Chatton East School

Record Group

Identifier: A0174

Staff Only

Dates

1879 - 1976
Majority of material found within 1879 - 1948
Majority of material found within 1971 - 1976

East Chatton School

East Chatton [or Chatton East] School was likely known in its earlier years as Chatton School. It was created to help ease the need for schools closer to the centre of Knapdale Run. On the 22 February 1879 there was a meeting of householders to define the boundaries for the Chatton School District and to elect a School Committee. Elected were James Donald (Chairman), H. W. Hustain (Secretary), F. Milne, A. Black, A. Cruickshank, J. Noble and P. Ford.

Only six days after their election the committee met to plan the construction of the new school and by August the Committee was ready to ask the Education Board for a teacher and all necessary basic classroom equipment. The land for the new school was acquired from Mr. Daniel Archibald.

Mr Tuson was the first teacher at Chatton and the school opened swiftly after his appointment, circa. 20 December 1879. Forty-five children were enrolled at this time. The school grew in importance for the community with requests for its use by a singing class, the debating society, and for Sabbath School and Sunday services all recorded in committee meeting minutes. As the years progressed work was done to install electric lights as well as build both a play-shed and tennis courts.

Around 1900 it was recommended in a school inspectors report to alter the name of the school to East Chatton to conform to local and post office usage of the name. Later, in 1912 school boundaries were revised for the opening of North Chatton School to which 8 pupils were transferred.

Unfortunately, in the 1940’s the committee could not find suitable board for the teacher, nor could they increase the school’s roll, leading to the school’s temporary closure in November 1948. After discussions with the Education Board it was decided to permanently close the school and transport the remaining pupils, by bus, to Maitland School. Soon after, both the school and the schoolhouse were removed from the site.

- Notes by E.M. Easton -

See Bibliography for References

Extent

2 box(es) (Boxes 1 - 2)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Bibliography

“The Knapdale Run, It's Land and It's People”, Edited by Elizabeth Kerse.
Ref: LC 993.97 KNA

Schools mentioned: Pinnacle, Chatton Road, McNab, East Chatton, Knapdale, Otama and North Chatton. Knapdale children also attended Waikaka, Maitland, Waikaka Valley and East Gore Schools.
This book was compiled by residents and former residents of the district. It contains information of interest to local and family historians plus those interested in mining. Inside both front and back covers are double-page maps showing the boundaries of the original run, block numbers and the individual family farms created by the land sales of the 1870s.
The editor, Elizabeth Kerse, lived on 'Bushy Park' farm bordering Knapdale land. Educated at Gore High School, she completed an M.A. with Honours in History at University of Otago.
At the back of the book there are five appendices: 1. Land Titles with Block Numbers, Maps of each Survey District, Names of owners in date order for each Block, 2. Postal Services, listed by district - Post Masters and Mistresses, Telephonists, Early and Rural Mail Contractors, 3. Schools with families and teachers listed by school, 4. Presbyterian Ministers, from 1883, YFC and CGC Office Bearers plus those for Federation of YFC, 5. Index. It is very helpful for locating families and individuals, especially since bold font has been used to indicate those whose photographs have been included.
Chapter 11 is all about the district at war including information about Territorials (1937), Patriotic Committees, Home Defence and Rolls of Honour, Boer War 1899-1901, WWI 1914-18 (by district), WWII Waikaka.
Other topics covered include agriculture, mining, community and sport, building a plane and establishing an aerodrome.