DUNTROON SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22712, 26 October 1935, Page 9

DUNTROON SCHOOL

FIFTY-SIXTH ANNIVERSARY In January of this year a representative gathering of ex-pupils of the Duntroon School decided to celebrate the fifty-sixth anniversary of the opening of the school, and as a result of the work of the Jubilee Committee the celebrations will take place in this North Otago township during this week-end. The history of this North Otago township recalls many interesting features of the settlement of this part of the province. As far back as 1885 the run, extending from the Kurow River to the Otekaike River, and from the summit of the range, including Mount Dommett, to the Waitaki River, was purchased by Mr John Parkin Taylor, who two years later sold it to Mr William Feywood Danscy, who in turn, in 1871, passed it on to Mr Robert Campbell. Mr Campbell already owned the run extending from the Macrewhenua River to the Otekaike River, having purchased it from Mr Joshua M'Evay. This run originally belonged to Mr Henrv Lawson, who met an untimely death by drowning in the Waitaki River. The whole of this block thus became one big estate, the homestead being built at Otekaike of white stone, the furnishings of which were sent out from England, and the architecture being somewhat similar to that of Larnach’s Castle, of Dunedin. Mr Campbell became in 1§75 a member of the Legislative Council, and later a member of the Waitaki County Council. In due course of time there grew up flourishing settlements at different Gov-ernment-owned parts of the estate, and a busy little village sprang up on the flat on the north bank of the Maerewhenua River, which was culled by Mr Campbell “ Duntroon,’’ in honour of his j birthplace in Scotland. Two hotels were | soon erected and business places foli lowed to meet the needs of the miners | who were winning gold on the Maere- . j whenua fields. The homestead for the ! lower portion of the run was situated 1 about two miles up the Maerewhenua j River, and .it is recorded that the shepi herds’ wives often lived here for more than six months of the year alone, while their husbands were away in the back country mustering the sheep. CLOSER SETTLEMENT. Extensive floods in both the Waitaki and Maerewhenua rivers caused Duntroon to be shifted hack to a terrace overlooking the Waitaki flats, and there it soon | grew to bigger proportions. In the 18!)0’s the depression led to the breaking-up • of the large estates for closer settlement. and on the Crown leases of 20 years running out the Government took over the Crown lands and bought the freeholds which was followed by closer settlement. This particular run was subdivided into 49 farms, and at Otekaike the homestead block was reserved by the Government, and in 1908 was opened as the special Otekaike School. The land surrounding Duntroon is of good quality, and the subdivided areas have been converted into smiling farm lands, on which mixed farming has been carried out very successfully. THE RAILWAY The construction of the railway played an important part in the life of the early settlers of the district. As far back as 1875 a railway was built from Oarnaru to Maerewhenua, and in 1880 a contract was let to Messrs Allen and Stumbles for the construction of the line from Duntroon to Hakataramea. A story j is told by an early resident that when | the news of the building of this railway j got abroad, men from all parts of the j island came along to try and secure | work, but neither of the contractors would offer work. On the morning for commencing the job there was a big crowd of men gathered to witness the turning of the first sod. At 8 o’clock Mr Allan issued the order to “Fall to, men!” and immediately there was a ' stampede for the stack of tools, and those unfortunate enough to fail to get a pick or shovel missed the job, which ! was surely a novel method of starting a I big contract. 1 By 188,‘i the line was completed, and a i train ran from Hakataramea to Dun- ' troon to meet the Oarnaru train, which < went only as far as the south side of i

the Maerewhenua River. The linking-up of the two railheads soon became necessary, and two years later the Maerewhenua bridge was built, and the railway was taken over by the Government, and one train ran through daily from Oamaru to Hakataramea. In 1878 a post office was built, which, being 1 added to later, was made into a combined post office and railway station. The same year also saw the opening of a | water race from the Waitaki River op-, j posite Duntroon to provide a wafer ! supply for Oamaru. l THE SCHOOL, j It was on April 14, 1879, that the i Duntroon School was opened, Mr T. H. i Meeking enrolling 27 children, among whom were children with the names of 1 Mocking, M'Bean, Middleditch, Grant, ' Smith, Aubrey, Spence and Leonard, names which are: still familiar throughout the Waitaki County. The roll increased until about 1888, when an as- . sistant teacher was appointed, and an extra room was 'added to the building. The roll reached its peak of 105 during | the years 1920-1925, the present roll ' being 66, the average attendance for j some years past. Though it has never grown beyond | the status of a three-teacher school, the I Duntroon School has reason to be proud ’ of many of the pupils who passed through ' its portals. A ; proposal came forward for the establishment of a district high ! school here, but this did not come to | fruition as the Education Department provided free railway passes for pupils to attend the secondary schools in Oamaru, and many have taken advantage of this privilege. The school site is indeed a fine one, and the school commit! ces have done splendid work in placing the affairs of the school on a sound basis. The fine avenue of trees on the north-west boundary was' planted in the 1890’s by the pupils of, the school as an Arbor Day ceremony, and ex-pupils who took part in this ceremony and return to the school during this week-end will be rewarded by this fine sight, as the avenue is now indispensable for shelter at the ■ school. ,■ THE CHURCHES. I As far back as 1879 a visiting missionary was appointed by the Presbyterian Church, and in the following year a church was constituted in Duntroon, and a manse was built in 1882, the Rev. P. A. Hay being the minister. The present Presbyterian Church was built in 1897. The Duntrqon Anglican Church was opened *n 1901 through the beneficence of Mr Robert Campbell, who left money for its establishment. The resident minister lives at Kurow, and Duntroon and Tokarahi are included in Ids parish. The beautiful Anglican Church at Kurow is also the result of a grant by Mr Campbell. The Catholic Church has no building at Duntroon for services, which are held in the school. THE TEACHERS. The following are the head teachers at Duntroon from the inception of the school: —Messrs T. H. Meeking (1879), S. I. Binning (1882), J. Rix (1884), E. Piper (1885), J. Southwick (1887), G. Morris (1893), J. Reid (1901), D. Stewart (1903), A. G. Robertson (1900), W. Rodger (1908), J. W. Lockhart (1911), A. Labes (1914), T. Cairnev (1920), S. M. Barclay (1928), R. S. Harrison (1933). The assistant teachers are as follows:—Misses G. Thomson, M. Davies, M. Livingstone, M. Newland, J. Croft, M. E. Drakley, E. Tempero, C. Weir, E. E. Barber, A. Anderson, N. Willocks, M. A. Beattie, D. Carey, S. L. M'Leau, B. Ballantyne, A. Stringer, R. if. Doak, J. Gage, A. Galt, K. F. Robertson. •JUBILEE FUNCTIONS. The numbers of enrolment for the jubilee celebrations have exceeded expectations, and it is anticipated that a very large number of ex-pupils and excommitteemen and teachers will journey to Duntroon for the opening function to-day, at which the roll calls for the various decades will be taken, followed by a banquet. To-morrow a church service will be held, and on Labour Day there will bo a sports gathering, with a ball‘at night. Mr A. Smith (chairman of the Jubilee Committee), has been a member of the School Committee for 40 years, and for a considerable portion of that period chairman of the committee.