120 | Waitaki Boys High School Repairs underway on historic hall The scope of the work, currently in progress, includes replacing the existing slate roof with like-for-like tiles sourced from Wales, earthquake strengthening of the hall’s turrets, specialist repairing, replacing and cleaning its stained and plain glass windows. COMMUNITY T T Russell Fredric If the walls of Waitaki Boys High School’s historic Hall of Memories could talk, their stories about the school and its ‘old boys’ would be mixed with pride, joy and tears. Opened in 1927, in recent years the hall itself has been shedding tears as a result of water ingress, with its roof, especially, in need of replacement. Rector Darryl Paterson says, just over two years ago, the school’s board of trustees had their backs against the wall when it came to the cost of undertaking remedial and seismic strengthening work, as the hall was owned by the school’s board and not the Ministry of Education. However, in May 2023, following a request by the board for assistance made about 18 months prior, the ministry offered to take ownership of the hall, relieving the trustees of what was initially scoped to be a hugely burdensome $4 million for the work. “It came as something of a surprise to us because we hadn’t heard anything from the ministry for over a year,” Darryl says. The scope of the work, currently in progress, includes replacing the existing slate roof with like-for-like tiles sourced from Wales, earthquake strengthening of the hall’s turrets, specialist repairing, replacing and cleaning its stained and plain glass windows. Restoration of its “historic and famous” organ, which suffered some water damage, is also underway. “The water leaked into the hall, mainly behind the organ in the southeast corner, but also through holes in the roof in the southwest corner,” says Darryl. “If we had heavy rainfall the water was coming through the mezzanine floor. When it rained we couldn’t hold events.” The project is being led by the Ministry of Education, with local company Breen Construction undertaking construction in liaison with the school’s project manager, Michael Forgie, with substantial external scaffolding erected around and over the full height of the hall. Work started February this year, with an initial commitment by the ministry of up to $2.5 million, but with an indication of contingency funding being available if needed. “As a school we are incredibly grateful to the Ministry of Education for picking up this project and their support of it,” Darryl says. Nationally significant, the hall is Heritage New Zealand listed and has a deeply poignant and fascinating history. The impressive Oamaru stone-clad building was designed by Oamaru architect John Megget Forrester in an English Gothic perpendicular chapel style with castellated battlements. It was officially opened on March 16, 1927 by the Duke of York, later King George VI. The hall has been visited and greatly admired by numerous New Zealand and overseas dignitaries over the years. Many flags with historical significance have been either gifted or directly presented to the school by dignitaries and displayed in the hall; however, some are now preserved and stored in North Otago Museum. The Hall of Memories was originally built as a memorial to the school’s ‘old boys’ that served in World War One. On its walls are two sets of brass plaques recording the names of the ‘old boys’ that served in the armed forces, including in later conflicts through to the Vietnam War, with a cross denoting those who made the supreme sacrifice. Anzac Day commemorations are a very special time in the hall, Darryl says. “When the organist plays the [Chopin] funeral march and you hit the top pipes, it’s really impressive.” Waitaki Boys High School was founded on a strong Judeo-Christian ethic and this influence is still extremely important today, Darryl says. “The school was founded in 1883, but a couple of years before that a prominent Jewish businessman, politician and pioneer, Samuel Shrimski, had a vision for a school here. He essentially wrote the founding document of the school and laid the foundation stone in 1881.” Consequently, Waitaki Boys High School’s coat of arms shows the Book of Learning with a rising sun and the Hebrew inscription ‘Jehovah is the Well of Wisdom’, while today its motto is ‘Inspiring young men of outstanding character’. The hall is expected to be usable for assemblies by the end of this October, although some work, including the restoration of the organ, will not be completed by then, but it will be well and truly ready to witness the hall’s centenary celebrations in 2027.
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