New life for old Tara road school

Ken and Gayle Brown are giving the old Tara Road School on their property a facelift.

After the school closed in 1968, it was used as a packing shed on the couple’s orchard. But now the couple are looking at re-opening it on a regular basis.

The original Kauri building was just one room with an outside toilet – which is still on the property. The Browns extended it and added a cool store for fruit and flowers.

The impetus to restore the building came about when coordinators of this year’s Mangawhai walking weekend wanted to include the school in its historical walk of the Tara district.

“I thought why not clean it up and set it up as a school room – and the idea has just grown from there,” said Gayle. “It would be lovely to eventually have groups come and see what school was like in the past.”

Ken was a pupil at the school from 1945-49. During its lifetime the building moved three times before finally coming to rest on its present site when Ken’s father, Hilton James Brown, donated the land in 1945.

The Browns have some of the original school rolls, from the late 1880s, old desks, a Child’s Learning Companion which belonged to Ken’s father, an original kauri cupboard and some old satchels, but would love to add more memorabilia to bring the school to life.

 Info: Gayle or Ken on 431 4734.

Gayle and Ken Brown.