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“A New Lease Of Life For Abandoned School?”

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Description: These images were taken for the September 17th 1978 edition of the Tribune weekly newspaper – the first of which was published with the caption: “The Makomako School - deserted now, but it has "great potential" for the future, Mr Lamb says.”

An excerpt from the article read: “The abandoned Makomako School, near Pahiatua, should be undergoing a new lease of life soon. The Pahiatua-Bush branch of the New Zealand Education Institute (NZEI) plans to turn the unique school into an outdoor education centre, the only one of its kind in the northern Wairarapa and one which Palmerston North school pupils could also use. Mr Ron Lamb, secretary of the branch, said the school would be an ideal venue for pupils from other schools to visit and learn about the outdoors. It's envisaged that they could live and sleep at the school for two or three days, while or longer if they need to. studying and participating in outdoor life. The Makomako School would be available to school pupils from Pahiatua, Woodville Dannevirke, and even Palmerston North, he said.”

Makomako was situated the district of Balance near Pahiatua. It opened in 1896 and closed in December 1977.

These images form part of the Manawatū Evening Standard Negative Collection. Unfortunately, only negatives between April and December 1978 are held.