Early Sports Days

During its first ten years of life, Waterview School was a force to be reckoned with on the sports field. Cricket, netball, softball, basketball and of course rugby were played throughout the year, and the school grounds were used for practice by visiting groups (including the acclaimed Crown Lynn Marching Team)  and the Waterview Rugby League Club.

Waterview's most famous sports connection was Murray Halberg (pictured above on the right in 1954). As a young teacher, he spent a year at Waterview Primary before leaving teaching in 1956 to run in the Melbourne Olympics. 

Photograph | Courtesy of Denis Vazey

Forward, Together

During this first term of 2013, the children at Waterview have been studying their school's heritage. Four school 'houses' have been established, corresponding to the original houses first set up in 1951. Scott (Blue), Wilson (Green), Oates (Red) and Bowers (Gold) were named after members of the original team that went to the South Pole in 1912.

'It is considered that these names symbolise the ideals of high endeavour with team work already crystallised in the school motto, 'Forward Together,' wrote headmaster Mr Oram. 'Forward Together' has been chosen by the staff as the school motto, the next preference being 'Seek, Learn, Believe.' It was considered that the motto chosen crystallised two important details - progress and teamwork - in words that children might understand. This motto and the school colours, cardinal red and middle green, have been duly registered with the Auckland Education Board.'

Goodbye, School

A week after school ended for the summer holidays, the demolition team moved in. It was a fast process, and by December 30 the last classroom was gone. With the 2013 school year now well underway, the children are happily settled in their new temporary prefabs and the demolition site sits flat and empty, waiting for work to start on the new build in April. 

Welcome Back

Saturday, December 8 - a glorious sun-filled day for farewelling the old school. We were expecting 150 people; we welcomed at least a hundred more. The school hall was packed to overflowing; our final reunion assembly opened by the ringing of the old school bell.

Unforgettable memories of the day: ex-pupil Louis Guy introducing Pat Rogers, his childhood teacher at Waterview in the 1950's. A cluster of excited ex-schoolboys 'having a go' with the old school strap (it had to be confiscated in the end!). Finally being able to put names to faces, and feeling as if we knew some of you very well from speaking on the phone, seeing your images and reading your stories.

This week the keys are being handed over to the company handling the school's demolition, which is scheduled to happen over the summer holidays. We're having a short break from the Heritage Project, but will (over the next few weeks) be posting images from the reunion day. If you added your name to the photo mailing list, those images will be emailed out to you after Christmas. To all those who have been involved, thank you! We wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and look forward to talking to some of you again in the new year.

Painting the School Pink

March, 1958. Waterview Primary's roll stood at 330 (159 girls, 171 boys). The school was 'between' headmasters (Mr Herbert having resigned at the end of 1957) with teacher Mr Peachey holding the fort as interim head until Mr Barton arrived in June.

Painting of the school was well underway, with new and modern Education Board-approved colours:

• Body Colour: Orchid Pink
• Soffitt: Hylustre Sea Mist
• Sills, Doors & Seats: Hylusta Turquoise
• Sashes, Spouting, Facia Boards: Hylusta Broken White
• Frames: Hylusta Light Biscuit
• School Sign: Gold

By April, the painting was complete, and Mr Peachey wrote in his headmaster's report:

'The school has been completely painted and the finished look has provoked some controversy. It certainly is an improvement on the old fashioned buff walls with brown trim, but whether it is an improvement on the original white blue and yellow colour of this school is open to question. As time goes on we may become used to the idea of colour and learn to appreciate the job done here.'

Waterview School Reunion

We're sending these invitations out to everyone on our mailing list, but if you know anyone who may not be, please pass the invite on! To all those who have written to us recently, thank you and apologies for any delay in getting back to you. We will, we promise.

Standard Three, 1959

In 1959, Thomas Bowie was teaching at Waterview School as a Probationary Assistant (they were sometimes called P.A's for short). He remembers his time there clearly:

'I was only there for one year - but most teachers have very fond memories of their first class in their first year of teaching. As a keen young photographer I took many photos of my class and their activities. In this photo the pupils’ names are, from left to right,  Kevin Steel, Janice May, Bill Thompson, Margaret Hobbs, Colin Godfrey, Lorraine Broughton, and Marion Scott.  In the lower right hand corner is Paul Hunter.  I wonder where they are now!  They were part of my Standard Three (now Year Five) class in 1959.'

Do you recognise yourself in this photo? Thanks Tom, for giving us this unique view of Waterview School's early classes, refreshingly unlike the formally 'good' school photos in which everyone sat up straight and displayed their very best behaviour!

Thank You

The past two weeks have been both unsettling and exciting. Unsettling because of the fast and thorough demolition happening around Waterview and the school. Exciting because of the incredible response from those people who have heard about the project. Suddenly, the story of our school has gone from being a collection of  'official' recorded histories to being one of colour, humour and heartfelt detail. This is because of the generosity of the stories and memories we've been receiving. To everyone who has taken the time to write or phone us, thank you - your contributions are bringing this project to life in the most wonderful way.

Photograph | Carla Martell, 2012

Waterview School, 1969

The 1969 school year at Waterview started on February 4 with a new headmaster, Mr A. Newth, and the introduction of a school newsletter. The lunch menu was announced - Sausage Rolls (5 cents), a Cold Peach, a Hot Apricot or a Fruit Salad (12 cents), Big Ben pies, and the mysteriously named 'Cheffy' - apparently a mixture of peas and carrots (14 cents).

In June, two librarians from the National Library Service came to help catalogue the school library according to the Dewey Decimal System. It took the librarians and a group of mothers one week to complete, with all the books being 'carded' and a card index made out.

Mr Newth was beginning to make plans for a 'more demanding fitness programme,' and issued stern warnings about school gym clothing in the school newsletter:

'So that the girls can take part in Physical Education and sport with freedom, and without embarrassment, we would like them all to have rompers (or heavy black bloomers). Many girls this year have been wearing shorts and other attire which are not suitable. Tight shorts etc., besides splitting at the seams, restrict movement. If your daughter hasn't a pair of rompers, do you think you could supply her with some. Those children who do not wear gyms to school would also need a blouse.'

No mention of the boys, however - a pattern repeated in later years when it was usually the poor girls being berated for their inappropriate clothing choices!

Mr Hunt & the School Baths

The subject of new swimming baths for the school first arose in 1951, with an offer of building assistance by local resident Mr Fickling. At that time the school committee decided it was too ambitious an idea, but in 1954 new headmaster Mr Hunt brought his own personal passion to the project and informed parents and staff that building of the baths would indeed be going ahead. Money raised from the school's Queen Carnival and Gala Day, beach barbecues, garden parties, fancy dress parades and concerts was donated to the fund, and at the end of March 1955, £1200 had been collected.

In May 1955, work began on the baths. Ground was excavated, steel reinforcement laid for the floor, concrete poured and plastering completed. Seventeen volunteers (including fathers, committee members, the caretaker and headmaster) finished the job over four Saturdays, and by October invitations were being sent to the grand opening ceremony on November 5th.

In 2012, Waterview's school pool is still being used, with swimming lessons during summer for students and open days held for families at the end of term. With many school pools being closed throughout New Zealand due to rising costs, we value our own 1950s-built swimming baths as a treasured (and continuing) part of our school history.

Photograph | Sam Wales

Waterview School, 1954

1954 was a busy year at Waterview School. Headmaster Mr Oram left at the end of Term 1, farewelled by children at a special assembly and presented with a 'suitably inscribed barometer' at a supper held by the Special Picnic Committee. Broken roof tiles were replaced for the second time, a School & Area Picnic was held at Titirangi Beach (after two bad weather postponements), a new piano and jungle gym were ordered, and a 'most gratifying' Gala Day and School House Queen Carnival were held.

The Home & School Association's Parent Discussion Group met to discuss compulsory homework and the subject: 'Is the discipline of children too lax in schools and the community generally today?' Concerns about children's welfare were also expressed by Mr Oram in his headmaster's notes:

'Two primer boys ran in front of cars on Herdman Street. This called attention again to the dangerous nature of this corner. Action taken to see that a teacher takes primers across the road at 2pm and to institute a School Warden System. The Board was also approached to have a barrier erected at the Herdman St gate to prevent children from rushing down the path on to the road and also to stop the riding of bicycles through the school gate after school hours.'

By the end of the year Mr B. Hunt had assumed duties as new Headmaster and was initiating plans to build a learners' swimming pool, the school roll stood at 403, and a school-wide water consumption savings plan had begun.

Great North Road

Looking along Great North Road, Waterview, with Herdman St on the right, photographed in 1963. In a letter from the Well-Connected Alliance distributed today to local residents, this junction is listed as one of the side streets affected by imminent construction work. 

'The junction of Herdman St and Great North Road will be closed from 1 October until completion of the project in 2017, as this is where the tunnel portal will be built. The signalised crossing here will also be removed.'

Other upcoming changes include the closing of Cowley Street, the removal of bus stops in this part of Great North Road, and the demolition and removal of neighbouring properties. October 1 marks the beginning of many profound changes in the streets surrounding the school - our focus over the next week is to record as much of the area as we can, before demolition work begins.

Mr Oram

For thirty years a succession of headmasters (and one female principal) kept almost-daily notes on school events, in a bound minute book with a brown mottled cover. The first of these headmasters was Mr Oram, who governed the school from 1950-1954. His notes, beautifully and carefully written in dark blue ink, were the most detailed of all. In these notes, adults were only ever referred to by their title, initials and last name. Fundraising outcomes were meticulously recorded down to the last halfpenny, often with accompanying diagrams. The state of the school's polished wooden floors was described with increasing frustration - they were difficult to keep clean and dry, especially in wet and humid winter weather. In July 1950, Mr Oram wrote:

'It has been difficult to get satisfactory advice on the maintenance of polished floors. The surface has deteriorated badly and it cannot be maintained even by waxing once a week. Part of the trouble has been caused by the tramping in of dust, sand and gravel from the sealed areas. Approximately 7-8 oz of dust is being swept up in each room every day. Analysis reveals that this contains about 75% gravel.'

Those floors continued to aggravate the staff for a number of years (they were still being complained about in 1955), until they were covered with cork tiles and eventually carpet. Gradually, the notes in this minute book became shorter and less descriptive, but they still paint a vibrant picture of the school as it was in its first thirty years of existence.

The School Choir

A notable feature of Waterview Primary in the 1950s was its school choir - actually two choirs, as a second one existed for children who had left the school. In 1956, headmaster Mr Hunt wrote in his report of September 3rd:    

'The school choir, taught by Mr D. Wilson, was successful in winning the competition this year. Mr Wilson and the children have profited by the mistakes of past competitions and had everything balanced, the correct volume, the correct piano accompaniment loud enough to prevent the children going off key. Mr Wilson is enthusiastic and puts a great deal of work into this work. It is of great cultural value to the children of this school, and now that he has formed an adolescent choir, the children who have passed through his hands in previous years have an extra cultural interest which helps them to live a fuller and better life.'

Discoveries

We spent Friday afternoon navigating our way around the storeroom, reading room and Room 5. Interesting finds included an original wooden class shield, a pair of sewing shears engraved with 'Waterview School' and a folder of paperwork relating to the school's 25th anniversary in 1975. We also discovered this photo taken in 1950 of the entire school (this image only shows a small section). A similar photograph (in better condition) is currently displayed in the school foyer - the one we discovered may be one of 84 copies ordered by staff and students.

The Dental Clinic

We met today to evaluate the condition of the old school dental clinic, as it's shortly destined for demolition. For some of us the dental clinic (affectionately known as 'the murder house') was a familiar part of our primary school experience. Waterview's clinic closed some years ago, and has since been used as headquarters for the Waterview Garden Club and the construction crew for the new Waterview Kindergarten.

As all the old furniture and dental equipment had already been removed some years ago, there wasn't a lot to salvage. We did discover some old newspapers from 1965, and removed the top of the wooden box seat in the little waiting room. A wall-mounted cupboard, door and hand basin have been earmarked for removal before the demolition team arrives.

Photograph | Carla Martell, 2011

The Heritage Project

This is the first day of a new heritage project - an ongoing journey to discover and share the story of Waterview School. After many years of NZTA planning for the SH20 motorway extension, there are some big changes ahead for our school, and the recording of these changes is now a priority before certain elements of the past disappear forever.

One of the first steps is to collect whatever material we can find about the school. We'll be reading old school records and organising them for a future school archive. We'll be taking lots of photographs, scanning images and researching the history of our local community. We'll be sharing our progress in this journal. Most importantly, we'll be asking for memories and stories of the school. If this is you, please contact us - we would love to hear from you!