Education Heritage Focus for Northland Historic Places

The Heritage of Education is the theme of this year’s International Day for Monuments and Sites on April 18 – a day that highlights and celebrates different aspects of heritage, organised by ICOMOS (the International Council on Monuments and Sites).

And according to Bill Edwards – the Northland Manager of the NZ Historic Places Trust – Northland has a lot to celebrate.

“Some of New Zealand’s earliest educational activities took place in Northland, mainly spearheaded by missionaries representing different denominations including Wesleyan, Roman Catholic and Anglican,” says Bill.

“Indeed, the archaeological remains of New Zealand’s first schoolroom were excavated last year at Hohi (also known as Oihi) – the site of the first mission station in the country near Marsden Cross in the Bay of Islands.”

Other early educational activity took place in buildings that are now cared for by the NZ Historic Places Trust – including Kemp House in Kerikeri, where missionaries educated the sons and daughters of rangatira, including Rongo, the daughter of Hongi Hika, and Hone Heke whom she later married.

But it was perhaps at Te Waimate Mission in Waimate North, where education in New Zealand received a major push when Bishop George Selwyn established the grandly named St John’s College there.

The College was very much a reflection of Selwyn’s own educational experiences at Eton and Cambridge – even naming two of the buildings at the mission ‘Eton’ and ‘Magdalen Hall’.

The purpose of the college was to provide education for ordinands and candidates for Holy Orders; the Collegiate school for the sons of missionaries and other Pakeha; the Native Teachers’ School for the training of Maori teachers and preachers; the Native Boys’ School for Maori boys, and an infant school – all with some success.

“It was really quite an extraordinary time in the history of education in New Zealand – though sadly, perhaps, short-lived,” says Bill.

“In late 1844, Selwyn departed for Auckland and eventually established St John’s Theological College in the Auckland suburb of what is now Meadowbank, and Te Waimate ceased to be a centre of learning.”

Archaeological features from this time are still visible today, and serve as tangible reminders of this extraordinary period of time in the history of the mission at Waimate North – and education in New Zealand.

According to Jenny May, the Chair of ICOMOS New Zealand, the International Day for Monuments and Sites seeks to encourage local communities and individuals around the world to consider the importance of cultural heritage to their lives, identities and communities.

“Education in New Zealand was practised in a wide range of places – and particularly so in Northland. Many of the buildings and sites associated with early education initiatives are a significant part of our cultural heritage,” she says.

“The International Day for Monuments and Sites provides a good opportunity for us to reflect on the very important part education has played in the evolution of our cultural and built heritage.”

ENDS

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