ROBYN PARKES
In the early settlement of Waimea, small schools were opened in the rural areas to accommodate the educational needs of country kids.
Many of these schools are now a distant memory as one-by-one they were closed.
Wairoa Gorge, Gordon, 88 Valley, Waimea West and Wai-iti are five of these schools now gone.
Wairoa Gorge School was opened on a wet Saturday in June 1920 with a gathering of about 70 parents and children, despite some previous opposition to the school’s existence. Mrs Hale was the first teacher.
The school did not have a long life and in 1945 was closed and the children were transported each day to Brightwater School.
In November of 1887 funds were sought to build Gordon School with Campbell Ellis being the driving force behind it. For 30 years he fulfilled the role of Commissioner of the school. In 1937 a grant was approved for the replacement of the old Gordon School with an open-air classroom.
The new school was opened in July 1938 with a ceremony by the Hon. W H McIntyre. It was pointed out that the school was one of the most up-to-date open air type with folding doors in the north wall to take full advantage of the sunlight and fresh air on warm days.
By November 1944 the roll had dropped to three and the teacher left for another position, so the decision was made to close the school.
Wai-iti School opened in 1857. Mr Edward Edridge was appointed headmaster in 1884 and he remained in this position for 30 years before resigning in 1912. Under his control the school grew to over 100 children and his activities in the social, musical, and educational departments had a lasting influence on his students.
Wai-iti school closed in the first term of 1939 with the children being transferred to Wakefield School.
Eighty-Eight Valley School was opened in 1863 and a female teacher position was advertised with a salary of £30. In comparison, a schoolmaster was sought in 1878 with a salary of £120.
The children attending the school came predominantly from a handful of families and by 1890 student numbers were at 19. Fire destroyed the schoolhouse in 1888 after two boys set fire to some gorse growing south of the school. A spark blew onto the corrugations of the iron, igniting the shingles beneath.
The schoolmaster offered two of his rooms to be able to carry on the school temporarily until the building could be rebuilt. Teachers came and went in fairly quick succession, but one notable teacher was Walter Ladley, born in 1845 and at the age of 18 years was appointed sole teacher.
Holidays were often scheduled around summer harvesting, and it was not uncommon to have three weeks at Christmas and three weeks at harvest. The school existed for 66 years before closing in 1929.
Waimea West School was opened in late 1848. After only a few weeks of operation the 30 odd attending school children were examined for their knowledge by the founder, Rev. F. Butt, resulting in a favourable report.
The credit was given to the ability of their teacher, Mr Moore. By 1859 there were two schools in Waimea West – Northern and Southern (Appleby and Waimea West).
The two schools were covered under the same school district until 1881 when Appleby was made a new school district. The school was a hub for community events as well as tea dances, annual anniversaries, and social events for the children. The school was closed in 1937 and the children transferred to Brightwater.
Waimea West Northen Division received an examination report in May 1873 which identified school attendance at this time was low due to the older boys being engaged in the preparation of flax.
