There were moves from as early as 1927 to establish a school hostel and later, with help from the high school P and C, public donations and an endowment from the Honourable John Wetherspoon of £100, Mr Glover’s house on the corner of Barff and Walter streets was purchased.

The state government assisted with beds, bedding, and some other items.

Messrs J. R. Windeyer, O. M. Hanley, P. J. Barwick, R. C. S. Douglas, C. T. Lauder, W. S. Hanley, and I. C. Stevenson were the original board, and Mrs Bamford first matron.

Nine children were enrolled when the hostel opened in 1945 and later the building was enlarged.

It was one of the few school hostels with both boys and girls, although they were segregated. Linen was provided, and everyone had a job “and they take it quite well”, the matron said.

Girls helped with washing and boys with the gardening and wood chopping.

In 1964, the matron Mrs Dorman was assisted by Miss D. Kiehne, and Mr D. D. Burgess came in once a week to do the laundry.

Although not allowed out on their own, the students were escorted to the pictures once a fortnight. Ping-pong and darts and other games were available and three hostel parties were held each year.

The charge was £3/12/6 a week or £29 a term, although there were concessions for more than one child in a family. Each week the kitchen processed 20 double loaves of bread, 40 pounds of potatoes, half a sheep, seven pounds of sausages and six to seven gallons of milk.

By May 12, 1966 there were only 12 boarders and the hostel closed and the building sold in 1968, with proceeds donated to the Technical College.

The closure was due to reasons including more efficient bus services as many small country schools closed.

It had been a great boon to families who were too far away from the high school and those who could not cope with correspondence lessons.