History: Celebrating 100 years of education in Wakefield

The 100th anniversary of the founding of the first school at Wakefield was celebrated on Friday, 8th October 1943.  

The beginnings of education in the Wakefield area came through Mary Baigent who started a small household school to educate her own children and several of her neighbours.  

It was not until 8th October 1843, that the first recognised school was established there.  Following representations from Mr E. Baigent and other settlers, Mr J. T. Smith, a clerk of the New Zealand Company, was convinced to open a school in Wakefield.  

This was a church school, under the auspices of the Church of England.  The first schoolhouse was a cob building to which a wooden building was later added. Mr Squire followed Mr Smith as master of the school and was in charge until the late 1850’s, when the school came under the control of the Provincial Educational system.  

When the New Zealand system came into force the school was included in that scheme.

To mark the centenary, a thanksgiving service for the school children was held in the old church school building, a small distance from the then current school.  

A tree planting ceremony was followed by school sports and a picnic at the recreation grounds, and, in the afternoon, the children saw a screening of the film “100 Crowded Years,” depicting the history of education in the Nelson province during the century.

More complete centenary celebrations were organised for later in the year, the committee responsible feeling that the short time available had been insufficient to organise a suitable centennial programme to observe the occasion in a fitting manner on the actual date of the anniversary.

The committee arranged a programme of celebrations for 11th, 12th and 13th December.  Memorial gates at the school were unveiled. Their design was modern and attractive, with a panel fence of plaster finish curving back to inner gate posts.

The double gates were of iron construction, with the dates 1843 and 1943 inscribed on the posts in scalloped panels. The contractor for the gates was Mr G. Robertson, and for the concrete work, Mr J. E. McPherson, both old boys of the school.

The streets of Wakefield were lined with interested spectators to watch the procession of past and present pupils from the Wakefield Domain to the school, headed by the Wakefield Citizens’ Band. The 1843-1883 ex-pupils headed the procession, followed by the groups of each succeeding decade.

The decorated vehicles and children in fancy costume followed. The ringing of the school bell by the oldest past committeeman, Mr A. Gibbs, started the proceedings at the school. Miss C. A. Morrison, the oldest former school mistress, called the roll of past pupils up to the year 1882.

The chairman extended a hearty welcome to both past and present pupils, and he congratulated the Centennial Committee and the headmaster (Mr Watkins) on the successful result of its work.

Speakers were the Hon. W. H. Mclntyre (chairman of the Nelson Education Board), Mr Atmore, M.P., Mr C. A. Baigent (one of the early scholars), Mr W. E. Poole (a former headmaster), and Mr P. A. Baigent.

Thanks were given for 100 years of schoolwork for the children of the Wakefield district and prayer given for the new century in the life of the school. Other functions associated with the centennial celebrations were the school concert on the 10th, and the Centennial Ball on the 13th December.  

Both functions were held in Robertson’s Hall and in both instances the hall was filled to capacity.

By Robyn Parkes