Heriot Primary School- The Early Days

Heriot School began its existence on Wednesday 29 January 1879 as Swift Creek School. The school was opened with an opening attendance of seventeen and these were firmly taken in hand by 19-year-old Mr James Jeffery the Master. The class ranged in age from 5 to seventeen and a half and after only one week the role had risen to 30.
On 21 February a grand soiree was held to mark suitably the schools opening. Many from all over the district attended with a concert and dancing and lavish supper. As noted by author Geoffrey Duff the school was "well and truly launched on the first of its hundred years of progress"

In 1885 an inspectors report notes "The order, tone and attention are all excellent. The condition of the school is very creditable to the attention and skills of the teacher. Object lessons have received satisfactory attention. The infants do their work fairly"

In 1885 with the arrival of the Tapanui Branch railway in the town, and the station being named Heriot, the school name was changed to Heriot.

Heriot School has some dubious claims to fame. It being one of the first country schools to install a septic tank!

Much consternation was to develop in 1928 at the appointment of a female teacher to the head Teacher position. Petitions were drawn up and votes counted and deputations taken to the Education Board. The teacher in question became a most popular and efficient teacher and served 14 years.

In 1949 a room from Dunrobin School was moved to cope with the increasing role.
On 28 June 1957 a new school building comprising 3 classrooms built to the latest design with staffroom and storeroom was officially opened. Following this many works were completed to improve the grounds. The planting of poplars and draining, leveling and resowing of the playing field.

In 1963 a learners swimming pool and dressing sheds were completed. It is to be noted that Heriot led the way in Otago being the first school to use the particular building technique to raise the sides of the pool.

 " Over the years it has proved a most valuable amenity providing healthy recreation for the people of the district as well as performing its most important and fundamental function- providing the means for swimming instruction _ Geoffrey Duff.

1964 saw an additional toilet block added and in 1975 an additional classroom and library were added.

1975 Blue Mountain College came into existence and Heriot Primary School became a contributing school losing its F1 and F2 students.
The original school bell still stands outside the school administration area.

Over the years as rural populations have changed and transportation and roading have developed with the trend to consolidation of schools, Heriot Primary School has increased its boundaries and become a school servicing not only Heriot but its surrounding districts. Heriot Primary School now encompasses the areas of Dunrobin, Moa Flat, Spylaw Valley, Crookston, Edievale, Kelso, and Wilden schools.

Over the years many people have been associated with Heriot and its surrounding districts schools. Many pupils have attained an education, many teachers have spent many dedicated hours and years serving the pupils they sought to enrich, many parents have supported the schools in many different ways from, moral support to monetary support, from helpful suggestion to physical labour, from field trips to parent helping, from PTA to BOT, from well wisher to enthusiastic supporter.

As with all schools there are many tall tales that can be told many beyond the realm of this short comment but enough to say that Heriot Primary School has a rich historical background and seeks to enter this new millennium the richer for its past.