A brief history of Mangawhai/Mangawhai Schools from 1857.
The first known private school teacher, Jane Skeen, nee Liston, was also the first recorded Crown Land Grantee, at Mangawai, in 1858, having been remitted to New Zealand in 1856 to open a school. On arrival at Auckland she married a man of politics, Robert Skeen, widower and father to four children.
Oral history tell us that her first school was named Manga Te Whai School.
That little school was built on land surveyed at Moirs Point, near the pah site of Chief Te Whai. School Reserve -Lot #67-Molesworth Suburbs- consisted of 1 acre 2 roods, 12 perches. It is next to land once owned by Capt. William Moir, and still in his descendant’s ownership. Orrin Brown, owner, later bought the school lot also.
School attendance cost parents 1/-(10 cents) per week, paid in cash, for each child. As many families were those of men with the 58th Regiment of Foot, living here, or in work at the shipbuilder’s yards, or in one of the many industries established along the estuary, they had money to pay for her services.
By 1864 another teacher, Mr E.F. Barnett came to Mangawai to take up land previously purchased in 1858. It seems likely that it was he who taught from within the Presbyterian Church, that was on land, opposite what became known as the ‘policeman’s house’ on Moir Street.
In the mean time two sister’s Tutin, daughters of John Tutin, an Anglican preacher, opened a private school in the Parsonage at Hakaru, in 1861. This was a Day and a Boarding school, and continued until the 1880. Fee’s were £25 per annum for children under 10 years of age, and £30 for those over 10. Music and singing were included in the curriculum. Hakaru was known as Mangawai in the early years of settlement.
From 1861, lessons at Te Arai were taught from within a private home, and classes taken by Mr. Charles Haselden,. There were three Te Arai schools, between the years 1861 – 1945, at Te Arai North (by the norfolk pine) Arai Point (by Slipper Lake) and one at Te Arai South, (on Fishlock Road). All part time schools, initially.
In the 1860’s –1886 teachers often taught ‘half days’, sharing between area schools.
The first Education Department school for the district was built on Lawrence Road, and named Mangawai School. This was built by McMillan and Stewart and opened 1872. Mr McKee was teacher for that year.
It may seem an unusual place to have built a school, but at that time, it was sited on the main road, from the landing place on Mangawhai River, namely Bentley Point, which is the upper part of the river that touches the Mangawai East and Hakaru hills.
It was central to a wide area.
As years passed, this school was referred to as ‘The Upper School’ and also ‘The Bush School’. R.M.McPherson was the last teacher, when school closed 1888.
In 1886, a similar, sturdy styled school was built and opened in the area known as The Beach. (now known as Mangawhai Village). Hence Mangawai Beach School. This building served many generations of children and families, until 1957, when numbers out grew the old school, and the first stage of today’s Mangawhai Beach School appeared on Insley Street.
Not until 1878, when compulsory education of children over 7 years and under 14, became law, did fees for education discontinue in public schools.
Mrs Sarah’s hall, at Hakaru was used as a school from 1880, until a school building was brought to the property of Mr Blackwell. It remained Hakaru school from 1916 until 1949.
Other schools which served the wider district of Mangawhai were:
TARA ROAD School (near Tara cemetery) This was previously the Mangawai School, which after lengthy negotiations with the Education Department, by local residents, was dragged by bullock teams from Lawrence Road, and opened 1892 – 1926. Moved again to Browns Road, 1927 – 1943. Dismantled, moved and reconstructed to its final site on Ken Brown’s property, Tara Road, where the building remains. School closed there in 1966.
BREAMTAIL School opened 1902, and closed 1920
MOLESWORTH School opened 1920, and closed 1930
KINGS ROAD School opened 1930, closed 1944
Contributed by Bev Ross