Menu
ALBUM - Children building a ½ sized model bungalow at Jack Mills School. Kotuku.1930`s.
Expand/collapse
About this image
DescriptionJack’s Mill School, Kotuku.. was originally opened in 1903 to educate children from Kotuku, a town that serviced the local sawmill. Edward Darracott arrived at Kotuku in 1935 to take up the position of headmaster at the small two teachers school. Darracott started a new programme.
The school pupils began by creating a garden for the school with lawn, shrubs and concrete paths aligned to the points of the compass.
Form 1 and 2 students(11 to 12 years old) designed and built a ½ sized model bungalow with ¾ size high walls to allow easy access.Date of Photo1930'sMap[1] ContributorClaire Ward
The school pupils began by creating a garden for the school with lawn, shrubs and concrete paths aligned to the points of the compass.
Form 1 and 2 students(11 to 12 years old) designed and built a ½ sized model bungalow with ¾ size high walls to allow easy access.Date of Photo1930'sMap[1] ContributorClaire Ward
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)KotukuOrganisation (eg business)Jack Mills School
From Facebook
CommentsMary Costello
Kelly Lee Ash Baillie Josh Leezy Lee
Mary Fenemor
Noeline Pinn Zelda Hughes Lovely that these Photos, keep coming up on Here, isn't it . Lovely Memories for All to enjoy, again.
Noeline Pinn
Mary Fenemor Sure does.
Stu McConchie
Is it still there. Love to have a look next time I'm ova the hill.
Lorraine O'Donoghue
Stu McConchie definitely still there. Worth visiting.
Stu McConchie
Lorraine O'Donoghue definitely going to have a look when ova next
Lorraine O'Donoghue
This wee house is worth visiting. It is all to scale complete with stove etc. and the children did the lot.
Stu McConchie
Imagine kids doing this today. Most wouldn't know how to swing a hammer. Oh thts right it's all prefab glued together fluff these days. Love this stuff schools should bring it back in
Cherie Mortensen
Stu McConchie I totally agree with you
Alan Messenger
Now it would be more likely to be a tinny house!
Jodi Berntsen
Stu McConchie Too expensive for schools to do now. no thing as a free education
Richard Evans
Stu McConchie hammer? Hah buy a nail gun throwaway the hammer bro.
And also glue an screw is far far superior building method .
Modern times eh ...
Skip Cairns
Stu McConchie But credit where credit is due,...........they do know how to drive a car through a shop window
avin Martin
I believe my grandfather Lawrence Martin had a hand in this. Can anyone put a name to the children in the photo. My father Cyril Martin went to Jacks Mill School but I've been unable to find any photos of him.
Geoffrey Bell
Gavin Martin The smaller girl on the roof is Rosemary O'Brien. Tom and John O'Brien are among the boys. This photo was taken in the late 1930's so your father would have most likely finished school by then.
Anne Packer
Wow, a teacher ahead of his time. I'll bet truancy wasn't an issue. Love it
Braydon Priest
Ruth, Maylene
Ruth Priest-Johnson
Braydon Priest Grandad
Phyllis Aberhart
I've been there & had a look. It was amazing. The man I spoke to who was there, was the little boy in the bath tub
Geoffrey Bell
Phyllis Aberhart Tom Obrien
Colleen Yee
A good teacher, who taught his pupils how to achieve something special that they could look back on in later life.
Helen Ruscoe
Schools should still do things like this, especially for kids that are not academic, but are more of a practical nature.
Andy Bone
Well worth the visit
Mawson N Kay Shaw
Just imagine seeing kids standing on a roof like this today.
Margaret Brooker
Wow, no high vis ,safety glasses, helmets or scaffolding. How did they survive?
Geoffrey Bell
I went to this School in the 1950's. We lived over the road from it.
Mary Fenemor
Geoffrey Bell And the Lovely Care Taker, Johny O'brien, RIP. while in His 70/ 80s, would drove up to Kotuku ,from Greymouth, to Open this Up, on Every Sunday Afternoon, for Locals & Tourists to enjoy , Exploring. Our John's Family, had a Lovely … See more
Geoffrey Bell
Mary Fenemor Only memories now.
Bert Chandler
Still in good order.
Allen Brereton
I understand not only did they plan and build this house, also the flagpole and pathways that point to the four cardinals of the compass with scrubs, one in particular in full Blume when I visited was a dark red comelier absolutely stunning. There … See more
Geoffrey Bell
This photo shows the school grounds with the school at the left and the bungalow at the right.
Donna Aitken
it's a great way to teach mathematics as well
Dennis Gibbs
Ahead of his time. The kids of Ikamatua built a 1 room miners type cottage when I taught there from 1974 - 77.
Tony Warner
My kids still do dont take any notice of the PC idiots who think everything is too dangerous I’m about to make a cup of tea once I put on my thick protective suit
Rick Giles
Mythbuster...
May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'If you want the kids tent HCOrE8 up. bring back band and bring back shop and get kids actually carning stufl instead of teaching them how to take test." Adam Savage Teachers'
Lorraine Brian
Karen Brian , this is the school we where talking about
Anne Hines
Lorraine Brian did the Hines brothers work on it?
Loretta Donnelly
Looks lovely. Is someone living in it?
Mary Fenemor
Loretta Donnelly No , No one lives in the Wee place.
Phil Norton
Argh fond memories of Kotuku Lodge near Moana ,Lake Brunner ..staying there with Christchurch Teachers College students and teacher early 1975 ..then with Bob Perks our wonderful Creative Music Lecturer feb 1976..for our Music Intensive .Great fun ...amazing
Monica Harvey
How amazing coasters will always find ways of teaching in a different ways can't do that today
Christie Wilson
Rhonda Glasson another good wee spot for a wander
Rhonda Glasson
Christie Wilson hell yes blossom
Linda Moore
Carole Cowan Look at this! Dad would have loved to see these photos and read the information.
Gillian Millward
Oh no - there is no scaffolding!!
Craig Norman
Gillian Millward or cones. the crazy fools.
Gareth Delbe Thomas
Tayla Eason
Mark Saunders
Joanne Kilkelly
Love this! What an awesome teacher he must have been.
Michael Mclauglin
School's should still doing this
Kenny Williams
Incredible wee house so well built love it.
Val Clark
My grandfather Frank Mattson patented the Mattson saw which is over the gate at this kotaku school
Mary Fenemor
Val Clark They r Beautiful on / at the Gates of the School .
Grace Henry
Kate Henry wonder if Nana is in that photo
Don Pearce
I imagine help came in the way of local carpenters. As a 16 yo I had a hell of a time learning due to the school of hard knocks, prevalent at the time... Great work
Christine Brown
Love this wee whare - visited here a long time ago.
Rick Giles
Just watched a VHS documentary on that from the Hokitika library. c.2005
Kelly Lee Ash Baillie Josh Leezy Lee
Mary Fenemor
Noeline Pinn Zelda Hughes Lovely that these Photos, keep coming up on Here, isn't it . Lovely Memories for All to enjoy, again.
Noeline Pinn
Mary Fenemor Sure does.
Stu McConchie
Is it still there. Love to have a look next time I'm ova the hill.
Lorraine O'Donoghue
Stu McConchie definitely still there. Worth visiting.
Stu McConchie
Lorraine O'Donoghue definitely going to have a look when ova next
Lorraine O'Donoghue
This wee house is worth visiting. It is all to scale complete with stove etc. and the children did the lot.
Stu McConchie
Imagine kids doing this today. Most wouldn't know how to swing a hammer. Oh thts right it's all prefab glued together fluff these days. Love this stuff schools should bring it back in
Cherie Mortensen
Stu McConchie I totally agree with you
Alan Messenger
Now it would be more likely to be a tinny house!
Jodi Berntsen
Stu McConchie Too expensive for schools to do now. no thing as a free education
Richard Evans
Stu McConchie hammer? Hah buy a nail gun throwaway the hammer bro.
And also glue an screw is far far superior building method .
Modern times eh ...
Skip Cairns
Stu McConchie But credit where credit is due,...........they do know how to drive a car through a shop window
avin Martin
I believe my grandfather Lawrence Martin had a hand in this. Can anyone put a name to the children in the photo. My father Cyril Martin went to Jacks Mill School but I've been unable to find any photos of him.
Geoffrey Bell
Gavin Martin The smaller girl on the roof is Rosemary O'Brien. Tom and John O'Brien are among the boys. This photo was taken in the late 1930's so your father would have most likely finished school by then.
Anne Packer
Wow, a teacher ahead of his time. I'll bet truancy wasn't an issue. Love it
Braydon Priest
Ruth, Maylene
Ruth Priest-Johnson
Braydon Priest Grandad
Phyllis Aberhart
I've been there & had a look. It was amazing. The man I spoke to who was there, was the little boy in the bath tub
Geoffrey Bell
Phyllis Aberhart Tom Obrien
Colleen Yee
A good teacher, who taught his pupils how to achieve something special that they could look back on in later life.
Helen Ruscoe
Schools should still do things like this, especially for kids that are not academic, but are more of a practical nature.
Andy Bone
Well worth the visit
Mawson N Kay Shaw
Just imagine seeing kids standing on a roof like this today.
Margaret Brooker
Wow, no high vis ,safety glasses, helmets or scaffolding. How did they survive?
Geoffrey Bell
I went to this School in the 1950's. We lived over the road from it.
Mary Fenemor
Geoffrey Bell And the Lovely Care Taker, Johny O'brien, RIP. while in His 70/ 80s, would drove up to Kotuku ,from Greymouth, to Open this Up, on Every Sunday Afternoon, for Locals & Tourists to enjoy , Exploring. Our John's Family, had a Lovely … See more
Geoffrey Bell
Mary Fenemor Only memories now.
Bert Chandler
Still in good order.
Allen Brereton
I understand not only did they plan and build this house, also the flagpole and pathways that point to the four cardinals of the compass with scrubs, one in particular in full Blume when I visited was a dark red comelier absolutely stunning. There … See more
Geoffrey Bell
This photo shows the school grounds with the school at the left and the bungalow at the right.
Donna Aitken
it's a great way to teach mathematics as well
Dennis Gibbs
Ahead of his time. The kids of Ikamatua built a 1 room miners type cottage when I taught there from 1974 - 77.
Tony Warner
My kids still do dont take any notice of the PC idiots who think everything is too dangerous I’m about to make a cup of tea once I put on my thick protective suit
Rick Giles
Mythbuster...
May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'If you want the kids tent HCOrE8 up. bring back band and bring back shop and get kids actually carning stufl instead of teaching them how to take test." Adam Savage Teachers'
Lorraine Brian
Karen Brian , this is the school we where talking about
Anne Hines
Lorraine Brian did the Hines brothers work on it?
Loretta Donnelly
Looks lovely. Is someone living in it?
Mary Fenemor
Loretta Donnelly No , No one lives in the Wee place.
Phil Norton
Argh fond memories of Kotuku Lodge near Moana ,Lake Brunner ..staying there with Christchurch Teachers College students and teacher early 1975 ..then with Bob Perks our wonderful Creative Music Lecturer feb 1976..for our Music Intensive .Great fun ...amazing
Monica Harvey
How amazing coasters will always find ways of teaching in a different ways can't do that today
Christie Wilson
Rhonda Glasson another good wee spot for a wander
Rhonda Glasson
Christie Wilson hell yes blossom
Linda Moore
Carole Cowan Look at this! Dad would have loved to see these photos and read the information.
Gillian Millward
Oh no - there is no scaffolding!!
Craig Norman
Gillian Millward or cones. the crazy fools.
Gareth Delbe Thomas
Tayla Eason
Mark Saunders
Joanne Kilkelly
Love this! What an awesome teacher he must have been.
Michael Mclauglin
School's should still doing this
Kenny Williams
Incredible wee house so well built love it.
Val Clark
My grandfather Frank Mattson patented the Mattson saw which is over the gate at this kotaku school
Mary Fenemor
Val Clark They r Beautiful on / at the Gates of the School .
Grace Henry
Kate Henry wonder if Nana is in that photo
Don Pearce
I imagine help came in the way of local carpenters. As a 16 yo I had a hell of a time learning due to the school of hard knocks, prevalent at the time... Great work
Christine Brown
Love this wee whare - visited here a long time ago.
Rick Giles
Just watched a VHS documentary on that from the Hokitika library. c.2005
Editing is temporarily disabled
Cancel Edit
Click on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
West Coast New Zealand History (8th Feb 2023). ALBUM - Children building a ½ sized model bungalow at Jack Mills School. Kotuku.1930`s.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 20th Apr 2026 17:41, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/18648