A number of schools were established from time to time in various parts of the island to meet the needs of specific local communities.
Tryphena
The Tryphena school was built in the late 1880’s. Mr J OSBORNE, an early settler was the first teacher followed by Mr La MONT, then Mr D JENKINS. Mr MABBETT came in 1894. The teacher was shared with other areas including Okupu. (1)
Whangaparapara
A school was established as part of the Kauri Sawmill at Whangaparapara in 1910 to meet the needs of the families living and working at the mill. The school had 52 pupils and was probably operating from the beginning of 1910 until the mill closed in 1918?
Prior to this school there was another small school in Whangaparapara at the head of the bay, possibly to provide schooling for a few families involved in cutting timber for firewood or the first copper mining attempts in the bay.
From the mid 1920s there was a school located at the head of the harbour and serving the small village associated with the logging during the period when kauri logs were being brought form various parts of the island using the tramline and rafted up to be taken to the mainland.
At this time the school operated in conjunction with a school at Awana and the teacher spent three days at each school in rotation. He probably lived in “Alfies bach” which is still standing and located next to MacLaren’s ford on Whangaparapara rd.
School attendance records up to around 1937 are available at the Auckland War memorial Museum Library. For a summary click here.
References.
(1) Great Barrier Calls – Grace MEDLAND