Collection: Granity School [Pourikino School]

Dates

Majority of material found within 1912 - 1961

Granity School [Pourikino School]

Granity School, situated at the very top of the Pourakino Valley, was one of Southland’s most isolated schools. It existed to service the community born from the intensive sawmilling of the upper Pourakino Valley. The school was named after the nearby Granity Stream, a tributary to the Pourakino.

It was a small but reportedly enthusiastic school. In 1917 had the highest attendance of all schools in Southland, at 98.3 percent. It operated from 1912 through to 1962. Its name changed once to Pourakino School in 1944.

Sometime after WWII, when consolidation of schools was common, Granity/Pourakino was also lost through combination with the district high school. In this overall trend, small one or two teacher remote schools lost importance and viability. Transport and roads had improved enough that centralised schools became the favoured option.

Reference:"Pieces of Chalk: History of Riverton District Schools", Written by George Perkins. Ch.8, Pp.74-75.

See Additional Description for more information on this reference.