices (but also catering for the academically capable), to one that had students ‘tasting’ all courses in year 9, choosing options in year 10, and selecting more specialised options in year 11 and beyond. This was forward-thinking in the 1970s. With the school roll leaping forward, Riccarton lobbied for a school in Hornby. However, when Hornby opened, Riccarton’s roll dropped, assisted by the integration of Villa Maria and St Thomas’ and a change in local demographics.
Management of an expanding roll was one thing but management of a declining roll was another and Hitchings, with his deputy principals Ernie Poole and Margaret Austin, was superb.
Hitchings worked hard and successfully to make sure Riccarton received everything that was due to it. He kept staff morale high, rejoiced in the achievements of staff and students, and left a school staffed by dedicated teachers producing students achieving well academically and ready to go out into the world.
Many of Hitchings’ staff went on to promotion and were leading figures in curriculum development. In his time, he developed the role of guidance counsellor and established a deans system to ensure students had a dedicated person to look after them.
Hitchings had a passionate interest in planting the school grounds to break the harsh outlines of the Nelson and Porirua blocks and to make the school park-like, as principals have since used in marketing. He badgered the local council and PTA for plants and helped plant them.
The purchase of the old school at Kokiri on the West Coast in 1973 was a positive move as it gave city students the opportunity to learn outside the classroom. His first visit to Kokiri was his inspiration and for years he grubbed gorse, wielded a paintbrush and garnered money and support to have the lodge running successfully. Before he retired, he established the special needs unit, which has enriched the school community.
Two of Hitchings’ deputy principals recall aspects of his time. Austin saw him as a very capable leader who inspired his staff and took them with him in developments. Chris Kokay remembers him as a very intelligent man with a wide range of interests who managed the school adroitly and always with a sartorial elegance.
Hitchings was also a long-time member of Riccarton Rotary Club, where he executed various roles of service until recent years.
In his younger years he did work for the museum in Fiordland, searching for kākāpō. When his days in the hills decreased he became a keen fisherman and frequently set out for Omarama or
Maruia to spend time on the river banks. For several years a group of like-minded retirees grew grapes on Kennedys Bush. Don Beaven and Norman Hardie, among others, had several vintages and produced some good wine, and some other wine.
In his retirement years, Hichings turned his attention to the collection and study of mayflies, carefully documenting species in New Zealand waters - creating a valuable database at Canterbury Museum for researchers studying conservation and environmental change. Son Tim is also involved, along with grandson Richard.
The three generations have collected nearly 50,000 mayflies. Terry and Tim both became Canterbury Museum research associates and have co-authored several research papers.
Tim remembers his father as a man full of energy, enthusiasm and curiosity, an affable role model for his family.
After Hitchings’ death notice was posted on Facebook, some 60 past Riccarton students posted their sympathies, even though he left nearly 40 years ago.
Terry Hitchings is survived by Judith, his wife of 67 years, children Tim, Annabell and Matthew, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
– By David Tapp, with assistance from Tim Hitchings, Matthew Hitchings, Margaret Austin, Chris Kokay and Graham Batchelor.