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Picturesque Dunedin: or Dunedin and its neighbourhood in 1890

Public Schools in Dunedin

Public Schools in Dunedin.

The First, Now Arthur-Street, School.

Mr. Livingston continued in charge of the Dunedin School until 1862, when he was appointed to the office of Provincial Auditor, on the death of the late Mr. Charles Kettle. In view of the establishment in Dunedin of an institution in which the higher branches should be more exclusively taught, the Board now resolved that the original Dunedin School should rank in page 150future as an ordinary district school. Mr. Thomas Halliwell, who had recently arrived in Dunedin from Victoria, was appointed headmaster. The school continued to be held in the old church until it was removed to a brick building erected on a site at the junction of Dowling-street and York Place, where it was known as the Middle District School. Owing to the lowering of Dowling-street by the City Council, the structure was rendered so unsafe that it had to be taken down in 1878, and the school was transferred to a new building erected in Arthur-street, on a site adjoining the old Asylum grounds, where the Boys' High School now stands. Mr. Halliwell resigned the headmastership in 1878, and was succeeded by Mr. Abraham Barrett, formerly of Tasmania, who still holds the appointment.

Union-Steeet School.

In 1863, the Board established a second school in Dunedin for the accommodation of children resident in the northern parts of the town. A stone building was erected on a portion of what is now known as the Museum Reserve, and Mr. Alex. Stewart, the master of a private school at North Dunedin, was appointed to the headmastership, a position which he still retains. The original building was enlarged from time to time, but owing to the ever-increasing demand for accommodation, it was taken down in 1882, and the present large brick building, known as the Union-street School, was erected in its place.

South, Nowhigh-Street, School.

In 1864, a third district school was provided for the accommodation of the children resident in the Southern parts of Dunedin. It was accommodated in a brick building erected on a site in William-street, where it was long known as the South District School. Mr. John B. Park, master of the State School at Bothwell, Tasmania, was elected headmaster, and he still holds the appointment. Additions were made to the building from time to time to provide for the ever-increasing attendance, until it was found necessary in 1887 to transfer the school to a more commodious building erected on a more suitable site at the corner of Alva-street and Upper High-street.

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Albany-Street School.

The increasing demand for school accommodation in North Dunedin necessitated the establishment of a school at Pelichet Bay in 1875, on a site in Albany-street, near the Railway Station The first headmaster was Mr. Alex. Montgomery, formerly of Mount Cargill School; and on the appointment of that gentleman, in the following year, to the mastership of the Normal School Practising Department, he was succeeded by the present headmaster, Mr. John L. Ferguson, promoted from the first assistant-ship in the Middle District School.

Normal School.

In 1875 a large brick building was erected on a reserve in Moray Place for the accommodation of a Teachers' Training Institution, a Practising School to serve the purposes of an ordinary district school, and a School of Art. The Training Institution and Practising School were opened in January 1876, and at the same time the School of Art was transferred from rooms in the University building in Princes-street to its present quarters. Mr William S. Fitzgerald, Rector of the Oamaru Grammar School, was appointed Rector of the Normal School; and Mr Montgomery, as already stated, was placed in charge of the Practising School. Mr Montgomery died in 1885, and he was succeeded by Mr David White, promoted by the Board from the first assistantship in the Union-street school.

George-Street School.

In 1880 a sixth public school was provided for Dunedin by the erection of a very large brick building in George-street north. It was placed in charge of Mr David A. McNicoll, transferred from the mastership of the Outram public school.

Statisticseor, Year. 1888.

The Colonial Education Act, 1887, divided Otago into the two separate education districts of Otago and Southland. The following tables supply information respecting the public schools of the Otago Provincial District for the year 1888, under the page 152following classification:—(1) Schools within the city of Dunedin; (2) schools in the suburbs of Dunedin; (3) schools in the remaining portions of the Otago education district; and (4) schools in the Southland education district.

Dunedin City Schools, 1888.
Schools. Teacher Pupil Teacher Attendance.
Average Daily for Year. At Close of the Year.
Arthur-street 7 8 622 663
Union-street 7 8 594 672
High-street 7 7 635 679
Albany-street 7 8 657 759
Normal School 7 8 635 684
George-street 9 9 783 858
Totals 44 48 3926 4315

Dunedin-Subueban Schoois, 1888.

Attendance.
Schools. Teacher Pupil Teacneis Average Daily for Year. At Close of the Year.
N. E. Valley 5 5 418 506
Anderson's Bay 2 1 108 123
Caversham 7 8 623 660
Mornington 6 6 511 566
Kaikorai 6 5 480 587
Ravensbourne 3 2 200 229
Kensington, 5 4 363 413
Forbury 5 4 378 448
Macandre-w Road 6 7 591 672
Suburban Totals 45 42 3672 4204
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Schools in Otago Peovtnciai, District, 1888.
Districts. Teachers Pupil Teachei's Attendance.
Average Daily for Year. At Close of the Year.
Dunedin City 44 48 3926 4315
Dnnedin Suburbs 45 42 3672 4204
Outside the above 264 58 11,345 13,904
Otacro Total 353 148 18,943 22,423
Southland Total 131 44 6083 7959
Provincial District Total 484 192 25,026 30,382