Opawa School's 90th Anniversary

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29932, 20 September 1962, Page 15

Opawa School's 90th Anniversary

“Act well your part , . . therein all the honour lies,” says the motto of the Opawa School. Just how well the school has been served by past and present pupils, teachers. and committee members is shown by a booklet to be issued for the ninetieth anniversary celebrations from October 6 to 8. The Opawa School was established by the Provincial Council at a time when the population was steadily increasing and when education was making big forward moves. It was called the Hillsborough School till 1880 and openjd with 40 pupils, some of whom came from as far away as Farnley and Mount Pleasant. Newspaper Comment

The "Lyttelton Times” in 1872 said: “The Hillsborough and Opawa educational district will now soon be in possession of a school under the Educational Ordinance of 1871 and there is every prospect of it being a good one. The spirit displayed by the inhabitants certainly deserves such a result. There are only 80 houses yet £4O for the purchase of an acre as a site and £7O, the required contribution towards the cost of the school buildings, have been raised by subscription without the slightest difficulty. The site is near the Opawa bridge—a very central locality—and the total cost of the school and the master’s house will be £282. . . Boys Shaved Pupils 16 and older were among the first, and the school history notes that some boys had to shave before going to school. Becase of overcrowding. the first master (Mr William Suter) used to send some of the older boys for long walks over the hills and some o* the older girls for walks along the river. Punishment was heavy for anyone who broke away from either party. A pupil of the nineties recalls that, when a public holiday was observed in the city but not at the school, some boys took “French leave.” Next day, a furious Mr Thomas Ritchie, then head master, “armed with a bundle of canes, did valiant work on a long line of delinquents.” Savings Scheme Soon after this, Opawa initiated one of the earliest school savings schemes Pupils brought pennies to buy stamps which were pasted in a book and then entered to the credit of the depositor in the Post Office Savings Bank. A library was established by the simple expedient of requiring the contribution of a book to become a member.

The present swimming baths on Garlands road were built to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII, replacing a pool in the river at the eastern end of Fords road. New Site During the headmastership, from 1911 to 1922. of Mr W C. Colee, who has served education in many fields so long, a determined agitation was made for a new school and the first part of the new brick one on the opposite side of the river was opened in 1921. The next head (Mr A. J. Wickes) shuttled between the two sites for the next six years until another new building was opened in 1927. In that year Mr C. W. Allard began his 18 years as head master. The celebrations will begin with an afternoon gathering on October 6 and an evening conversazione. A service will be held in the grounds on the Sunday Sports and a ball will end the programme on the Monday.