Page 119 - Kimihia Volume 2

Teacher leaves Kimihia after 25 years

By Pamela Bass,
Huntly Press,
December 16, 1986

. After 25 years at Kimihia
School, teacher Marion Bogie is
leaving for a new job at
Frankton School.
When she started at
Kimihia in 1961 it was a two-
teacher school, later to be rebuilt
to cope with increased
population because of the

building of the power station.
Her first day at the new
building was memorable—there
was a tropical cyclone near New
Zealand and the new school

ground became a mud-bath.
Mrs Bogie has a keen
interest in school libraries. She is going to a newly created job as teacher-librarian, a job which includes

organizing school learning resources.
She has always enjoyed books and wanted to be a librarian before training as a teacher.
She says there are a lot more books in schools now than when she started teaching in the
1986 Staff 1950’s and today’s books reflect the social changes that have taken place.
Rear: Heather Skelton, Dale Kirk, Jenny McRobbie. “Now we have a wealth of picture books and lots of exciting illustrations. There are picture
Middle: Alison Edward, Phillipa Rogers, Heather Slater, Rosie Hamilton, Jenny McKenzie, books for older children too, and paperbacks mean books are more available.”
Alison Mather. She says the best thing a parent can do to help their children’s education is to read to them.
Front: Tony Rogers, Marion Bogie, Mick Mather, Gwen Fairless, Max Carey. “It’s the most important part of their home education.”

One challenge in her time at Kimihia has been the open plan classroom.
“I had to learn to work as a a team, be flexible and tolerant and be able to organise things. In
open plan children learn to be responsible and my aim is to build them up to be responsible for their

own learning.”
Team work among teachers is a part of the open plan system and she believes the children benefit
greatly because the teachers share their strengths.
One of the things that concerns her is violence displayed through television and videos.
“I notice an increasing amount of violence coming through in the things children write and I
wonder if it is because they see violence on television and videos.”
She thinks there is a lot more demands on teachers now, this starting with the big education

changes back in the 60’s.
“Teachers are office workers, housekeepers, and have so many demands because of the
curriculum. Once when you taught social studies it was all facts - now we talk about problems and try

to extend the children’s thinking.”
“There is a wider range of things to be taught. Regular in-service training is vital so
teachers can keep up-to-date. This is one of the big issues now.”
Mrs Bogie is sad that her new appointment means leaving Kimihia School. She says she will
miss the children and the team she has worked with, including principal Mick Mather.
During her time in Huntly she has been involved in many areas of the community. These
include a strong involvement in setting up the Day Care Centre, bridge, golf and toastmasters. She is
past president of Huntly Business and Professional Women and has been involved in the Huntly

Art and Craft Club.