Pinnacle School

Record Group

Identifier: A0357

Staff Only

Dates

Majority of material found within 1877 - 1908

Pinnacle School

Pinnacle School opened on the 19 April 1877 and was the first school in Knapdale. During its initial year it was administered by the Otago Education Board until the formation of the Southland Education Board on 13 May 1878. 130 pupils were educated there during its nine-year existence. Many were older children for whom this was their first chance to attend school.

There was a teacher residence beside the school as well as an onsite Post Office which operated from 1 November 1879 to 14 November 1880. The school roll declined dramatically when East Gore School opened in June 1886 causing Pinnacle School to close that September.

Despite the closure of the school the buildings were to remain in use. They were shifted, in sections on sledges, across the Waikaka River, to a site made available by William Waddell at Waikaka Valley. The new school, Waikaka Valley School, opened here on 1 December 1886 and continued to operate until its closure on 30 January 1997.

- Notes by E.M. Easton -

See Bibliography for References

Extent

1 box(es) (Box 1)

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.

Waikaka Valley and Pinnacle School Examination Register A0359 S24200001

Waikaka Valley Examination Register also contains information from Pinnacle School. A0359 S24200001

Pinnacle School opened 19/4/1877. The opening of East Gore School detrimentally affacted attendance at Pinnacle. It was closed 10/9/1886, removed to a site at Waikaka Valley and re-opened as Waikaka Valley School 1/12/1886