Know your town – Martinborough School

Early school classes at Waihenga were held in the First Church. In 1872 a deputation approached the Education Board requesting an official school, this was turned down, the deputation being told there was no money available for a school in such an out of the way place. However the small community was not deterred, it was decided to collect the money for a building themselves. This was built on the corner of Weld and Hirschberg Streets. (At the outbreak of the World War the German sounding Hirchberg St was changed to Roberts St. after the English General Lord Roberts).

A newspaper of the time reported the opening; ‘What determination the Community had, they collected money, the contract was let to Mr Whybrow on 16 – 2 – 1875 at one hundred and thirteen pounds.* Their school was opened on Monday 13th September. What a day, fine and great for events.

‘The reception tables were given by the following ladies of the community Mrs A Cameron, Hanlon, Harris, Partridge, Smith and McLeod. The guests numbered 300 and sat down to a real feast. The motto for the day was ‘the more the merrier’. Their appetites large as during the day a number of sports were indulged in.

‘The children were assembled at 3.30 Pm and received heaps of oranges and apples, piles of lollies and nuts. In the evening there being a tea party and dance. They danced until daylight’.

Donation were made on the day for the purchase of ‘cricket utensils’ and footballs were left with the School Committee. The school grounds were used regularly for cricket and football matches. An early cricket match was between Wharekaka and Kaiwaiwai and the first rugby match in 1877 was between Lower Valley- Wharekaka and Greytown.

Along with sporting matches the grounds also became the centre for public events, dances, public meetings, debates etc. The school was also the venue for Anglican Church services held every second Sunday. They even used the school’s bell to hurry along folk who were taking their time and stopping for a talk along the road.

In five years the school will be celebrating it’s 150 years jubilee – not bad for ‘an out of the way place’.

Mate Higginson

*today this would equal $ 16,072. The 1878 census showed that the community comprised of only 26 females and 45 males.