The Timaru Girls’ High School Nelson/Marlborough Old Girls’ Association branch has made a donation to celebrate its secondary school roots.
At a ceremony last week, the branch presented the school with both a kōnini (kōtukutuku) and magnolia tree and planted them both near the school’s boarding house.
The planting was attended by Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen, representatives of three Old Girls association branches, Timaru Girls’ High School principal Deb Hales and current school boarding students.
Nelson/Marlborough Old Girls’ branch president Alison Rice said the donation had been on the cards for the last two years.
‘‘A few years ago we donated some money for four trees as there are four houses — Ngaio, Kōnini, which was mine, Rātā and Kōwhai.
‘‘Two of the trees died. Rātā’s been replaced, and so my branch decided to give some money to replace the kōnini. I think we’ve been quite generous because we don’t have a large budget but we’ve also bought a magnolia, which I think is quite lovely. It’s wonderful to be able to make the donation.’’
Mrs Rice attended Timaru Girls’ from 1962-64 and a couple of weeks as well in 1965, and said the school had changed quite a bit from what she remembered.
‘‘I remember ‘The House’ building, I wasn’t a house student, I was a day bus girl. I’m an only child and my father wouldn’t let me board, but he was very emphatic that I went to Timaru Girls’ High.
‘‘He went to Timaru Boys’ High and his older brother was a teacher and that was about 1914.
‘‘This is only the second time I’ve been back and I’m so impressed, the grounds are so lovely.’’
As the Ashburton and Dunedin branches had folded in recent years, it was getting harder to attract new members to join an Old Girls’ Association, she said.
‘‘I don’t know how the rest of the branches get on. I know Waimate is very active, but we struggle and my plan at the last [annual meeting] was to say this would be the last. I suggested it, and it went down like a lead balloon, which was really good.
‘‘It showed the enthusiasm was still there, but school leavers now just aren’t too interested now in joining — the youngest in our branch is about 60.
‘‘We have about a dozen active members.’’
Timaru Girls’ High School principal Deb Hales said it was great to receive donations from the various Old Girls’ associations around the country to keep the legacy going.
‘‘We really value our relationship with the Old Girls, it’s a really important part of the school and we are a school steeped in tradition — in a good way.
‘‘We strive to get the balance right between that and moving forward, so we really value things like this, and look forward having these little things to just keep the story going.’’
