Page 216 - Volume 1

In the photo above the Kimihia stove was positioned
Above: Below the two western-facing
windows was situated a garden, in which
flowers and vegetables were grown and tended
to by the pupils.
more to the right, between the blackboard and the entry door. It
was used to heat the room in winter as well as the daily free
milk supply to make cocoa. Coal was supplied by the opencast
mine just down the hill from the school. In summer the milk,
delivered into a roadside box, was heated by the morning sun
and was less than enjoyable!
The left side of the room was the Primer’s area. The
foyer (through the door) was where bags and coats were hung
and cupboards used to store teaching materials. A handbasin
was also fixed to the inner wall below the window.
In the ‘60s a prefabricated building was added to cater
for the Junior classes, later to be increased with another pre-
fab’ for Middle School pupils.
The school was closed at the end of the 1966 year and the
new school on Tamihana Avenue (off Russell Road, Huntly)
was opened.
Efforts were made with the Education Department to
have the original building moved onto the new school site as an
historical and useable asset. However the Education
Department had assigned the building to be transported to the
Melville Primary School and fitted out as a Library.
The old building was located at the front of the Melville
Primary and was totally unrecognizable as the structure it once
was. It has now been totally replaced with a more updated and
purposeful structure.