November 1999

Now into November and its time to update.

The big news of the month was the news that the college principal, Denis Pyatt, has been appointed to be Principal of Papanui College in Christchurch and that he will be taking up the position in the new year. We congratulate Denis on his appointment and wish him well for the future. An invitation to attend the Reunion has been extended to Denis and his wife JulieAnn and we look forward to their return to Levin for Easter.

The college has recently received high praise from the Education Review Office's report which focused on the positive climate created by the school which was encouraging learning and success.

We also are proud that our 'old school' is thought so highly of by the Education Authorities.

In the sporting field the college's boys' and girls' mountain bike teams again proved their strength in the Secondary Schools Mountain Bike Relay Challenge at Rotorua with the Under 19's boys' A, the Under 19's girls and the Under16 girls' teams taking the titles in their respective events.

And what of the Reunion? Registrations are still coming in, slow but steady with 267 now registered and 15 of these are from overseas; 11 from Australia, a couple from England and another couple from USA. I have posted out over 2000 forms so far but this is only a drop in the bucket when you think of the number of pupils who have attended the school in the past 60 years.

It is my hope that forms will come in more quickly as it will be a major job to add all the details to the data base if everyone leaves it to the last minute to Register. Remember, the final day for Registration is 21 March, 2000.

Get in touch with your friends, leave a message in the guestbook and get a party together. The challenge for 2000 attendees still stands!

At last, some responses to my request for input to these pages.

Calling all ex pupils P3W - Mr Wilson's class of 1962. Looking forward to seeing you all at Easter 2000. It will be the event of the new millennium.

Also first day pupils please come. My family will be represented by 3 generations as my father, Neil Candy, was a first day pupil and my husband Ross and our children will also be there as ex pupils of this great college.

Bruce Arcus and I were the 'chemistry monitors ', in the chem. lab and the night after school when we had just finished cleaning up from the day we decided on a 'hare around ' the benches before going home. Bruce was chasing me and as I turned around the end of one bench - at high speed I may add - I took hold of the shelving holding all the reagents at the end of each bench and as I used it to help spin around the end of the bench , the whole shelf came down and hit the floor! Acid and alkali quickly combined to form a dense plume of fumes which quickly filled the lab. Bruce slipped in the quagmire of chemicals and sat flat on his not inconsiderable backside. By the time we realised what was happening, all hell had cut loose in the college with the final humiliation being that Bruce was divested of his rapidly disintegrating school shorts , quickly washed down to prevent the 'rot' dissolving any more of his person, and I think he went home in a pair of trousers found in the staff room!

Because Bruce and I had pretty good reputations with the rifle, we were given the job of providing the rabbits for our biology classes. Guess we must have been among the only colleges whose animals for dissection turned up complete with authentic head wounds, as 'gut shots' were not acceptable for dissection?

Then,again because it was known that I did go shooting AND up in the Tararuas, I was asked by 'Greaser' to bring him back a selection of supple- jack stems to be used as canes. The final humiliation was to have one used on myself in what turned out to be a 'most worthwhile exercise', because I finished up getting profuse apologies from 'Greaser' because of something that happened that actually was not his fault. But he was a totally different chap to me after that.

Who painted the white line all around the corridors on the last night of our schooling at 'horo' Darcy?

I wonder how Sonny is these days, after having his two front teeth removed whilst playing for Old Boys against the First Eleven in the latter part of the 1940's? The young opening bowler who was responsible WILL be at the reunion Sonny, if you need to get your own back! He might even buy you a beer to show 'no hard feelings after 50 years', mate!

And the stories can go on, but best kept until April 2000.

Dear Ian

I have read with interest your internet updates and noticed reference to "Charlie". Arthur Haley was not only a great guy, he was an excellent and inspiring teacher. "Charlie" was probably the first secondary school geography teacher to get hooked on to Economic Geography as promoted by Kenneth B Cumberland, a young English geographer who had recently come to lecture at Auckland University School of Geography, and was later Professor of Geography.

"Charlie" espoused this new subject with gusto. I remember him opening a 6th form class in 1950 (gosh, that dates me!!).

"Charlie" (to class): "Why should they grow wheat over such large areas of Canada, when the climate is not naturally suitable, the growing season is relatively short, and there is the great need to get new strains of wheat? Why?"

To Jim Hannan - "Why"?

"Don't know, "Sir".

To Doug Lang - "Why"?

"Don't know, Sir".

To Les Wong She - "Why"?

"Because it pays, Sir".

"Charlie" to class: "Right! Altogether now"

Class (in unison): "Because it pays, Sir".

"Charlie" to class: "Right! Altogether now".

Class (in unison): Because it pays. Sir".

A group from the committee did a tour of the college recently to note the changes in the layout of the buildings and grounds so that decisions can be made for siting the various venues. We will then be able to put together some guidelines as to where the various decades will be having their 'School Lunch' on the Saturday, where the photos will be taken and so on. This is the next step in the overall planning for the event.

The photos included on page three this month are some more shots taken around Levin, just to let you see some of the more obvious changes in the town.

Also note that I have put together a second photo album of previous shots used in these reports.

December 1999

It has been an interesting month in many ways. We have reached the 300 mark for Registrations and each day brings in further enquiries. A break down of Registrations is as follows:-

Areas from where registrations have come

(1) Northern parts 27

(2) Auckland 41

(3) Central Region 69

(4) Eastern (Masterton - Gisborne) 20

(5) Levin 71

(6) Wellington 33

(7) South Island 23

I had a letter from a person from Palmerston North asking about the Reunion; this was a result of the person seeing one of our roadside billboards. Last week the committee held its final meeting of the year and we feel confident that all preparations are well in hand. Following the meeting we joined the PTA in farewelling Principal Denis Pyatt and his wife Julie-Ann. It was obvious from the remarks of the chairperson of the Board of Trustees, the Deputy Principal and the Past Pupils representative, that Denis's work at the college was greatly appreciated and that he will be missed.

Early in the month I was involved in teaching three Fifth Form classes the game of lawn bowls. This was part of their Phys Ed alternative sports programme. I was most impressed with the attitude of the students; they soon realized that there was more to the game than at first appeared but what was most pleasing was the way many individual students came up to me and my team of helpers and thanked us for giving up our time to take the classes. It was spontaneous and seemed a natural thing from them. Over recent years, it has been easy to pass judgement on todays youth but they showed us that the basic skills of relating to people are still there. I have included 2 shots on Page 3 of pupils involved in bowls.

The college held an evening during November where people who had helped the college's sports programme were thanked. But it wasn't the Principal or Staff who did the speaking, it was the Head boy backed up by one of the top sports girls. There we were being thanked by a confident young man who not only recognised all present for their involvement, but also made mention of the Principal's interest in following the progress of all college teams.

This month and again next month I want to illustrate the changes I see in how pupils get to school. Seeing all the present day pupil's cars parked across the road from the college made me wonder about how pupils from outside Levin got to school in the 40's. It was something I never thought about at the time, they just arrived and after school they would sit on the front fence awaiting their bus for the return journey. In response to a request to four past pupils I have received their recollections about "getting to college". This month I will include 2 reports that deal with pupils coming from the south and next month the pupils coming from north of Levin will recall their experiences.

Photos of the car park area be seen on Page 3 and I have also included a link to a map of the college as it is today.

Horowhenua College in the 1940's and 50's was the only college between Wellington and Palmerston North, and catered for all pupils as far south as Paraparaumu and its surrounding districts.

Transport from Paraparaumu was initially by a mixed goods train leaving at 6.30am arriving in Levin at 8.30am returning a t 5.45pm.

Around 1942 Watts Motors (Levin) ran a bus leaving at 7.15am returning around 5pm.The bus (see page 3 for a photo taken about 1947 after it had been modernised by the addition of 4 opening windows for ventilation) was about the size of a motor home and generally was called "the horse float." It carried 38 adolescent persons in extreme discomfort, packed together on longitudinal wooden planks. The smell in wet weather was very unpleasant.

It initially catered for pupils along the main road from Paraparaumu to Ohau, (excluding Otaki township which had its own bus), and those pupils who had biked, walked or ridden in from surrounding areas such as Paraparaumu and Waikanae Beaches, Reikorangi, Otaki Gorge and other isolated farms along the route.

As the college roll grew in the post war period, other buses such as the "Otaki Railway", and the "Kuku-Manukau", were brought in to cater for the increasing numbers from the south.

Later, a college was established in Raumati which drew off the pupils from Waikanae and Paraparaumu. Then Otaki College was established, thus cutting off all contact with Horowhenua College south of Ohau.

The roads were gravel and full of dust, stirred up by the trucks of farmers, timber men and carriers. The film of dust was part of the way of life, making our uniforms hard to keep clean.

During our first few years at the Te Horo Primary School, we were picked up by the school master in his car, but later as numbers grew, a quaint bus with wooden seats became our means of transport. We sang all the way there and all the way home in the afternoon. I had the song book with all the words. On occasions we would ride our horses to school whenever they needed to be shod and deliver them to the Blacksmith down the road from school and pick them up in the afternoon. It was wonderful fun watching him at work.

When College days arrived my friend and I together with several others congregated at our neighbour's cowshed (about a 1/4 of a mile from our house) put our bikes on the back of the milk lorry and jumped aboard with them if there was no room in front. We were given a lift out to the main road, around five miles away, and boarded the school bus which started picking up students from Paraparaumu. There was no such thing as a definite Bus Stop. We all left our bikes in a special shed built by my brother many years before when he also travelled to "High School" as it was known then. We had to bike home in the afternoon though, making it quite a long day. Often we were caught in bad weather, and if we were lucky, family members would car or truck us home, but it was not often possible as farming work took precedence.

As we grew older and went to the social events and sporting functions and took part in school productions I was always trying to cajole my brother into lending me the farm truck (small) or car, also small, a Morris 10, as no transport was ever arranged and it meant going by train there and back from Otaki.

It was necessary for me to have a Driving Licence as promptly as possible when my father was terminally ill and my delightful, brave and willing mother was less than a skilled driver, who laid our car on its side and frequently visited fences and hedges that lined the road, amazingly without serious mishap to others, herself, and the vehicle. I was astonished to find out this year that she hadn't quite managed to pass her licence.

January 2000

The New Year has arrived and of course..this is the Year. We are on the straight towards our College reunion at Easter.

December obviously was a month for past pupils to think of other things; Registrations forms were sent out to a further 34, Registrations received, 31, bringing the total to 332.

Now that Christmas has passed and we have survived the new millennium problems, I look forward to receiving all those registrations that have been put aside. Remember, the closing day for all registrations is 21 March and that is not really that far away.

For those who paid the Registration Fee only, a reminder that the balance needs to be paid before the closing date.

As in the past, I have transferred the previous month's report to the bottom of page 2 and the pictures on page 3 are from the1990 Reunion.

Continuing the Transport Theme from last month, there follows details of how pupils came to College in the 40's from North of Levin.

I checked with Allen Motors to see what happens now and found that buses are still being used to transport children but they are certainly more comfortable than the one described last month.

A bus collects children from Hokio Beach at 7.55am, next travels to the Kimberly Hall, then to Ohau and back to Levin, collecting pupils on the Main Highway as well.

The bus does the return journey in the afternoon, leaving the college at 3.20pm

Three other buses bring children from (a) Shannon (b) Koputaroa (c) Waitarere Beach.

Parents are not charged for the service.

Now for the past!

The following report details the trip from Shannon:

6.45 - 7.00am Rise and shine - a good soap and water wash (no showers on tap in those days), dress, breakfast, pack lunch, grab bag and off to catch the School Bus, due to leave 'downtown' Shannon around 8.00am for the great 'metropolis' of Levin and Horowhenua College! For the Mangaore secondary schoolers, from the Mangahoa Power Station Village near the foothills of Shannon, it was an earlier start as their bus left at 7.30am. Both buses arrived back each day between 4 and 5 pm.

A long weary day and not generally time before the evening meal to think about any homework (even if one wanted to think about it) and not really an opportunity either to make many new friends outside of ones own home town or village with the constant bus routine.

The buses themselves (war-time of course) left a little to be desired. The one which left from downtown Shannon, outside the local picture theatre, was like a very large box on wheels with wooden stool-like seating running across the back, down the centre and each side - definitely discouraging an extra '40 winks' on its bumpy way. The windows were small and the writer, having lost a few neurons over the years, cannot recall if they had bars across them or not! (It did resemble a prison van!)

Thinking back now, one marvels at the confidence parents placed in the faithful bus drivers, Messrs Forbes and Bibby, getting their loved ones safely to and from all those years, negotiating the many twist and turns, up hills and down dales. (Law's and Potts' Hills in particular) and metalled roads in places. These bus drivers had to deal with unruly 'passengers' at times and were subjected to the ribbing and cheek which teenagers of every generation seem to excel at. However, the occasional stopping of the buses. the very occasional removal or reseating of a 'passenger' along with some firm 'straight-talk' kept things under control!!

The bus from Mangaore was like a 12 seater car - called "service-cars" in those days. It was not in new condition but with its padded seats, was more comfortable than the box-like bus.

Each bus picked up students on the way to College, mainly from farming families in the different areas, and the smaller Bus turned off at Ihakara and headed for Levin via Koputaroa. This particular bus finished up in a ditch near Koputaroa one day, when making way for another larger vehicle on the metal road. With the assistance of those on board, the driver was helped with pushing it out of the ditch, but not before some were tempted to help themselves to apples off a near by tree! The forbidden fruit, however, was not ready for eating and tasted exceptionally sour from all accounts!!

There were other buses. of course, feeding students into Horowhenua College from South of Levin (as far down as Paraparaumu) and there were feelings of camaraderie/rivalry between 'bus-ites' versus Levinites!

One vivid memory connected with school bus travel is VE Day (1945). The whole school went wild with joy when news of the end of the Second World War came through. It was quite a day and when the larger bus headed back to Shannon through the main street of Levin, it was impossible to make any progress for quite some time. Cheering crowds were milling around all over the roads and the bus got such a rocking in the excitement it was airborne from time to time! A sensational and unforgettable experience.

Secondary school bus days, like secondary school days had their 'moments' but on reflection, were some of life's best days.

In 1941, pupils were collected from Mr Sloan's place, a mile south of Whirikino Bridge. The bus came out of Kawiu Road and on to the Foxton-Levin Highway, arriving at Sloan's at 8.15am before returning back to Levin via The Avenue, picking up both College and Primary pupils on the way. Everyone walked or biked to the Main Road. There were even some pupils who biked from Foxton to Sloan's to catch the bus.

After school, the return journey would take place and we arrived home about 4.30pm

The pupils were mostly well behaved; the Bus Driver did not stand any nonsense.

February 2000

Not long now! Pressure on all; those who haven't made the decision as to whether to come or not, those who still haven't got around to filling in or getting a Registration Form and for the organising committee, to see that all planning areas are well and truly set.

Recent publicity in a Womens' Magazine has resulted in a lot of requests for forms and further advertising is being prepared especially for the Horowhenua area. But we still rely heavily on word of mouth. Get in touch with others in your family and urge your friends to come as well. We are all looking foward to seeing you all. If you are one of the undecided, do come. There are obviously a lot of people who are really looking forward to coming back to their old college and meeting up with their class mates. This comes to me not only from meeting the locals who speak of past reunions most enthusiastically but also from correspondence and phone calls and messages left in the Guest book.

I am sure you are all interested in the numbers that are already registered and I can report that there has been a noticeable rise in the forms I am clearing from the PO Box each day. In December, 31 registered and since then to date, another 89. The pace is quickening. The decade figures are:

40's -111,

50's - 107,

60's - 86,

70's - 28,

80's - 7,

spouses/partners 82.

I have had more enquires of late from ex pupils in the 70-80's decade and I hope that they will register.

Balance of fees are now being received as well; just a reminder to those who initially only paid the registration fee of $30.00 that payment would be appreciated as we then will have definite numbers for the various activities and know just where we are at.

The college recently received a number of photos from the niece of Miss Chapman-Cohen, the first Senior Women Teacher of the college. These were mainly of Basketball teams but also included one early shot of the front of the college as well as some of two different productions. I enjoyed seeing them as they were of about my time at college and it was fun trying to remember who was who. In the photo section on Page Three this month, I have included a series from the Basketball teams and have listed the names of the players (these as given to me by pupils of that time...but no guarantees that they have got them all right. If you note any errors, or can fill in the gaps, let me know.

As some people have inquired about dress for the Saturday night because they have noted that in one place on the form it talks of a dinner/dance and in another section it is referred to as a dinner/ball. We would like to make it clear that it is NOT a ball so formal dress is not required.

No further stories this month, people seem to be saving them up for the Reunion.

See you there!

March 2000

Time is flying; next month and we will be there.

This is an exciting time for our committee. Past pupils and staff are responding to our advertising and each day our PO Box is receiving increasing number of Registration Forms and final payments are being sent in from those who registered only. If you haven't yet got a round to contacting us, I should remind you that TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

I had a call from a 'mother ' today with her son's address. She already has a daughter coming from Australia and thought that this would be a great opportunity to have a family reunion as well.

I hope that those who have tried to get a class reunion have had good results; I know that an early 1940's class is going to have a great turnout.

It is especially important that local pupils attend. I have heard people say that it is not necessary to go to a reunion because they see all their friends all the time. This is not true. Recently, Gordon ('Dick Deadeye') phoned me and asked for a form to be sent to him. He has lived in Levin most of his life (as I have) but in all the years since college days, I would have only seen him very occasionally and of recent times, never. Strangely enough, since our conversation on Friday, I ran into him up town twice the next day. Very odd. And of course, the people coming from our of town still want to see us!

And for those of my time, I am pleased to let you know that "Darcy" is coming. I received a most interesting letter from him and it will be well worth your time having a chat with him.

Each time I meet or hear from pupils from earlier times, stories about past events, characters etc flow freely and no doubt will over the weekend. I am sure that many things have occurred in other decades and groups will be swapping their tales; it is a pity that I have not received any of these so that I could use them in these pages. There is still time yet, so please drop me a line.

A correspondent from England sent me the following item for inclusion:

"In order to avoid any unintentional breaches of medieval or historical protocol at the forthcoming Easter reunion - which COULD be misconstrued as deliberate -

could you please advise which of the following takes precedence in hierarchical procedures.?

(a). A King

or

(b). A Knight of the Realm.?

I understand that BOTH are likely to present themselves at our "Reunion 2000" and I do not wish any of us to be guilty of showing disrespect through ignorance.! The pair of THEM can sort it out for themselves as I believe they were on pretty good terms whilst at Horowhenua . It is us lesser mortals that I seek to shield from possible embarrassment. Perhaps authoritative legal advice ought to be sought?"

I have been pleased to see that the Guestbook is being used, not only by those attending the Reunion, but also by those who for one reason or another will not be able to join us. I have received from one writer a suggestion that the site keeps going after the Reunion as a place for people to keep abreast with college news and to keep in touch with past students. What do you think??

Now for some general information.

The committee is meeting every fortnight and most planning areas have been covered (even what will happen if the weather should.........no, Levin's great weather will continue.

On receiving your Registration Pack you will find enclosed, among other items, a printout of general information including such things as where the various events will be taking place, timetable of events, etc and it will be important for all to read this document carefully.

Update of figures for those attending as of 5 March 2000 Last months figures are shown in brackets. (Remember, these numbers are increasing rapidly each day.)

40's Decade:	165	(111)
50"s Decade:	137	(107)
60's Decade:	106	(86)
70's Decade:	42	(28)
80's decade:	15	(7)
Spouses/Partners	123	(82)

Also of note is the fact that 39 are coming from Overseas!

Photos appearing on page 3 this month are also from those supplied from the late Miss Chapman-Coen's collection. They are from some production presented to the public but what it was, I do not know. Certainly I recognise several of the cast so it was in the 40's

A final reminder, GET REGISTERED (or if you still have fees to pay, I am ready and waiting for them!)

April 2000 Update

Suddenly it's April and only a short time to go!

The closing date for Registrations was reached and it was as if the postal service had suddenly gone mad, filling our PO Box with piles and piles of letters. And still they came, even after the closing day. We have accepted them all but the time has now come for us to close off and work with the definite numbers that we have.

At the time of writing, the numbers coming to the different events are as follows:

Friday Night Get together at the AP& I Hall	804
Saturday's School Lunch	732
Dinner and Dance	547
Sunday Service	314
Sunday Lunch	311

Further Statistics of interest:

From overseas, 64 past students, mostly from Australia but also from England, Scotland, Hong Kong and USA.

I have had a few people ask me "who is coming" and the committee has decided that I can publish a list for those who ask. I have had prepared for some time another Web site with all the names listed and have each month updated it just in case it was decided that this would be all right. So, for all who are interested, take a look at Horowhenua College Reunion

A few reminders:

Please pick up your Registration Pack from the college on Friday Afternoon from in front of the Hall. Inside it will be various items including a map of the college showing where the school lunch areas will be, a map of Levin for those who want to know where the AP& I Hall is, your school lunch ticket (no ticket, no lunch), your name badge which is your passport to all the events you paid for, the magazine produced for the anniversary and some other items. Please make sure you read the Guide Sheet also as it contains items of importance.

I am sure that you will all have an enjoyable time over the weekend,