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Riverton District High School [Composite]

 Record Group
Identifier: A0306

Dates

  • Majority of material found within 1884 - 1969

Conditions Governing Access

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

Riverton District High School

Schooling first began in the area in the 1840's, with a Jacob's River School run by Andrew Bromley being mentioned in accounts from as early as 1844. There was also a school run by John Clark Lidiard across the river at the same time. Other teachers at the time in private or homeschools were a Miss Paulin and Mrs Pankhurst. The growing settlements on either side of the river in the 1850s and 1860s required schools on both sides, and... Riverton North ("Main School") and Riverton South were established. There were also a number of private schools still being run.

Riverton South opened and closed several times, with pupils having to travel across the river by boat, then bridge when it was opened to traffic in 1874. There was also a Riverton Māori School run by Mr James Ireland in the late 1860s, as well as a Native School at Colac Bay.

In 1859 the Otago Education Board recognised the prescence of a public school in Riverton, and this year is used to celebrate the start of public schooling in Riverton. The North and South Schools had amalgamated at the North School site and became the fore-runner of the District High, which was declared as such in 1882. The first principal of the District High was Mr. Edmund Webber. Due to financial hardships in the district, as well as the War, the secondary roll declined and the school was primary only between 1898 and 1903, and again 1914 to 1923.

In 1908 a fire burned down the original school building on Havelock Street and a new brick building was built on the corner of Napier and Leader Streets, opening in 1909. During this period Mr Ebenezer C. Hewat was a long standing Principal from 1889 to 1922. The new school building was altered in the 1920s, and remained until it was demolished in 1975.

During the 1960s the roll increased and prefabs were installed and new classrooms constructed. The old 1909 building was renovated with indoor toilets and central heating. The 1960s and 70s saw the end of the old District High system, with new secondary only schools emerging. Riverton District High came to an end in 1973, seperating to form Riverton Primary School and Aparima College.

Aparima College had its beginning with a meeting, held on 23 August 1973 by the Committee of Management(COM) of Riverton Form I-VI High School,to choose a name for the new college that was to take its place. Aparima College was to be a new school, with new buildings and uniforms, increased staffing and more subjects offered. The new college was to include Orepuki, Pahia, Colac Bay, Thornbury, Fairfax and Waimatuku in its zone, so opened with a 1974 roll of 371 students.

- Notes by E. M. Easton -

See Bibliography for References See more

Extent

2 box(es) (Boxes 1 - 2 )

1 digital object (Digital Archive)

Language of Materials

English

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