Mr Whatman left school in 1931 and after a year at university he became the sole teacher at a small school near Waitaki River. He then spent three years at the Christchurch Teachers College, but joined the Navy at the outbreak of World War Two. After the War, Norman studied geography at Canterbury University and was then appointed a lecturer at Ardmores Teachers College in 1949. He became a lecturer in geography and Vice-Principal of the Palmerston North Teachers College in 1956.