Official Opening

The Offical Opening of Upper Hutt College was declared before a crowd of five hundred spectators on Saturday, 13th October, 1962. The Honourable Minister of Education, Mr W. B Tennent gave an adress and pronounced the College officially opened. The Upper Hutt College Board of Governors, and representatives of the Department of Education joined official visitors and the staff on the platform.

Promptly at 1.30p.m, in fine weather, the pupils lined up outside the metalwork room ready to move off to greet the Minister. They filed to the gates and about five minutes later the car arrived. Mr Tennent walked down the path and spoke to a few people on the way, but finally, he and his wife moved into the Administrative Block and the pupils walked around to the side doors of the Assembly Hall. The stage was banked with pot plants and throughout the school large arrangements of flowers gave an air of ceremony.

The National Anthem was sung after the offical party had moved to the stage, then Mr Kimmins, Chairman of the Board of Governors, spoke. Following his speech, the hymn ‘Praise, My Soul’ was sung, the middle two verses by the school. Mr Tennent’s address followed and his theme was the great changes in education since he was a boy.How fortunate he felt the new scholars of Upper Hutt College to be with their pastel-coloured classrooms. He gave statistics of the numbers of secondary school teachers holding degress but the statistics of the afternoon which really impressed him were the numbers of the public present at the Opening when just across the Main Road was a race meeting at Trentham. Mr Hunter replied with a vote of thanks and presented Mr Tennent with a paper weight of especially selected wood with the school monogram affixed, made in the College Woodwork Department. To end the formal part of the ceremony , ‘God Defend New Zealand’ was sung, after which the official party oved to the entrance and a commemorative plaque was unveiled.

The school buildings were then open for a detailed inspection by visitors and afternoon tea was served the offical party in the art room.

1962-1966 A first for Everything by Audrey Harper

” Where shall I put these? Put the wrapping paper in that carton. Count that set of books again, there should be 30, not 28. Who’s got the scissors? Which room do these go to? The maps are to big for the map drawers. The workmen are still in B5 and we can’t put the books away. Ring the stuff on the floor if you can’t fit it on the shelf. What can I do now? Can someone help me lift this…?” And so it went on in those hectic days before school opened in February 1962, and the seven staff and many students laboured together to get everything together and in its place and ready to go.

The grounds were a mess-building materials-mud (or dust, according to the weather) , unfinished construction- the Workshops and Home Economics block was finished, B block was built but much was needed to be done, the hall had a roof but no floor, and packing case walls- the main offices were finished except for electricians, Post Office linesmen, delivery drivers, carpenters and the occasional plumber. There were changing rooms, but no gym, and the grounds were merely grassy paddocks underlain with stones. Tar sealing was in progress and the choking fumes blended with new wood, paint, dust and smells in the heat of the summer days.

Remember the first assemble? Just over 130 students sat in the C2 courtyard while many parents stood behind, some on building equipment for a better view. Mr Hunter introduced the new staff-three were in their first job-all were just a bit scared of the task to which were committed-laying the foundations of a new college. We knew that whatever we decided would be setting the pattern for years to come.

Mr Hunter set high standards for punctuality, dress, doing homework, co-operation, working as a team, and staff and pupils set to with a will. There was only one rule-act sensibly, and for the first year at least it was adequate.

Throughout 1962 everything was a ‘first’: the visit to Kuranui College for a sports day (we lost most games) , the first boy to be caned ( he was given an inch off Mr Hunter’s cane as a souvenir)-the first dance-girls, do you remember the permit you had to bring signed by a parent? Other things were highlights too: there was no piano ; there was no gym, so on wet days classes were held in the ‘assembly hall’, which later became the metalwork shop. Dances as well as assemblies were held there until the third term, when the main hall was finished Mr Hunter sternly forbade ‘ stiletto heels ‘, then coming into fashion, and the women staff had to choose their footwear with care before going to assembly.

It was in the hall that our first major fundraising took place- Hazelwood’s Fashion Parade. This surely established the great tradition of parental and community suppourt for the College. In the years to come, galas were a must every year, and although many other ways were used to raise money, there is no doubt that the working together of staff, parents and students engendered much community spirit. Do you remember harvesting the potaetoes at Kaitoke? Not a great crop but a great activity was picking up stones from the playing fields of the future. Bucket after bucket was filled and carried laboriously to the edge of the field as classes walked back and forth picking up the billions of stones. As soon as one strip was cleared it seems that thousands more stones worked their way to the surface, but eventually it was done and grass was sown.

Another problem was in the limited pathways between A, B and C blocks, and the changing rooms. The Department architect had left grassy spaces between the sealed paths but winter rain soon scotched that idea and eventually B block quad was totally sealed. But- said Mr Hunter- NO cars were ever to be parked there. He also said he would never allow prefabs, even if we were short of classrooms. But as the years went on, ideas and plans had to change.

When we started the College in 1962 we had little idea of its growth over the next quarter century. We were a small, integrateed community , where everyone had at least a passing acquaintance with everyone else, where the whole school could go on a visit- do you remember the visit to the ship ‘JVO’?- where sucess by one student or small group known to everyone. The excitement of the visit to Government House by the head prefects; the first School Certificate successes- all these were part of the community we had established.

There were many other firsts…the first college concert included a piano solo by Robyn Silvester. Colin Braddock began the first game of cricket by taking a wicket off the 1st, 3rd and 4th balls bowled by an UHC boy. Helen Mercer was the first pupil to qualify for a fina; in the inter-collegiate athletic sports.

The Very beginning ( Timeline 1962-1966)

1962

The doors open on February 6 with 136 pupils and 7 teachers-no rules, just common sense.
Athletics day held at Trentham Camp.
The whole school visits the Johan Van Oldernbarnevelt and the captain presents the bell.
Prepared speech contests begin a school tradition.
Sport teams visit Karanui College.
The grounds were laid in the first term. A, B, and C blocks completed.
The first concert in the Assembly Hall in November includes a Victorian melodrama.
Official opening in October by Minister of Education, Mr Tennent.
The end of year social finishes with God save the Queen.

1963

The school visits Fraser Park to see the Queen.
Fund raising for the Gymnasium commences.
The school descends on Kaitoke for the PTA potato harvest.
Laughton Pattrick establishes the first orchestra.
Music and Drama combine to present an Elizabeth evening.
Ray White is appointed caretaker.

1964

Sir Bernard Fergusson, Governor-General, and lady Fergusson visit the college in September and return for the prize-giving in December.
A series of annual sports exchanges with Western Heights College, Rotorua begins.
D block used for the first time.
Minister of Education, Mr Kinsella, pays a visit.
The first Upper Hutt College original opera ‘Free The Town’ by Laughton Pattrick.
School Certificate examinations arrive to stay.

1965

The first debating club is formed- Tina Ngaparu wins the best speaker title.
‘The Pirate’, a Pattrick-Kitteridge original.
The gymnasium opened in October. Built at a cost of $36,000 raised by P.T.A in 20 months.

1966

College roll reaches 613
Deputy Principal, Jim Ross, id replaced by Russell Jackson.
Shooting team wins the Masefield Shield- symbol of inter-collegiate shooting supremacy.
College dramatists present ‘The Machine’ which sees a “beatnik” elected Prime Minister.
6A faces Bursary for the first time.
The last of the foundation student depart.