Oparara School, 1950.

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DescriptionIn 1897, Mrs Satherly wrote to her sister, Miss Jessie McNabb (later Mrs H. Hawes) asking her to come to Oparara to help teach her 2 children, one of them being Mabel, who was Mrs Rhind.
The proposal was acceptable and they used a room in Satherly's house.
Before long the few neighbours, Parks, Douglas's, and Smiths approached Jessie McNabb about teaching their children also.
They moved to a shed which had an earthen floor and a tim chimney and, in 1899, under the guidance of "Jessie" as she became known, 15 pupils assembled, the Board paying her £85 in salary. This shed was on the Gibson farm then owned by Mr Satherly.
Arguments then arose as to where a new school should be sited, the Education Board eventually buying half an acre of land from Mrs G. Douglas in 1905 for £7/10/0.
The School had been closed for a few months in 1902 and a better room hired for 5/ the next year. However, late in 1905 the Board closed the School and began conveying the children to Karamea, this being the first time children in this district had been transported officially. It's worth noting that the Inspectors in 1906, recorded that "It would be easily possible to have the children from all four Schools (Little Wanganui, Karamea, Land of Promise, Promised Land) brought together, and a strong central school of between 80 and 90 pupils would thus be formed".
However, this was to be 40 years away.
Tim Magee's tender of 8/- per week, to carry 14 children by horse covered waggon to Karamea, was accepted. Just how long this arrangement continued is difficult to know, but a school may have been opened for a short period from 1913-15.
A "side" School was definitely opened in 1917 in a "disused whare in extremely poor conditions with a leaking roof". This ultimately became the Oparara Hall after major reconstruction. About 10 children attended.
The Board's officers were so appalled at the conditions that existed that they were determined to see a new school built in the area.
Again difficulty arose about the siting of a school but with the opening of the new bridge over the Oparara River, and the bringing in of North Beach pupils, it was decided that a spot just south of the bridge was logical.
A grant of £133 was made for a new building in 1922 and the following year it was opened with 11 pupils under Norman Lecher. the roll rose to 21 in 1931 and declined again during the later 1930's.
Roading in the area improved over the years and in 1939 the Oparara School became integrated with Karamea.
Later, in 1957, the little school building was moved to Karamea School for use as a "little theatre".Date of Photo1950.Map^[1]ContributorClaire Ward

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Location (city or town)Oparara

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Oparara School, 1950.

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