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Edendale School

 Record Group
Identifier: A0195

School status

Open school [1875 - present]

Dates

  • Majority of material found within 1877 - 2019

Conditions Governing Access

This Collection contains RESTRICTED material. Please see notes on individual items for further information.

Edendale School

Schooling started in the area around 1863/4 with the Land Company's School on Compton Road (Lower Station) and teacher Mr Laurie. In 1874 teacher James Peowrie arrived and a temporary school building, a hut, was used before the first school in the township, provided by the Otago Education Board, was opened in 1875. It was one room and on the present school site. The school was handed over to the new Southland Education Board in 1878.... Despite being only 16, James Wadell Smith was the next teacher in 1875, followed by William Barr, then Thomas Monteath in 1879 who stayed on for 23 years.

Some surnames of early pupils included Blackley, Branigan, Clark, Dempster, Dewe, Fessy, Ferguson, Jones, McKinnon, McFadden, Quested, Shields, Westbury, Weavers and Young.

Over the years several additions were made to the school to accommodate roll increases, with a new classroom added in 1950 as well as a pre-fab room in the 1960s. "Miro" stoves were introduced in the 1930s/40s, and students travelled to Gore for manual training before a centre in Wyndham was established in 1929. The school was closed at various times due to epidemics, such as polio in 1936.

In 1961 a fire destroyed the main block of five classrooms. Students were taught in a variety of locations around the town until a new school opened in 1962. In 1971 Menzies College opened and Edendale lost its Forms 1 & 2.

The school is still going in 2019 and caters up to Year 6 pupils.

- Notes by E. M. Easton -

See Bibliography for References See more

Extent

15 box(es) (Boxes 1 - 15, Frames East 22 a and 13 c)

Language of Materials

English

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