1940s

Waipu District High School Students- 1941
Back: Wayne Young, Ross McLean Middle: Anne McGregor, Fay Knight, Nornie Donaldson, Helen Baxter Front: Robert Pirihi, Emma Crompton, Leila Irving, George Marinkovich

The foundation staff at Waipu District High School were:
Mr S.B. Dunn Headmaster
Mr C.F. Morrison Senior Secondary Assistant
Miss F.M. Poulton
Miss du Frain
Miss French
Mr Mason

 Miss French, Mr Mason and Miss Anderson (1941)


Today it would seem unusual for a primary school teacher to be headmaster of a secondary school, but Mr Dunn was also able to teach some of the secondary classes. This was one of the advantages of an integrated school.

For a uniform, girls wore a navy gym frock and a white blouse with a tie in the McFarlane tartan. Boys wore navy shorts and shirts.
Sports trips were restricted by petrol rationing during World War 2 and the years immediately following. But In 1949, the first rugby and net ball exchange with Maungataroto District High School, now Otamatea High School, did take place and commenced a long sporting rivalry that continues to today.


Swimming took place in the Waihoihoi River. Junior students learned to swim in the Pig Pen. Once able to swim two lengths of the pen, students graduated to swimming across the river, and then achieving their long distance swimming certificate by swimming to and from the bridge, a distance of 880 yards. For Swimming Sports, ropes were strung across the river to serve as lanes, and parents gathered on the river banks to watch the races.