END OF AN ERA 106-year-old school closes after falling enrolment

Halls that once echoed with children's laughter fell silent as Ohangai School finally closed its doors for the last time on Saturday afternoon. The poignant moment was not lost on principal Liz Stewart who said writing the final chapter in the 106-year-old school's history book last weekend proved a difficult experience. Local iwi welcomed about 50 ex-students, families and residents to farewell what has always been far more than just a school to them. Ms Stewart said that it had always been a meeting place for the Ohangai community and would be sadly missed. The final student left the school on May 18 this year. Now moving to Ramanui School, Ms Stewart is excited to be teaching again. "It will be quite nice to get back into teaching to be honest, it's been too long without kids." She said the hardest part of the closing ceremony wasn't listening to old students, handing out certificates to the youngest and last students at the school or returning the old memorabilia to families who have donated things over the years. It was locking the gates. She said that was really tough. Ohangai School board of trustees chairperson Peter Carver said that while it was an emotional experience, the board's duties at the school were now finished. "I think the common theme from the day was that it's a bit of a sign of the times. "Really the future for the school is, if we can find someone else to occupy the building or try and make sure it's not going to become an eyesore and a constant reminder of what could have been," he said. He credited Ms Stewart for her work wrapping up the school over the past months. His greatest hope for the building is that it will now be used by another facility instead of being left to waste like so many other abandoned school buildings in Taranaki. "Hopefully ours doesn't follow the same path". Margaret Springett, a teacher aide at Ohangai School since 2000, said the experience has been "rough". "It's just sadness really, sadness that it's had to happen. "But, you do what you've got to do," she said. "You can't produce kids out of thin air." The process of cleaning up and preparing the school for closure has taught both Mrs Springett and Ms Stewart more about the school than they ever expected. Mrs Springett has found the experience humbling. "When you look through the photographs, you know that it's been a big and deep part of the community and you are grateful for that but the world is changing," she said. Ad Feedback She said while the community was upset, without enough children, there is no school. It is a problem many country school's are facing in modern times, Mrs Springett believes. "It's a real dilemma for parents, about whether to go with the modern trend or to bring your kids up individual." - © Fairfax NZ News PETRA FINER- SOUTH TARANAKI STAR Last updated 10:01 18/10/2012