Otahu School
Record Group
Identifier: A0338
School status
Closed [1915 - 1945]
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1916 - 1944
Conditions Governing Access
This collection may contain RESTRICTED material. Please see notes on individual items for further information.
Biographical / Historical
Otahu is the Māori name for Eastern Bush
An application to the SEB from the residents in this district for the erection of a suitable school building was lodged in 1915, in the middle of the First World War [Southland Times, 10 April 1915, p.9]. The Inspector's report to the SEB for June recommended the application for the establishment of a school be adopted—and petitioners were informed that the Board was prepared to establish a household school on the usual conditions [Western Star, 15 June 1915, p.3]. The school was housed in the home of Mr R.J. Pearce until a schoolhouse was built on land owned by Mr William Scott.
Miss Alice Dawson was the first teacher at the school which was opened on 15 September 1915. As the school furniture had not arrived by opening day, classes continued in the home of Mrs Pearce for a week or two [Garrett, p.35]. The first pupils were: Alex, Edith and Avice SCOTT; Leslie and John OWEN; Hector and Henry PEARCE. A year later they were joined by Emily, Irena, William and Freida SIMS; Phyllis SCOTT; and John ARNOLD [Admission register].
In 1918, the inspector’s report on the Otahu Committee’s application for the erection of a new school building was adopted, and the architect was asked to prepare plans and specifications for a new building [Southland Times, 21 December 1918, p.2]. The secretary of the SEB requested that section 6, Otahu Settlement, block I, Waiau Survey District, 5a 2r 14p, be gazetted as a school site [Southland Times, 21 February 1919, p.2]. A grant of £341 to cover the cost of the erection of a new school building in the Otahu district was received [Southland Times, 29 March 1919, p.6].
In August of 1919, a deputation consisting of Messrs Royds and H. R. Owen approached the Board in connection with the grant for a new school at Otahu. Mr Owen explained that there were now 15 children attending the old school, but there was a possibility of two settlers leaving the district who would take away eight children between them. This being so, he thought that the erection of a new school would be a waste of money in the meantime, so he asked that the work should not be proceeded with until matters became more settled. He also remarked that now, as before, the deputation was against, the site proposed for the new school and declared that he would rather send his children on a good road to the Clifton school than on a bad road to the proposed new school. After the deputation withdrew, the meeting decided to ask the Inspector to report again on the position [Southland Times, 23 August 1919, p.7].
Despite the protest, it was decided by the Education Board to proceed with the erection of a new school about three miles north-west of Clifden Bridge [Western Star, 2 March 1920, p.2], a different site to what had been previously gazetted because Mr W. J. Scott had offered to surrender five acres of his farm on section 4, Otahu Settlement for purpose of school site. Mr J. Karlsen of Tuatapere built the school for £363—and when this and the one at Pukemaori was opened, there were nine schools in the stretch of country lying between Otautau and Papatotara.
A request for a new school residence was made in 1928, but in view of the small attendance, only fourteen, the Department did not consider that the provision of a residence was justified [Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, 29 January 1929, p.4].
The school closed on 31 January 1945 and consolidated onto Clifden School. In 2010, local residents restored the building. See Southland Times, 30 August 2010, p.14.
References to staff
Farewell for Mr J. Grindlay - Southland Times, 22 August 1935, p.13
Bibliography
Papers Past, Southland Eeducation Board records
Garrett, M. (Ed). (1970). 75th Jubilee Clifden and Otahu Schools; Notes, reports, comments.
An application to the SEB from the residents in this district for the erection of a suitable school building was lodged in 1915, in the middle of the First World War [Southland Times, 10 April 1915, p.9]. The Inspector's report to the SEB for June recommended the application for the establishment of a school be adopted—and petitioners were informed that the Board was prepared to establish a household school on the usual conditions [Western Star, 15 June 1915, p.3]. The school was housed in the home of Mr R.J. Pearce until a schoolhouse was built on land owned by Mr William Scott.
Miss Alice Dawson was the first teacher at the school which was opened on 15 September 1915. As the school furniture had not arrived by opening day, classes continued in the home of Mrs Pearce for a week or two [Garrett, p.35]. The first pupils were: Alex, Edith and Avice SCOTT; Leslie and John OWEN; Hector and Henry PEARCE. A year later they were joined by Emily, Irena, William and Freida SIMS; Phyllis SCOTT; and John ARNOLD [Admission register].
In 1918, the inspector’s report on the Otahu Committee’s application for the erection of a new school building was adopted, and the architect was asked to prepare plans and specifications for a new building [Southland Times, 21 December 1918, p.2]. The secretary of the SEB requested that section 6, Otahu Settlement, block I, Waiau Survey District, 5a 2r 14p, be gazetted as a school site [Southland Times, 21 February 1919, p.2]. A grant of £341 to cover the cost of the erection of a new school building in the Otahu district was received [Southland Times, 29 March 1919, p.6].
In August of 1919, a deputation consisting of Messrs Royds and H. R. Owen approached the Board in connection with the grant for a new school at Otahu. Mr Owen explained that there were now 15 children attending the old school, but there was a possibility of two settlers leaving the district who would take away eight children between them. This being so, he thought that the erection of a new school would be a waste of money in the meantime, so he asked that the work should not be proceeded with until matters became more settled. He also remarked that now, as before, the deputation was against, the site proposed for the new school and declared that he would rather send his children on a good road to the Clifton school than on a bad road to the proposed new school. After the deputation withdrew, the meeting decided to ask the Inspector to report again on the position [Southland Times, 23 August 1919, p.7].
Despite the protest, it was decided by the Education Board to proceed with the erection of a new school about three miles north-west of Clifden Bridge [Western Star, 2 March 1920, p.2], a different site to what had been previously gazetted because Mr W. J. Scott had offered to surrender five acres of his farm on section 4, Otahu Settlement for purpose of school site. Mr J. Karlsen of Tuatapere built the school for £363—and when this and the one at Pukemaori was opened, there were nine schools in the stretch of country lying between Otautau and Papatotara.
A request for a new school residence was made in 1928, but in view of the small attendance, only fourteen, the Department did not consider that the provision of a residence was justified [Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, 29 January 1929, p.4].
The school closed on 31 January 1945 and consolidated onto Clifden School. In 2010, local residents restored the building. See Southland Times, 30 August 2010, p.14.
References to staff
Farewell for Mr J. Grindlay - Southland Times, 22 August 1935, p.13
Bibliography
Papers Past, Southland Eeducation Board records
Garrett, M. (Ed). (1970). 75th Jubilee Clifden and Otahu Schools; Notes, reports, comments.
Extent
1 box(es) (Box 1)
Language of Materials
English
- Title
- Otahu School
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Invercargill City Libraries and Archives Repository
