Abstract of Norma Ruth BOYLE, 2007
Item — Box: 4
Identifier: H00340002
Abstract
Norma Ruth Boyle
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Date: 29/04/2007
Abstracter: Marianne Widmer
Track 1
00:10 Introduction
00:22 Recalls ‘vividly’ being strapped first day at school. Recalls lesson from mother on WAIAU RIVER bridge. Attended TUATAPERE SCHOOL - distance.
01:30 Had younger sister. Details. Recalls boys killed / injured playing in train steam – attended funeral. Reference REG HODGES; ? SPAIN (?); CLIFDEN.
02:16 Big classes. Recalls visitor with coconut. School and playground – ‘big ditch’. Explains. Started school 1938. Left after father had to ‘shift up’, managed farm, uncles at war. Explains. No school bus, boarded at OTAUTAU. Reference OPIOPIO CREEK (?).
03:40 Attended NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL, had chickenpox. Eventually awarded dux. Explains. Attended SOUTHLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL.
04:20 Applied to Training College but not taken due to illness. Explains. Worked as landgirl, then went to Training College. 1951 taught for while because of teacher shortage. Quite rare for children to attend secondary school. Explains. Reference WYNDHAM; MOSSBURN.
05:42 Two years at Training College, then year at NIGHTCAPS. Recalls bad outbreak MENINGITIS. ‘Horrible memory’ of school inspector’s visit. Caretaker died on tennis court. Reference ? SCHOOL; TE ANAU.
06:44 Route to NIGHTCAPS SCHOOL via APARIMA RIVER, horse and cart, heated stones. Mentions purchased farm 1948. Transport/route when teaching. Reference ? CREEK.
07:23 Transport / route to MOSSBURN SCHOOL. Explains. Boarded during ‘worst months’. Explains. Reference GALLAGHERS; MICK & MARGARET CARREN (?); BURKES (?); DOROTHY & JACK PARKER.
08:09 Married 1958. Called back to school when daughter SHARON young. Explains. Differences – room / class size, layout, books. Explains. Recalls first school book TINY TOTS PRIMER. Teaching techniques – vocabularly. Reference MOSSBURN.
10:20 No quills – used ink wells. At OTAUTAU attended manual training in RIVERTON. Explains. NIGHTCAPS SCHOOL - size. Details. Sat School Certificate in third year. Pupils from OHAI, WAIRIO, 'all round'.
11:35 School uniform. Details. Games – netball, rugby, tennis. At SOUTHLAND GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL boarded with grandmother. Mother sold rabbits to fund schooling, paid 7/6- pair. Explains. Reference NIGHTCAPS; BOTHWICKS (?); BLUFF; INVERCARGILL.
13:16 Younger sister’s schooling. Explains. Mentions uncles killed in war, later mother, sister and self lived in RIVERTON for while. Explains. Reference OTAUTAU; ? CREEK; ? CRIB; SOUTHLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL.
14:06 Sandwiches for lunch. Recalls visit to dairy factor at OTAUTAU. Recalls attempt to get out of visiting mine failed, visit ‘wasn’t too bad’.
15:01 End of Track 1
Track 2
00:00 School subjects - HISTORY, ENGLISH, MATHS, HOMECRAFT. Subjects at SOUTHLAND GIRLS’ – GEOGRAPHY. Explains. UE (UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE). Details.
00:57 Transition from country life to town life ‘quite difficult’. Explains. Principal MISS MAY. Favourite teacher MISS BALL. Reference MISS GRANTHAM (?); NIGHTCAPS.
02:00 School discipline – ‘I never ever used the strap’. Explains. Recalls incident at TUATAPERE. More respect for teachers years ago. Explains. Reference MOSSBURN.
03:18 Outlines teaching career - conditions attractive for married women to return to teaching. Explains. Experienced difficulties teaching own children, said ‘I was a good mother but a rotten teacher’. Explains. More information about teaching career. Reference PA’s; CYRIL; TE ANAU; MICHAEL; BRENDAN.
05:40 Recalls principals worked with. Reference GRAHAM DAVISON; JOE CUMMINGS; SCOTT POWELL; TERRY WHITINGTON (?); EUGENE KEATING; MATT CARSEN.
06:52 Usually taught in junior school. Explains. Started teaching 1951, PA year 1954, gave up 1958, finally gave up circa 1991. Reference TE ANAU; NIGHTCAPS; CYRIL.
07:54 Location of Training College. Explains. A mix of lectures and practical work in schools. Explains. Boarding arrangements. Explains. Transport home. Received fortnightly allowance £14 – bonding conditions. Explains. Reference ANZAC STREET [UNION ST?]; DALMORE.
10:04 Compares current education system with past. Reference INVERCARGILL GARDENS; MOSSBURN; WINTON; JOHN MCKENZIE.
11:40 Northern Sports Day held at BALFOUR – games, ‘a big day’, continued into 1960s. Explains. Had three sets of twins in 1955 class – some immigrants from SCOTLAND. Details. Reference SOUTHLAND; ALEC & ELTON PAYNE (?); GEORGE & SYD TAYLOR; LILIAN & MARGARET MUTCH (?); YOUNGS; MCKENZIES.
13:33 A number of children rode to school. School bus broke down regularly. Annual school picnic. Parents involvement in education ‘not the same’. Explains. School committee. School concerts. Reference HEENANS; STRINGERS; ORETI GARDENS; RIVERTON; BLACKRIDGE.
15:00 End of Track 2
Track 3
00:00 School concerts – ‘quite a lot of work involved’ - outfits. Explains. Reference NIGHTCAPS; ROBERT COUTTS (?); LAPHAMS.
01:14 School homework when young. Explains. Mentions JACK RICHMOND not fond of homework. Homework set when teaching. Class planning - still has ‘nightmares’ about not having done workplan. Explains. Reference TE ANAU.
03:05 School curriculum much narrower, few textbooks, specialists. Explains. Coping with children at different levels difficult, used blackboards a lot. Explains. Approach to school reports. Explains. Reference ? DIACK (?): TE ANAU; JACK RICHMOND.
05:10 Approach to teaching. Explains. Teaching career spanned generations. Explains. Creativity with own children. Mentions taught BILL MANHIRE, POET LAUREATE. Reference DOREEN GOODALL (?); HELEN; BRENDAN.
07:10 Recalls meeting ex-pupils. Taught sewing, ‘didn’t know first thing about sewing’. Explains. Taught all subjects. Reference JOYCE GALLAGHER.
08:08 Recalls amusing anecdotes from teaching career including lighting fire. School buildings / classrooms, landscape. Explains. Story about men who lived in huts. School bus. Recalls story about STEPHEN (?) STRINGER. Reference OLIVER TURNER; TE ANAU; CENTRE HILL; CORNWELL ST (?); MRS REID.
12:40 Maiden name WATSON. Children - SUZANNE, SHARON, PETER, BRENDAN. Husband CYRIL. Retired to MOSSBURN. Explains. Reference RAE’S BUSH (?).
13:40 Changes has observed in MOSSBURN. Explains. Has contact with school – ‘Bible in Schools’, outings.
15:00 End of Track 3
Track 4
00:00 School trip to hut at DUNROBIN, ‘very thrilled’. Explains. Reference ANDREW.
00:30 Interview ends abruptly.
Interviewer: Jenny Campbell
Date: 29/04/2007
Abstracter: Marianne Widmer
Track 1
00:10 Introduction
00:22 Recalls ‘vividly’ being strapped first day at school. Recalls lesson from mother on WAIAU RIVER bridge. Attended TUATAPERE SCHOOL - distance.
01:30 Had younger sister. Details. Recalls boys killed / injured playing in train steam – attended funeral. Reference REG HODGES; ? SPAIN (?); CLIFDEN.
02:16 Big classes. Recalls visitor with coconut. School and playground – ‘big ditch’. Explains. Started school 1938. Left after father had to ‘shift up’, managed farm, uncles at war. Explains. No school bus, boarded at OTAUTAU. Reference OPIOPIO CREEK (?).
03:40 Attended NIGHTCAPS DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL, had chickenpox. Eventually awarded dux. Explains. Attended SOUTHLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL.
04:20 Applied to Training College but not taken due to illness. Explains. Worked as landgirl, then went to Training College. 1951 taught for while because of teacher shortage. Quite rare for children to attend secondary school. Explains. Reference WYNDHAM; MOSSBURN.
05:42 Two years at Training College, then year at NIGHTCAPS. Recalls bad outbreak MENINGITIS. ‘Horrible memory’ of school inspector’s visit. Caretaker died on tennis court. Reference ? SCHOOL; TE ANAU.
06:44 Route to NIGHTCAPS SCHOOL via APARIMA RIVER, horse and cart, heated stones. Mentions purchased farm 1948. Transport/route when teaching. Reference ? CREEK.
07:23 Transport / route to MOSSBURN SCHOOL. Explains. Boarded during ‘worst months’. Explains. Reference GALLAGHERS; MICK & MARGARET CARREN (?); BURKES (?); DOROTHY & JACK PARKER.
08:09 Married 1958. Called back to school when daughter SHARON young. Explains. Differences – room / class size, layout, books. Explains. Recalls first school book TINY TOTS PRIMER. Teaching techniques – vocabularly. Reference MOSSBURN.
10:20 No quills – used ink wells. At OTAUTAU attended manual training in RIVERTON. Explains. NIGHTCAPS SCHOOL - size. Details. Sat School Certificate in third year. Pupils from OHAI, WAIRIO, 'all round'.
11:35 School uniform. Details. Games – netball, rugby, tennis. At SOUTHLAND GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL boarded with grandmother. Mother sold rabbits to fund schooling, paid 7/6- pair. Explains. Reference NIGHTCAPS; BOTHWICKS (?); BLUFF; INVERCARGILL.
13:16 Younger sister’s schooling. Explains. Mentions uncles killed in war, later mother, sister and self lived in RIVERTON for while. Explains. Reference OTAUTAU; ? CREEK; ? CRIB; SOUTHLAND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL.
14:06 Sandwiches for lunch. Recalls visit to dairy factor at OTAUTAU. Recalls attempt to get out of visiting mine failed, visit ‘wasn’t too bad’.
15:01 End of Track 1
Track 2
00:00 School subjects - HISTORY, ENGLISH, MATHS, HOMECRAFT. Subjects at SOUTHLAND GIRLS’ – GEOGRAPHY. Explains. UE (UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE). Details.
00:57 Transition from country life to town life ‘quite difficult’. Explains. Principal MISS MAY. Favourite teacher MISS BALL. Reference MISS GRANTHAM (?); NIGHTCAPS.
02:00 School discipline – ‘I never ever used the strap’. Explains. Recalls incident at TUATAPERE. More respect for teachers years ago. Explains. Reference MOSSBURN.
03:18 Outlines teaching career - conditions attractive for married women to return to teaching. Explains. Experienced difficulties teaching own children, said ‘I was a good mother but a rotten teacher’. Explains. More information about teaching career. Reference PA’s; CYRIL; TE ANAU; MICHAEL; BRENDAN.
05:40 Recalls principals worked with. Reference GRAHAM DAVISON; JOE CUMMINGS; SCOTT POWELL; TERRY WHITINGTON (?); EUGENE KEATING; MATT CARSEN.
06:52 Usually taught in junior school. Explains. Started teaching 1951, PA year 1954, gave up 1958, finally gave up circa 1991. Reference TE ANAU; NIGHTCAPS; CYRIL.
07:54 Location of Training College. Explains. A mix of lectures and practical work in schools. Explains. Boarding arrangements. Explains. Transport home. Received fortnightly allowance £14 – bonding conditions. Explains. Reference ANZAC STREET [UNION ST?]; DALMORE.
10:04 Compares current education system with past. Reference INVERCARGILL GARDENS; MOSSBURN; WINTON; JOHN MCKENZIE.
11:40 Northern Sports Day held at BALFOUR – games, ‘a big day’, continued into 1960s. Explains. Had three sets of twins in 1955 class – some immigrants from SCOTLAND. Details. Reference SOUTHLAND; ALEC & ELTON PAYNE (?); GEORGE & SYD TAYLOR; LILIAN & MARGARET MUTCH (?); YOUNGS; MCKENZIES.
13:33 A number of children rode to school. School bus broke down regularly. Annual school picnic. Parents involvement in education ‘not the same’. Explains. School committee. School concerts. Reference HEENANS; STRINGERS; ORETI GARDENS; RIVERTON; BLACKRIDGE.
15:00 End of Track 2
Track 3
00:00 School concerts – ‘quite a lot of work involved’ - outfits. Explains. Reference NIGHTCAPS; ROBERT COUTTS (?); LAPHAMS.
01:14 School homework when young. Explains. Mentions JACK RICHMOND not fond of homework. Homework set when teaching. Class planning - still has ‘nightmares’ about not having done workplan. Explains. Reference TE ANAU.
03:05 School curriculum much narrower, few textbooks, specialists. Explains. Coping with children at different levels difficult, used blackboards a lot. Explains. Approach to school reports. Explains. Reference ? DIACK (?): TE ANAU; JACK RICHMOND.
05:10 Approach to teaching. Explains. Teaching career spanned generations. Explains. Creativity with own children. Mentions taught BILL MANHIRE, POET LAUREATE. Reference DOREEN GOODALL (?); HELEN; BRENDAN.
07:10 Recalls meeting ex-pupils. Taught sewing, ‘didn’t know first thing about sewing’. Explains. Taught all subjects. Reference JOYCE GALLAGHER.
08:08 Recalls amusing anecdotes from teaching career including lighting fire. School buildings / classrooms, landscape. Explains. Story about men who lived in huts. School bus. Recalls story about STEPHEN (?) STRINGER. Reference OLIVER TURNER; TE ANAU; CENTRE HILL; CORNWELL ST (?); MRS REID.
12:40 Maiden name WATSON. Children - SUZANNE, SHARON, PETER, BRENDAN. Husband CYRIL. Retired to MOSSBURN. Explains. Reference RAE’S BUSH (?).
13:40 Changes has observed in MOSSBURN. Explains. Has contact with school – ‘Bible in Schools’, outings.
15:00 End of Track 3
Track 4
00:00 School trip to hut at DUNROBIN, ‘very thrilled’. Explains. Reference ANDREW.
00:30 Interview ends abruptly.
Dates
- 2007
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Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Campbell, Jenny (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
