Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

St. John's College

page 204
St. John's College, Boarding and Day School for Boys, Tamaki, Auckland. Visitor: The Most Reverend the Primate. Headmaster, Rev. P. S. Smallfield (certificated teacher under the Education Department of New Zealand; status: class C, division 2); resident assistant masters: mathematical and science master, Mr. George Lancaster, M.A. (sometime senior scholar of the University of New Zealand, with double first honours in mathematical physics and chemistry); classical master, Mr. Robert McIlroy, M.A., classical honour-man of the University of N.Z., with honours in Latin and English; junior master (resident), Mr. R. M. V. Abbott (matric, New Zealand University); visiting masters; music, pianoforte, singing and drawing, Mr. R. Leslie Hunt, organist St. Mary's Cathedral, Auckland; violin, Herr Kreutzer; painting, Herr W. Dittmer; gymnastics, Mr. W. M. Carrollo. St. John's College is six miles from Auckland. The school buildings are on a hill at a height of about three hundred feet above sea-level. There are no other buildings in the immediate vicinity, and all the surroundings are those of a country home. The view from the grounds is a magnificent one, including the Waitakerei Ranges and Manukau Heads to the west, the Hunua Ranges to the south, Cape Colville to the east, and Mt. Rangitoto to the north. The land for several miles around the college is pasture land and bush. The boarders at the college live under the healthiest conditions and amidst the most attractive surroundings, well removed from any objectionable influences of the town. The grounds cover an area of forty acres, and include a carefully preserved piece of native bush. Ample space is reserved for recreation purposes, but the boys have the run of the whole grounds. Besides the large quadrangle, there is a play field of six acres reserved for cricket and football. St. John's College was founded by Bishop Selwyn in the year 1846, over fifty years ago. It was at first an industrial, as well as an educational institution. The scholars and their teachers fenced the land, cleared away the bush, and worked at ploughing, sowing, or reaping; yet they did not neglect books and study. For some time Bishop Selwyn made the College his headquarters, and when he was in residence there he took an active interest both in the farm and in the school. In 1850 the Rev. C. J. Abraham, who had joined the bishop to act as archdeacon and to assist in the scheme of education, was placed in charge of the growing institution, and a plan was devised to make the college serve the additional purpose of a training-school for Melanesian children. The garden is a sunny corner of the college grounds. The college owes its beautiful garden to the Rev. J. Kinder, D. D., who was warden for many years. Below the garden is the Glen, a sheltered valley covered with native bush, including some magnificent specimens of the “ponga,” or tree fern. There are two kauri trees on the grounds—one in the Glen, planted by Dr. Kinder; and one in the chapel yard, the gift of the Ven. Archdeacon Lloyd. This last tree must be nearly fifty years old, and yet, though flourishing, is comparatively small, an evidence of the slow growth of the kauri pine. The college chapel is a building unique on account of its history, and beautiful as regards its general structure and interior. It is built of heart of kauri, and though nearly fifty years old, is in excellent preservation. Nearly all the windows are of stained glass, two of them being memorials of Bishop Patteson, who was killed at the island of Nukapu in 1871. Four new stained glass windows have lately been added to the chapel, two in memory of Bishop Selwyn, the founder of the college, and the others in memory of Sir William Martin. A short service for masters, scholars, boys and other inmates of the institution is held in the chapel every morning and evening on weekdays. On Sunday, there are the usual services
View of the Stone Building From the Garden, St. John's College.

View of the Stone Building From the Garden, St. John's College.

page 205 of the day. In one of his letters written in 1855 to friends in England, Bishop Patteson speaks of “the little chapel of kauri wood, stained desk, like the inside of a really good ecclesiastical building in England, porch S.W. angle, a semi-circular apse at the west, containing a large, handsome stone font, open seats, of course. The east end very simple, semi-circular apse, small windows all full of stained glass, raised one step, no rails, Bishop's chair on the north side, bench on the south. Here my eye and my mind rested contentedly and peacefully. The little chapel, holding about seventy persons, is already dear to me.”
St. John's College from the Quadrangle.

St. John's College from the Quadrangle.

St. John's College Chapel.

St. John's College Chapel.