RIMU SCHOOL

Southland Times, Issue 23388, 21 December 1937, Page 14

RIMU SCHOOL

MEMORIES OF EARLY DAYS DISTRICT FORMERLY ONE TREE POINT By T. P. GILFEDDER J.P. Now that the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Rimu school are to be held, memories of old residents, expupils and former teachers go back to the days when the district was known as One Tree Point, and when the local school bore that name. One Tree Point derived its name from the fact that a large pine tree, visible from a long radius, stood out well from a prominent point .of Seaward Bush, and early surveyors marked the adjacent trig station—One Tree Point. It was not until 1881 that Rimu township was laid out. Joseph Lee and Alfred Tapper, saw millers, Invercargill, owned about 40 acres between the main road to Oteramika and the Waihopai river, on the western side of the Longbush road. In order to provide homes for sawmill workers, who came from Catlins River find other places, to work at the firm’s mills on Seaward Bush, the whole area was subdivided into sections, ranging from one and ahalf acres to two acres. Being a sawmill settlement, the name of “Rimu’ (red pine) was appropriately bestowed upon it. Rimu school is not, therefore, in Rimu township but in the One Tree Point district.

The change in the official designation of the school from One Tree Point to Rimu was not made by the education authorities until 1892.

The pioneers who settled in the district during the sixties, were solicitous for the education of their children, so the question of ways and means became a topic of considerable interest. Ultimately a Mr McGillivray began teaching in a room of the Waste Lands Board office at Mavis Bush. It was situated on the property later held for many years by Daniel Macfarlane. Settlers clamoured for a school under educational authority that would - rve the more populated end of the district, and they were greatly encouraged in their agitation by. the success of Orepuki people, who, in 1870, obtained the sanction of the old Education Board of Southland for the erection of a school.

The repeal, however, of the Southland Education Ordinance altered matters, as school committees ceased to exist, and the control of Southland schools passed under the jurisdiction of the old Otago Education Board; a body that was legally constituted by the Provincial Government. But agitation had its reward, for towards the end of 1870, the Otago Board formed and equipped the first school at One Tree Point. It was, however, conducted on private property, close to where the Rimu dairy factory now stands. NEW BUILDING The owner of the house was George T. Birch, who afterwards removed to Oteramika. The teacher was W. L. Weiss, and the attendance on opening day was 15. The desks, seats and other paraphernalia were removed from here and formed part of the equipment used in the new building erected on the present site at Rimu in 1872. This building was part of the residence occupied by the teachers for many years. It was not until 1875 that the main portion of the present school was erected.

Showing the advance of settlement, 23 children presented themselves at the new school on the opening day in 1872. The teacher was John E. Black, a farmer in the district, and afterwards a flourmiller at Winton. He acted, however, in a temporary capacity, as the new oppointee, his nephew, Thomas Brown, had not arrived from Scotland. In three months’ time Mr Brown arrived, and remained in charge of the school for nearly three years. He was succeeded by Kenneth McDonald, also from Scotland, who was appointed in 1875. He was followed by Frederick Joseph Poppelwell, a young teacher from Melbourne, in 1877. In that year the Education Act was passed and the One Tree Point school came under the new Southland Education Board in 1878.

The passing of the Act brought joy to the hearts of the early settlers, as fees were abolished and education became free. Before this teachers received subsidies from the Provincial Government, the subsidy paid at One Tree Point being £6O per annum. That was plus school fees. These ranged from 6/- a quarter for a first-standard pupil, to 12/- for one in the sixth standard. When Mr Poppelwell was appointed the subsidy was raised to £75 per annum. The teachers had to collect the fees as best they could. Very often some of the parents forgot to pay! To ensure uniformity in teaching methods, and to arrange a syllabus, the provincial authorities at Dunedin sent Mr Malcolm, head teacher of the Tokomairiro (now Milton) school, on a visit to One Tree Point to investigate and report. The standard of tuition was thus raised, and early pupils received the benefit of a good education. FREQUENT CHANGES Mr Poppelwell left for Winton towards the end of 1878, and a young teacher from the West Coast, Andrew Young, arrived and taught during 1879 and until May 1880, when he was appointed to the Bluff school. His place at One Tree Point was taken by John L, Field, who remained until his appointment to Longbush school in 1882. He was followed by James Youngson in August 1882. Mr Youngson was in charge for seven months, being superseded by George Frederick Booth in April 1883. George Gazzard, from Victoria, did relieving work at One Tree Point, Wyndham and South Hillend, but when the Southland schools reopened at the beginning of 1885 Mr Gazzard took over the new school at Kennington and Neil Sutherland became head teacher at One Tree Point. The first inspector to examine the school was Dr. John Hislop, who became secretary to the New Zealand Education Department when it was established in 1878. The other inspectors who followed him from Dunedin to Southland were J. Taylor and P. Goyen. The latter passed under the

jurisdiction of the Southland Education Board in 1878. Most pupils will remember him as the author of a higher arithmetic book. When he became inspector under the Otago Education Board in 1882 his place in Southland was taken by John Gammell, B.A. Subsequent inspectors are too well known for mention here. There is, apparently, no official record of teachers at the One Tree Point school before 1885, but there were 10 before that date.

The teacher who held the record tenure at Rimu was Thomas E. Gazzard, who came from Pukerau in 1887 and left for Makarewa in 1906. Alexander Clark came next in length of service, his term being from 1906 to 1915. The present head teacher, Mr A. A. Cook, was appointed to Rimu in 1932.

It is interesting to note that before 1886 all the teachers (12) were men. Since that date there have been 10 men and 28 women.

When the new school opened on the present site at Rimu in 1872, there were 23 pupils present on the first day. There is, apparently, no official record of these, but the following boys and girls attended: James and Leila Birch; James, Robert and Mary Black; Annie Clark; Annie Dempster; James, Eliza and Mary Fisher; Michael Gilfedder; David Morton; Mary McLennan; Agnes McSporran; Alexander, Bella and Mary Smith; John and Margaret Souter; James and Maggie Stott; Annie and Eliza Warden. LIST OF TEACHERS Although in 1892 the One Tree Point school became officially known as Rimu, the following teachers taught

there since 1885:— Mr N. Sutherland (H.T.) 1885-1887 Mr F. Sutherland (P.T.) 1885-1887 Mr T. E. Gazzard (H.T.) 1887-1906 Miss E. Donnelly (P.T.) 1888-1890 Miss Mary Lea (M.) 1890-1898 Miss Ellen B. Fallow (M) 1898-1900 Miss Eliza Todd (M.) 1900-1904 Miss F. Nickless (M.) 1904-1905 Miss M. Brennan (M.) 12,05-1906 Miss A. McDonald (M.) 1906-1907 Mr Alex. Clark (H.T.) 1906-1915 Miss A. McKenzie (M.) ■ 1907-1910 Miss Lily Griffin (M.) 1910-1911 Miss G. Griffiths (M.) 1911-1913 Miss R. Nayler (M.) 1913-1914 Miss M. Porteous (M.) 1914-1915 Miss M. McLeod (M.) 1915-1918 Miss Isabella Barron (M.) 1915-1917 Miss M. Ambrose (M.) 1918-1920 Miss Annie Welsh (H.T.) 1917-1922 Miss M. Carter (Asst.) 1920-1923 Mr F. Wilkenson (H.T.) 1922-1925 Miss M. M. Yule (Asst.) 1923-1925 Miss A. M. Smith (Asst.) 1925-1928 Mr E. Hargest (H.T.) 1925-1931 Miss A. McGovern (Asst.) 1928-1931 Miss L. C. Smith (Asst.) 1931-1932 Mr H. W. Thompson (H.T.) 1931-32 Mr A. A. Cook (H.T.) 1932— Miss E. Robertson (Asst.) 1932-1933 Miss Ellen Fraser (Asst.) 1932-1936 Miss M. T. Cairns (Asst.) 1936—

The tollowing relieving teachers have done duty in the Rimu school within recent years: Miss Violet McFarlane, Miss Gladven M. Parry, Miss Isa Maher, Miss Muriel McKenzie, Mr Gordon A. Carswell and Mr George Blaikie.

It will be seen from this brief review that the above school has had a long career of usefulness. The 50 teachers who performed duties within its walls

during the 67 years of its existence contributed largely to the moulding of the character, as well as to the mental equipment and educational training of the hundreds of pupils who passed through the school during that period. As one of these, I look back as I pen these notes with fond recollections of my association with the old school, its masters and its scholars, and at this festive season I extend to those of them who are still with us a kind wish for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

SPORTS OF OTHER YEARS MEMORIES OF MEETING IN 1885 By T. P. GILFEDDER, J.P.' Few districts in Southland figured so prominently in sport during the early days of settlement as did One Tree Point, and now that the local school, known for several decades as Rimu, is about to celebrate its diamond jubilee, memories revert to the athletic prowess and the praiseworthy achievement of the district’s robust youths in the days of long ago. Organized sport found interested followers in 1882, and vivid recollections are held of a cricket match between the One Tree Point Union Club and the Gore Cricket Club. It was played at One Tree Point and resulted in a win for the Gore players. The local players were: A. W. Dawson (captain), W. Millard, W. Bonney, Joseph Field,

Alfred Dawson, George Gazzard, Charles Bonney, W. Connor, W. Sutherland, John McLennan and James Brown.

In 1885 an important sports fixture was held at the edge of Seaward Bush, near Millwood, on a site due south of Rimu school. The place was known as Connor’s paddock. The chief event of the day was the chopping match. This competition was not carried out as during later years, when each competitor had a separate block. In those days a long trunk of tree was used and each axeman chopped in turn from the end. A similar system" was adopted in sawing matches. The time taken decided the winner. If the log did not measure the same circumference at both ends, cuts had to be taken off each, and the time calculated. accordingly. The winner of the chopping contest at the 1885 meeting was John O’Neill, who for many years afterwards was the champion axeman of Southland. In the pedestrian events the pride of place was secured by John Campbell, a local resident but a member of the well-known athletic family of Clifton.

Chopping and sawing events were afterwards held at Woodlands and Kennington. The logs were red pine, two feet in diameter, and so quickly did competitors improve that in a short time, with better axes and saws, the same men reduced the time for the chop from 9min to 6min and that of the sawing from 3min to 40sec. A creditable performance took place at the Union mill, Brunswick, in 1890 when, as the result of a challenge issued by George Anderson, he and John O’Neill tried conclusions in a sawing match with G. T. and H. H. Dawson (better known to their athletic admirers as Tas and Herb). The log was

2ft in diameter, and the Dawson brothers won easily in 48sec. From the early eighties onwards the district supplied a strong quota of successful competitors at various athletic gatherings in Southland. Prominent among these were John Kelly, John and Alex Campbell, Thomas Latta, James Lewis, J. Marshall and Joseph Field (mile runners); Joseph Irving (short distance runner); John J. Gilfedder (mile walk); John O Neill, Thomas Shave, Samuel Fisher and John Cowan (chopping); G. T. and H. H. Dawson and John Hudson (sawing); George Raynes (wrestling); Malcolm Macfarlane (quoits); John Warden and David Morton (tilting at the ring).

It was in good performances that local men showed their prowess. At the Caledonian sports in 1881, W. Wiseman did the hop, step and jump to the distance of 42ft 3in. In 1882 Joseph Irving (now of Kennington) won the hop, step and jump at St. Patrick’s Day sports, when he covered 41ft sin Another good performance by a local competitor was the mile race by John Campbell, his time being 4min 56sec. This was in 1883. In the same year J. Timpany won the mile walk from scratch in 7min 28sec. The time for this event was not substantially reduced until 1892, when John Gilfedder won the championship cup in 7min lOsec.

In 1892 an axemen’s association of Southland was formed for the primary object of selecting choppers and sawyers to represent Southland at the big axemen’s carnival at Latrobe, Tasmania. After numerous local contests the following were sent: John O’Neill, Sam Fisher, George Tasman Dawson and Herbert H. Dawson—all from One Tree Point.