The 120th Jubilee Committee was formed at a public meeting held at the Whakarongo Hall on 14 July 1995. Fourteen people attended this meeting, including ten members of the former Centennial Committee. Some of these people were there primarily to pass their mantle on to new members. Without much prompting, some members of the Centennial Committee will admit they feared they might not be around in five years time for the 125th, and this influenced their decision to hold such a celebration while they could.

Carl Oden was elected to be the new chairperson, supported by May Wilson as treasurer and Dick Summers as secretary. These people were to be assisted by a committee of eleven, Aphra and Collin Berrington, Graham Blackley, Bruce Burr, Val Burr, Nancy Cooksley, Hazel Dawson, Jenny Olsson, Kevin Payne, Shirley Summers and Ivan Vautier. At first the Jubilee Committee met monthly, but in the latter stages meetings were more frequent. Members of the Board of Trustees and the P.T.A. were drawn into the proceedings more at that point also.

This celebration was to be different to the 1977 Centennial. It was to be a more low key event, and in the early stages was planned as only a one-day reunion. An evolution soon took place though and a Sunday thanksgiving service became an essential part of the event. The customary Saturday parade was to be dispensed with on this occasion too, although static and photographic displays were retained.

Another decision was to hold the event in February instead of October, due to the greater chance of good weather. Costs were also able to be kept down due to funds which had been invested after the Centennial. Due to the smaller scale of the event, the whole proceedings were to be kept at Whakarongo, and this proved a greatly appreciated improvement on the Centennial, especially where older participants were concerned.

Saturday, 22 February 1997 proved a very warm and pleasant day. Although 236 people were registered to attend the Jubilee at some point, far more participated in the Saturday afternoon get-together, including almost all the current schoolchildren and their parents. This was very much the family part of the day, with a barbecue and drinks stall run by the P.T.A. The Jubilee Committee also ran a souvenir stall, selling pens, fridge magnets and wine glasses that had been inscribed with the school logo, in addition to taking orders for this book. The children, who had been training since school reopened after the Summer holidays, performed dance routines and songs for their guests. It was during this time also that the official speeches were held.

The next phase was the mandatory photo session on the tennis court. Especially noticeable was the impact of the ‘Baby Boom’ when those born in the 1950s and 1960s found themselves squeezing into the 1997 view finder. In addition to photos for former pupils, there was also a sitting for those closely connected with the district, but who had not attended the school, and one arranged on the spot and entitled “Mr Nielsen’s Class”. The presence of their former principal inspired this little piece of ‘Baby Boomer’ nostalgia. The photo session was then followed by a very enjoyable afternoon tea in front of the staffroom, where renewing acquaintanceships was the primary objective.

After a break for most (but perhaps excluding the organisers), around 200 people adjourned to the marquee that had been set up in Cooksleys’ paddock, next to the Whakarongo Hall. The intention of the reunion was to allow as much time as possible for old friends to become re-acquainted and the relatively informal smorgasbord mealtime was no exception. The great success of the meal can perhaps be partially assessed by the fact that committee members charged with taking a few random photos for this book, forgot to do so.  A few people enjoyed their meal in the open air, utilising barbecue tables set up behind the marquee. The Hall was left free to be used for entertainment - and to supply two ladies loos. Men were accommodated in this respect by port-a-loos.

After the meal, guests adjourned to the Hall, where they were entertained by the McKerras Dancers, who performed a succession of modern dances. Dean McKerras had also trained (prior to their 1996 School Concert) the school children who had performed in the afternoon. Following all that energetic activity, Ron Henaghan sang a bracket of songs, with Gladys Spall at the piano. In all, the mix of entertainment and socialisation during the evening worked extremely well.

Traditionally the most senior participants at a Jubilee are especially acknowledged, and ours were no exception. We elected not to have Jubilee cake on this occasions, but as a longer lasting alternative we are featuring interviews with our most senior citizens. These appear in the chapter entitled ‘Memories,’ and are those of ex-teacher, Muriel Oxenham (née Thompson), born 1903, and ex-pupil, Richard (‘Dick’) Reichenbach, born 1909.

At 10:30 am on the Sunday, a large number of participants returned to the Hall for a Service of Thanksgiving. This was conducted by Mrs Beverley Livingstone, née Anderson, the Moderator of the Presbytery of Manawatu of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa-New Zealand. She is also a former local girl. Both Hazel Dawson and Colleen Oden gave Readings at the service, while Gladys Spall provided the piano accompaniment for the hymns. It is perhaps noteworthy that the Hall’s piano had also been especially tuned for the occasion.

Although the official programme ended at that point, Val Burr had arranged with the Tait-Jamieson family to take a group of visitors to see the old school building in its new site. Thus at around 1:00 pm about 30 people made the kilometre long walk down the farm’s all-weather farm track to the school. For the duration of the visit, the old building was abuzz with memories of school-days and talk of the building, its history and its new role. For many, this visit was the jewel in the crown of a terrific weekend.

Since the Jubilee, about four people have contacted the secretary to get addresses of friends they had rediscovered during the weekend. Many others no doubt took this step during the event. Someone else got the date wrong and phoned up to book just a little too late.

Unlike past Jubilees, not a word of our big event made the local papers. Perhaps the Jubilee Committee simply did not make their signs large enough, or maybe we should have reminded them. Perhaps though the reporter who wrote on the planned event a month earlier - complete with illustration -  is still waiting to cover the “125th” Jubilee he or she mentioned in the article. That takes place in 2002.

Two future community events are tentatively planned. The first, in late 1999, will mark the centennial of the Whakarongo Hall. Perhaps this will take the form of a dance or similar get-together. Then in 2002 the school will celebrate its 125th birthday, and the intention is that a much larger Jubilee will take place then. By that time both the school and the district will also be much larger and the present Jubilee Committee hopes that the whole district will become involved for that event. This book has been planned as a means to encourage such an involvement.

Obituary

As stated above, some members of the Jubilee Committee had expressed concern that they may not be around by 2002 and this influenced the decision to hold a 120th Jubilee. As it happened, one very well-known local character, ex-pupil and committee member, Ivan Vautier, would not have even made the Jubilee had it been held in October as usual. Ivan passed away suddenly in the early hours of 9 August 1997, aged 81. In fact, Ivan had been on the committees of four Whakarongo jubilees.

These days one has to be rather prominent to be accorded an obituary in the local newspaper, but Ivan succeeded, and his one was written by the editor of the Evening Standard in the editor’s own weekly column. The huge number of people who attended Ivan’s funeral would also have done him proud. Ivan is survived by his wife, Edith, two daughters and three grandchildren, two of whom - so far - attend Whakarongo School.

Three others who attended the Jubilee have since passed away. These are Doug Robertson, who was on the School Committee during the 1950s, including serving as its chairman, Hilda Townsend, nee Christiansen, who attended the school in the 1930s, and Murial Oxenham, the oldest person, and former teacher. Her story is featured in 'Memories.'

Last Updated: 23/7/2001

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