THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 28 September 1933, Page 8

THE ORIGINAL SCHOOL

OPENING CEREMONY. One oi' i nose who were- in'esent the opening of the old Okaiawa School in 18S3 is Mrs A. Lees, who is still living in Okaiawa. and takes a close interest in local affairs. Mrs Lees, who is a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs J. Murdoch, formerly farming on the Normanby Road, was a young girl at the time of the opening, but she well recalls the crowd of visitors, very large for those times. It was a great day in the history of the district and the people streamed in by gigs and buggies and drays, on horseback, and on foot.

The proceedings were marked by tre- ' mendous enthusiasm and everything passed off well, with many impromptu and amusing speeches. And, as always in the country, the day concluded with a dance. The dresses, she recalls with keen interest, were of every conceivable colour and, of course, in the style of the period. 50 years ago. The dancing, to music mainly of the accordeon and the fiddle, was keenly enjoyed by all. Mrs Lees’ parents were Melbourne people, who came over when she was a tiny child and her brother nearly the same ag-e. They came to Wanganui first and then- returned to Australia for four years before returning to'settle at Okaiawa, When they took up land the fern and tute were six feet high, and in places a man on horseback could not be seen in the scrub. E'or some years they farmed o. ly part of the land, Mr D. Ginger, of Manutahi, leasing the rest, and cropping it for some time. The Maoris were troublesome at that time in some instances, said Mrs Lees, and she recalled one old -warrior named

Hura who often came to the house and' terrified her mother. The family afterwards took up dairying and had experiences similar to the pioneers in other places, with small returns for their butter and milk and generally payment in kind from the stores. But, she added, they were all exceedingly happy and all deeply interested in the affairs of the little community.

Mrs Lees energetically her late husband in his interest in local affairs, and the school and the church and she and her daughter, Miss Gladys Lees, were always, ready to help in any movement for the good of the school and the district. y— 1 ' ~