The first school in Palmerston North was situated on the corner of the Main Street East and Princess Street on the site of the Empire Hotel [2015]. However, the original site proved too small and in 1890 - when the roll had reached 400 - classes were transferred to a new building in Campbell Street. There were four main incarnations of Central School - The Original School (corner of Main and Princess Streets, 1872-1890), Campbell Street School (1890-1922), Central School (Featherston Street, built 1922), Central Normal School (became a practice school for teachers college students in 1956).