Centenary Of Courtenay School

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31329, 28 March 1967, Page 11

Centenary Of Courtenay School

Celebrations t o mark the centenary of the opening of the [ Courtenay School will ! be held at Courtenay, 27 miles west of Christchurch, this i coming week-end. ' Activities will include the judging of a beard-growing , contest, the official opening of a commemorative set of gates, a school roll-call, a ball on the Friday evening, and displays of vintage machinery and furnishings. On Saturday, vintage machinery will parade to the building that was White’s Accommodation House—it is now unused, but the owner, Miss M. Bedford, has agreed to its being opened for the occasion. Several rooms will be furnished in period style, antiques will be on show, and the vintage vehicles and machinery will be on display nearby. Application has been made for a temporary liquor licence for the accommodation house, and afternoon tea will be served. No charge will be made to see the various displays, but the centennial committee will be accepting donations to help to pay for the centennial gates. On Sunday there will be a combined denominations church service at the school. About 150 former pupils are expected to attend the weekend clebrations. The Courtenay School is

the oldest-established school in the Malvern district. In 1863 there were 18 children living near White’s Accommodation House, and in 1866 the education board called a meeting at the accommodation house to find out if residents were willing to give their share towards the cost of establishing a school.

A month later tenders were called, and the school and a

school-house were built for a total cost of £2BO. Of this, £7O was subscribed by the residents. The school opened in March, 1867.

1 In 1962 the school was ) changed to a “model” school, - providing some training for i students from the Christchurch Teachers’ College. In ' 1957 the original building had been replaced by the Bumham school building, which was moved to the site and remodelled. Today the school has 23 pupils from primer one to standard six. White’s Accommodation House is about 110 years old. ; A building of 15 rooms, it was ' occupied until about three ‘ years ago by Miss Bedford. It i has had three owners: Mr 1 White, and Mr J. Bedford, t the father of the present I owner. I Mr Bedford bought the [ building as a family home, and with it some farm-land. i It now has an iron roof, but early photographs show the I wooden building with a i thatched roof. After being a > hotel, the building also served . as a Post Office for a time.