Christchurch West High School (originally Christchurch Academy then High School of Christchurch and then West Christchurch Borough School) existed prior to 1966 on the site of Hagley College in Hagley Avenue, in Christchurch, New Zealand. In that year 'West' amalgamated with Technical High School to become Hagley High School. As part of that amalgamation, the maroon, black and white colours were changed to teal.
History
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The school was opened on 15 November 1858 by the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on their triangular site formed by Tuam Street, Antigua Street, and Oxford Terrace. The original name was Christchurch Academy and the school enjoyed a good reputation. The school committee that ran the school decided in 1863 that a bigger site was needed and they purchased the current school grounds opposite South Hagley Park some 400 yards (370 m) from their original site. The name changed to High School of Christchurch when the school relocated in July 1863.[1]
A main source of income for early Christchurch schools was an annual grant by the Canterbury Provincial Council, with funds distributed to school committees in proportion of the denomination of the population. The educational system changed in 1873 and the province discontinued its grants. Reluctantly, the school committee decided to offer the school buildings and grounds to the newly established West Christchurch educational committee. The chairman of the West Christchurch educational committee, Henry Tancred, sanctioned the purchase in September 1873. The school was renamed West Christchurch Borough School and it became public that year; 70 existing pupils transferred to the new school. The roll greatly increased and by the end of 1877, there were 868 pupils.[2]
Heritage registration
editThe main school building, built in 1924, is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category II heritage structure with registration number 1874.[3] It was originally called the West Christchurch Public School.[4] A centenary book was published in 1958.
Notable staff
edit- Tony Foster (1853–1918), headmaster from 1882 until ca 1904[5]
- William Habens (1839–1899), on the staff from 1868[6]
Notable alumni
edit- Derek Arnold (born 1941), All Blacks player[7]
- Sir Frank Callaway (1919–2003), influential music educator and administrator in Perth, Western Australia
- Ben Couch (1925–1996), All Black (1947–49), Member of Parliament for Wairarapa and Minister of Māori Affairs (1978–84)
- Colleen Dewe (1930–1993), National MP for Lyttelton (1975–1978)[8]
- Maurice Dixon (1929–2004), All Black (1953–57)
- Pauline Gardiner (born 1947), former member of parliament
- Sydney Josland (1904–1991), bacteriologist
- Tommy Taylor (1862–1911), former Christchurch Mayor, New Zealand Member of Parliament, businessman and prohibitionist (advocate of temperance)[9]
- Ada Wells (1863–1933), suffragette[10]
- Owen Wilkes (1940–2005), peace campaigner
- Cecil Wood (1878–1947), architect[11]
- Denis Young (1930–2020), All Black (1956–64)
References
edit- ^ Fricker, Gerald William (1965). "The Academy and High School of Christchurch 1858–1873". From Christchurch Academy to Hagley High School, 1858–1966 : a study of educational opportunity in New Zealand (MA). University of Canterbury. hdl:10092/4054.
- ^ Fricker, Gerald William (1965). "West Christchurch School 1873–1877". From Christchurch Academy to Hagley High School, 1858–1966 : a study of educational opportunity in New Zealand (MA). University of Canterbury. hdl:10092/4054.
- ^ "Christchurch West High School". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand.
- ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1903). "Primary Schools". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Canterbury Provincial District. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ McGeorge, Colin. "Thomas Scholfield Foster". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ^ Keey, R. B. (1974). To Him be the glory: the story of Trinity Congregational Church. Christchurch: Pegasus. p. 31.
- ^ Christchurch West High School at the All Blacks (archived)
- ^ Traue, James Edward, ed. (1978). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1978 (11th ed.). Wellington: Reed Publishing. p. 99.
- ^ Grigg, A. R. "Taylor, Thomas Edward". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Fogarty, Philippa. "Wells, Ada – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Helms, Ruth M. "Wood, Cecil Walter". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 30 January 2022.