Te Mātauranga

Education

Primary Education

The Department of Education initially supervised the work of the Education Boards, providing funding, setting the syllabus and certifying and classifying teachers. 

From 1914 inspectors of primary schools were centralised in the Education Department rather than based in the Education Boards. Regular inspections of schools and teachers led to a national graded list of primary teachers which was the basis of appointments by 1920.

Secondary Education

We hold few secondary school records.

Secondary and technical schools were originally separate from Education Boards. The first secondary schools were established under their own acts of parliament.

• Under the Secondary Schools Act 1903, schools were run by Boards of Governors responsible to the Department of Education. They kept their own registers of admission and attendance.

• The Department of Education provided the funding for secondary schools and the Education Act 1914 gave the Department more control over policy and administration. In the twentieth century the Department of Education had increasing influence over secondary schools.

• By the mid-1960s the Education Boards had the authority to administer secondary schools. However under their Boards of Governors secondary schools continued to have greater independence than primary schools until the late 1980s when Boards of Trustees were established for all schools.

We hold Education Board records about the development of district high schools, which included secondary students. Later records of Education Boards might include some material on secondary schools, but they do not usually include personal information.

Background

The Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act 1867 allowed provincial governments to establish Industrial and Reform Schools for children under 15.

• A distinction was made between neglected and delinquent children. They were to be kept separate.

• If a child spent at least half the period of committal in an industrial school, s/he could be boarded out with foster parents, friends, or be placed in employment the rest of the time.

Caversham Industrial School opened in 1869 and Burnham Industrial School opened in 1874. Others followed. The Justice Department started running industrial schools when provincial government ended in 1876, but in 1880 responsibility was moved to the Education Department. The Industrial Schools Act 1882 was significant:

• It provided for government schools, local schools and private institutions approved by government.

• Under this act, courts could commit to the care of the industrial schools neglected children under 15 years who were brought to them by the police.

• Parents could also bring uncontrollable children to the courts to be institutionalised.

Special schools

Special schools such as the School for the Deaf at Sumner in Christchurch, were set up from 1881. Some were not much different from Industrial Schools.

Receiving homes

Receiving Homes were temporary places for children to stay while their future was sorted out. A Special and Industrial Schools Branch of the Education Department was developed to administer all these institutions. After 1900 the focus changed from punishment to reform. Industrial Schools became Special Schools after 1910. From 1917 children could be placed on probation and a number of schools were closed and ‘homes’ were opened. All institutions encouraged boarding out in foster homes. The main institutions from 1925-1948 were:

• Boys’ Training Farm at Weraroa, near Levin (for boys of all ages needing reformative detention).

• Special School at Richmond, near Nelson, for girls.

• Sumner School for the Deaf.

Provision was also made for blind children and adults at the New Zealand Institute for the Blind in Auckland. From 1948 the Child Welfare Division ran four ‘training institutions’ for children considered too emotionally disturbed or delinquent to stay in the community: Kingslea, Kohitere, Hokio Beach School and Fareham House. The Division also administered:

• 13 short term facilities for the remand, observation and classification of children.

• Family homes (51 in 1970).

• several special schools:

  • Campbell Park School, Otekaike, for boys who were intellectually impaired or who had behavioural problems.

• Salisbury Girls’ School, Richmond, for intellectually impaired girls.

• Sumner School for the Deaf, Christchurch.

• Auckland School for the Deaf in Titirangi, then Kelston.

Children’s homes

We hold many files relating to children’s homes, often orphanages, but most are administrative. The nature of many institutions changed over time, for example from church-run to state-run, and from orphanage to special school.

Industrial schools

Some records are incorporated in Maintenance and Destitute Persons records (see below). Access restrictions might apply.

Auckland

From 1870 to 1882 some children were sent to the Naval Training School and to the Kohimarama Industrial School. Howe Street Industrial School mainly took girls aged up to 14 years. Other industrial school type institutions included the Door of Hope in Cook Street.

The Nominal Rolls held in Wellington [ACGB 8305 CW 14/1-27] (see below) include Auckland institutions.

• Destitute Children’s Home Record Books 1870-1882 [BAAA 1954/1-2]

• Admission Registers Industrial Schools 1879-1919 [BAAA 1955/1-9]

• Nominal Roll, Auckland Industrial School 1902-1913 [BAAA 1956/1a-1e]

• Waihi Industrial School Report Book 1916-1925 [BADB 11354/1a]

• Visits to Children’s Homes, Journal (indexed) 1901-1910 [BAAA 1959/1a-1b]

Wellington

Record books, registers and nominal rolls

• Nominal Rolls, Industrial Schools 1882-1910 [ACGB 8305 CW14/1-27]

The rolls give a child’s name, age, admission date and arrangements. Each industrial school has its own record with alphabetical listings of names. In early years the rolls include these institutions:

• Kohimarama

• Howe Street (Auckland)

• St Mary’s (Auckland)

• Auckland Girls

• Thames

• St Joseph’s (Wellington)

• St Mary’s (Nelson)

• Motueka

• Canterbury

• Lyttelton

• Burnham

• Caversham

By the late 19th century only Industrial Schools appear:

• Auckland

• St Mary’s (Auckland)

• St Joseph’s (Wellington)

• St Mary’s (Nelson)

• Burnham

• Caversham

Other records

• Miscellaneous Records, Industrial Schools c1874-1918 [ACGB 8306 CW15/1-9]

A variety of records, including Burnham Photograph Album c1874 (digitised).

• Warrants Issued under the Industrial Schools Act (1882) 1880-1885 [ACGB 8304 CW13/1-7]

Duplicate copies of warrants bound into volumes. These warrants were issued to permit children at industrial schools to board with foster parents, and they give details of child and foster parent.

• Registers Under Industrial Schools Act 1908 (Wellington) 1893-1935 [ADEE 16359 JC-W7/1-18]

• Stoke Industrial School 1900 [ACIS 17651 P10/1]

• Nominal Rolls, Wellington Receiving Home 1901-1915 [ACGB 8307 CW16/1-9]

The rolls give name, date of committal, age, status, place, section of act used, religion and arrangements for the child.

• Record Books of Proposed Admissions to Industrial and Special Schools, 1919-1961 [ACGB 8302 CW11/1-8]

The record books (indexed 1949-1961) give date, child’s name and address, and comments.

• Registers of Committals to Industrial and Special Schools 1932-1952 [ACGB 8303 CW12/1-8]

Details include child’s name, date of birth, place and date of committal.

Palmerston North Magistrates Court

• Industrial School Orders 1908-1926 (two records) and Industrial School Orders Index -1908-1925 [AAOY W3298/783]

Staff Register 1878-1954

This records teachers, mostly for Native, Industrial and Special Schools, for the years 1878 to 1954. There are few entries after 1910. Held in the Register Room, this register records name, date of birth, dates of appointment, absences and comments about service. It might include other information. [ACIG 17269 E16/1]

Special schools

• Burnham Admission Register 1933-1949 [ACGB 8308 CW17/2/4]

• Fareham House Admission Register 1944-1949 [ACGB 8308 CW17/2/5]

• Jubilee Institute for the Blind Nominal Rolls 1908-1940 [ACGB 8309 CW18/1/5-7]

• Otekaieke (Campbell Park School) – Admission Register 1925-1949 [ACGB 8308 CW17/1] and Nominal Rolls 1908-1920 [ACGB 8309 CW18/1/8-9]

• Richmond – Admission Register 1925-1949 [ACGB 8308 CW17/2]; Nominal Roll 1917-1921 [ACGB 8309 CW18/1/10]; Special and Adult Classes 1923-1929 [ACGB 8309 CW18/1/11-12]; Hostels 1938-1944 [ACGB 8309 CW18/1/13-14].

• Sumner (Deaf children, some adults) – Nominal Rolls 1908-1922; 1938-1944 [ACGB 8309 CW18/1/1-4]

• Weraroa (Levin) – Admission Register 1928-1949 [ACGB 8308 CW17/1/3]

Christchurch

Burnham Industrial School

• Photograph Album of Boys 1914 (indexed) and a few other photographs of the school. [AADK CH438/1a-1i]

Most existing records for this school can be found in Record Books, Registers and Nominal Rolls held in our Wellington archive.

Hogben House

Various records 1976-1989 [CANB CH232/94/11/1/30 and other records in CH232]

Kingslea Girls’ Home

Roll Books – Admission List 1933-1985; Various records – files, diaries, duty books 1931-1987 [CAUR CH378/47]

McKenzie Residential School

F Series (various files, mostly correspondence) 1971-1975 - Miscellaneous files 1974-1980 [CATB CH256/1]; Various records, mainly administrative 1979-1989 [CANB CH232/156 and 158]

Stanmore Boys Home (Christchurch Boys Home)

Daily Diaries 28 March 1946 – 4 December 1974; ‘Duplicate’ Daily Diaries 5 September 1947 – 15 October 1952; Menu Register 14 October 1936 – 3 July 1941 [AADK CH438 2a-7e]

Sumner School for the Deaf – Van Asch College

Pupil status, Admissions and Discharges 1944-1969 (including Titirangi 1943-1944 and Fendalton Road 1943) [CAHK CH8/1/3]

Kelston School for the Deaf 1946-1968 [CAHK CH8/1/12]

• 75th Jubilee Records (1955) [CAHK CH8/1/15-26]

• Centennial history (1980) [CAHK CH8/2/27]

• Nominal Roll 1908-1913 (includes admission dates from 1900) [CAHK CH8/28]

• Nominal Rolls 1914-1924, 1925-1942 [CAHK CH8/1/29-30]

• Notes (names of pupils with notes) 1880-1916 [CAHK CH8/1/31-32]

• Register of Pupils in Special Classes at Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin 1920-1961 [CAHK CH8/1/34]

• Registers of Children’s Heights and Weights 1949-1966, 1962 and 1968 [CAHK CH8/1/35a-b]

• Diaries 1948-1955, 1967-1973 [CAHK CH8/1/36-43]

Dunedin

Campbell Park School, Otekaieke, Waitaki Valley (formerly Otekaieke Special School for Boys, established 1908). Records are located at CAJD and CANB

• Past inmates 1952-1966

• Registers (various) 1908-1978

• Staff (various) 1912-1978

• Staff files

• Master Index pupils 1969-1987

• Pupil records (various) 1924-1987

• Past pupil records 1984-1987

Caversham Industrial School

• Industrial School Books, Children Committed to the School 1886-1897 [DABX 21437 D376 163/a and DABX 21437 D376 163/b – both have been digitised].

Copies of two volumes listing children committed to the Caversham Industrial School from the Police Commissioner’s District Office, Dunedin.

• Register of Indigent Children Committed 1885-c1942 DAHI 20434 D284/55

In 1880 the Department of Native Affairs transferred the control of Māori education to the Education Department. That department administered separate Native/Māori schools up to 1969 when many were closed and the rest transferred to Education Board control.

Records of approximately 450 Native/Māori schools are held in our Auckland archive. Most records come from the Northern Regional Office of the Department of Education. A few schools transferred records directly. Records of interest can be found at BAAA:

• Registers of Admission, Progress and Withdrawal [Series 1004]

• Registers of Attendance [Series 1006]

• Examination Registers [Series 1007]

• Registers of Progress and Achievement [Series 1011]

• Attendance returns can be found in the Registered Subject files [Series 1001]

Teacher training came under the control of the Department of Education, especially after 1903. Some Teacher Training College records are held with us, but most institutions hold their own records.

A number of records might give information about primary school students. It is usually necessary to know the name of the school attended, the dates, and the Education Board which was responsible for the school.

For the years 1878-1924 you can find out what schools existed through the annual Education Department Reports in the AJHR (Appendices to the Journal of the House of Representatives). They contain lists of all primary and district high schools, teachers’ names and the number of pupils.

The primary school records that are most useful to family historians are the Registers and Class Schedules.

Registers

Schools created various registers to record the attendance and progress of each student. Some schools did not pass these on to the Education Boards, so we do not hold a complete set.

• The most common form of register was a Register of Admissions, Progress and Withdrawal. These record students’ date of birth, date of admission, name and address of parent or guardian and class attended each year. Sometimes previous and later schools attended were entered.

• Examination Registers list students’ names and their grades. Some include teacher comments, on the class or individual students.

• Daily Attendance Registers record days attended and sometimes reasons for absences.

Class schedules

Schools sent various annual lists of students to Education Boards. They were created for different purposes, and they have a variety of names:

• classification lists

• examination reports

• inspection reports

• class lists

• class/school rolls

• proficiency schedules (Standard 6 only)

The information included varies, but all contain the names of students and their classes. Usually student ages are listed (years and months) and the teacher’s name given. Assessment grades are given on some lists and there might be comments by the teacher or inspector.

Holdings

Auckland

Auckland Education Board - YCAF

• Class Lists/Schedules 1879-1953 (indexed by name of school) [Series 4135]

• Certificates of Proficiency 1908-36 [Series 5493]

• Registers of Admission, Progress and Withdrawal (various schools) [YCAF]

Hamilton Education Board - YCAG

• Registers of Admission, Progress and Withdrawal (various schools, indexed; overall date range 1896-1987)

• Examination Registers (various schools; overall date range 1906-c1950)

• Attendance Registers (various schools; overall date range c1874-1987)

Hawkes Bay Education Board - YCAK

• Waiomatatini (Māori) School Registers of Admission, etc., 1876-1961 [Series 1365]

Wellington

Individual school records (transferred directly)

• Berhampore School [ABUQ 7165-7173]

• Clyde Quay School

  • Registers 1903-1991 [AAFC 7998]

  • School Diary 1889-1965 [AAFC 7999]

• Hokio Beach School [AAUF 6218 and 6223]

• Tawa Primary School [ABWC 7373]

• Te Aro School [ABHO W4175 and W3771]

• Torere School [ABIT W4050]

• Utiku School [ABIU W4048]

• Waiwhetu Girls High School

  • Pupil records, surnames A-C 1958-1967 [AAQD W3368/3]

• Wellington Girls College [AANB 875, 876 and 877]

Hawkes Bay Education Board – ABDJ W3568

• Inspectors and Examination Reports – Annual Returns (overall date range 1885-1956; alphabetical by school) [Records 1a – 56d]

• Inspectors and Examination Reports – Annual Returns (overall date range 1903-1950 – private, Catholic and High schools) [Records 56e – 60k]

• Registers 1878-1987 (various, alphabetical by school) [Boxes 203 – 214]

Nelson Education Board - ABDW W3572

• Examination Schedules 1879, 1881-1920 [Boxes 45 – 61]

• Class Lists 1921-1954 (except Standard 6) [Boxes 63 – 70]

• Proficiency Lists 1921-1936 (Standard 6 only) [Boxes 61 – 62]

Note: Some Nelson Education Board records are held at the Nelson Provincial Museum.

Taranaki Education Board - ABDU W3570

• Examination Schedules 1879-1947 (alphabetical by school within year groupings) [Boxes 1 - 18]

• Inspectors’ Reports 1895-1989 (alphabetical by school within year groupings) [Boxes 19 - 34]

• Admission Registers 1879-1989 (closed schools) [Boxes 100 - 103]

• Admission Registers 1881-1962 (a few schools only) [Box 125]

Whanganui Education Board - ABDV W3571

• Class/School Rolls 1890-1953 (alphabetical by school within years) [Boxes 1007 - 1038]

• Classification Lists 1901 (alphabetical by school; K-M, N-R only) [Box 1086]

• Proficiency Schedules 1909-1936 [Boxes 49 – 52]

• Admission and Withdrawal Registers 1874-1982 (closed schools; alphabetical in two lists) [Boxes 55 - 56]

• School Records (various, overall dates 1881-1987, some undated; alphabetical by school) [Boxes 910 - 1006]

Wellington Education Board

• Class Schedules 1885-1909 (alphabetical by school within year groupings; some private schools; Marlborough not included; some records missing) [ADEX 16412 EB-W8/1-39, 1-94]

ABDM W3569

• Classification Lists 1891-1915 (Marlborough only; alphabetical by school within year groupings) [Series 27144 – all digitised]

• Classification Lists 1885-1955 (including Marlborough and some private schools) [Series 16412]

• Registers (various – closed schools) overall range 1879-1988 [Boxes 380 – 430]

Christchurch

Canterbury Education Board - CAMJ

• Records of closed primary schools 1871-1988 [Accession CH206]

• Various records including Examination Schedules, Inspection Reports and Classification Lists 1872-1989 [Accession CH210]

• Classification Lists and Proficiency Reports 1918-1936 [Accession CH274]

• Early School Records 1851-1852 [Series 12522]

A number of schools have transferred records directly to our Christchurch archive. Some of these records might include Class Schedules and Registers. However, many early Education Board records from the Canterbury area are held by the Canterbury Museum.

Dunedin

ABEP D242

• Hokonui School (previously East Forest School)

• Examination Registers 1885-1899

• Attendance Registers 1925, 1936, 1941, 1951

Note: Otago Education Board records are held in the Hocken Library in Dunedin and Southland Education Board records are held in the Invercargill Public Library.

Education Board archives include a wide variety of records about the development of primary schools and district high schools. There is much less material for secondary schools and only from a later period. These records are not usually directly useful to family historians, but they can give context and background.

• Architectural Records. Since Education Boards were responsible for school buildings, their records include many site plans, building plans, contracts and specifications, usually arranged by school.

• Closed School Records. When schools were closed, their records were usually sent to the Education Board of the district.

• Inspectors’ Reports. These brief reports on schools cover teaching methods, progress of pupils and sometimes building and grounds. Earlier reports often included the names of teachers and comments on them. Some Education Boards filed these reports with classification lists (see Class Schedules in the section above).

• Jubilee Booklets. For each Education Board there is a collection of jubilee booklets and other historical material produced for school anniversaries. Some jubilee booklets include lists of teachers.

• Log Books. Usually kept by the headmaster/principal, these often give a day-to-day account of the life and operation of the school.

• Minute Books. These volumes record the business and decisions of Education Board meetings, including teacher appointments and the development and maintenance of school sites and buildings. Often they are unindexed.

• Photographs. Education Board collections include some photographs, of school buildings, special events, board members and teachers. Usually these photographs are unsorted. Often they are undated and only loosely captioned.

• School Committees. Education Boards recorded those who were elected to School Committees. As these committees elected the members of Education Boards, the lists are also called Voting Lists or Rolls.

• School Files. Education Boards organised their records in different ways, but for each board there might be records of each school, covering issues such as staffing, site and buildings, transport and school committee. Searches of Department of Education indexes and registers might be needed with earlier filing systems. Later records are usually subject or school based.

School Records at Alexander Turnbull Library

• Brooklyn 1902-1961 (including Mornington records)

• Kilbirnie 1884-1983

• Makara 1885-1972

• Mt Cook Infants 1882-1935

• Mt Cook Boys 1881-1925

• Mt Cook Girls 1882-1925

• Mt Cook main 1926-1978

• Vogeltown 1883-1902

Early records for Mt Cook School 1875-1880 are in the Beaglehole Room at Victoria University of Wellington.

Auckland

• Auckland Kindergarten Teachers College, lists of diploma graduates 1950-1972 [BAKD A1119/12e 25/2/8]

• Auckland College of Education [YCAL 24180]

Note: The Auckland College of Education holds many of its own records.

Wellington

• Wellington Training College Register & Pupil-Teacher Register 1886-1907 [ADEX 16414 EB-W10/2]

Christchurch

A wide variety of material is held for the Christchurch Teachers College/College of Education, including:

• Photographs of staff and students 1886-1993, arranged by year and division [CH182 & CH537]

• Photographs, plans and posters 1879-1988 [CH320 & CH708]

• Christchurch Normal School register of pupil-teachers 1877-1912 [CH207/50]

Note: The Christchurch College of Education also holds many records of its staff and of Christchurch teacher training.

The Annual Reports of the Department of Education, published in the AJHR (Appendices to the Journal of the House of Representatives) from 1878 to 1924 included a variety of reports and lists of schools and teachers. In the first few years the records were inconsistent:

• 1878 AJHR H-1 Colleges and High Schools (includes some staff lists) .

• 1879 AJHR H-2 List of Public Schools by Education District, and the names, status and emoluments [pay] of the teachers (primary, organised by region and not alphabetical) . Teachers Holding Certificates or Licenses under “The Education Act, 1877” (primary, alphabetical within grades) .

• 1880 AJHR H-1A (as for 1879, both lists) .

• 1881-1909 AJHR E-1 Reports on Public (primary) schools and lists of teachers.

• 1910-1924 AJHR E-2 Reports on Public (primary) Schools and lists of teachers.

The lists contain the names of all teachers and student teachers, and usually provide details of the school, teacher classification and often other information.

Education Department Reports in the AJHR 1878-1924 (some years) also include:

• Reports of Secondary Schools with staff names

• Lists of Teaching Certificate Passes

• Lists of student teachers at Normal Schools or Training Colleges

• Annual reports from Education Boards may include headmaster/principal names and those of some teachers.

Most Native School records are held in our Auckland archive. However, some records of Native school teachers are included in the Reports on Native schools in the AJHR. In 1878-1879 these schools were under the Native Affairs Department, but in 1880 the schools were transferred to the control of the Education Department and reports with teacher names appear in Education Annual Reports until 1930.

• 1878 AJHR G-7 Most teachers named in school reports.

• 1879 AJHR G-2 Some teachers named in school reports.

• 1880 AJHR H-1F New instructions for the running of Native Schools.

• 1880 AJHR H-1L South Island schools reports only; most teachers named.

• 1881 AJHR E-7 Report includes table listing all schools and teachers.

• 1882-1908 AJHR E-2 Tables listing all schools and teachers.

• 1909-1930 AJHR E-3 Tables listing all schools and teachers.

After that date, Native School teachers were listed in the Public Service Employees Lists under Education.

New Zealand Gazettes 1879-1988 include a variety of teacher lists, usually published in a Gazette of March or April each year, under ‘Education Act’. From about 1957 they list post-primary teachers only. Among the lists are:

• Appointment of pupil-teachers

• Teachers by grade (alphabetical)

• Teacher examination results

• Teachers holding teaching certificates

Provincial Gazettes up to 1876 may include provincial Education Board reports, inspection reports and teacher lists. Education Gazettes may contain lists of teachers appointed, among more general information about education and schools.

Archives New Zealand holds many primary school teacher records in Education Board archives. Records are held regionally across our four archives, but the holdings are inconsistent and incomplete.

The main holdings useful to family historians are listed below, but other Education Board records may also hold references to teachers and their appointments. For example, earlier Inspectors’ Reports often included the names of teachers and comments on them.

Access is restricted to teachers’ salary cards and staff files. You can view your own card/file if you provide us with proof of identity. Otherwise permission from the Ministry of Education is needed.

Please contact:

Manager, Records Services

Ministry of Education

PO Box 1666, Thorndon

Wellington 6140

records.services@education.govt.nz

Auckland

Auckland Education Board

• Auckland Teacher Salary Cards c1920-1980 (not strict alphabetical order; incomplete) [ABEP 4414]

• Auckland Teacher Salary Cards - Early Childhood and Part-time Staff c1924-1989 (alphabetical but not complete - missing McL to Po) [ZABS A919]

• Whangarei Teacher Salary Cards c1928-1982 (alphabetical order) [ZACB 4626]

• Teaching appointment cards (permanent staff) Auckland school 1971-1981 [YCBD 19973/1-6]

• Teaching appointment cards (relieving teachers) Auckland schools 1981-1989 [YCBD 19975/1-3]

• Minute books 1871-1989 [YCBD 5491 and A688]

Board meeting minutes may include details of teacher appointments, but there is often no indexing. A search is much easier if the commencement date is known.

Hamilton Education Board

• Hamilton Teacher Salary Cards c1948-1984 (alphabetical)  [BBEC 4413]

• Minute Books 1952-1989  [YCAU 4207]

Board meeting minutes may include details of teacher appointments, but there is often no indexing. A search is much easier if the commencement date is known.

Northern Regional Office, Department of Education

• Māori School Teachers salary cards c1938-1952  [BAAA 1002/1-2]

Many other administration files, mostly after 1960, mention teachers.

Wellington

Department of Education

• Central Regional Office Teachers Salary Cards 1930s-1970s [ABFI W3556/21-54]

Cards include Kindergarten and some Secondary teachers, as well as Primary. Roughly alphabetical, including date of birth, qualifications, service details, school, classes taught, position, grade and salary. 

• Staff Register 1878-1954 [ACIG 17269 E16/1]

Mostly for Native, Industrial and Special Schools, from about 1878 to 1954, with few entries after 1910. This register records name, date of birth, dates of appointment, leaves of absence and remarks about service. It may include other information. This volume is held in the Register Room.

Hawkes Bay Education Board - ABDJ W3568

• Teacher Salary Cards (Primary) two sequences: 1910s-1960s and 1940s-1980s. Each sequence is alphabetical, including date of birth, qualifications, marital status, some financial details, service details [Boxes 175-179 & 180-191]

• Teacher Salary Cards (Secondary, Napier schools only), 1950s-1970s (alphabetical, including date of birth, qualifications, marital status, some financial details, service details [Box 192]

• Appointments and Resignations – Reports to Board, Appointments Committee etc., 1981-1989 [Boxes 129 and 130]

• Minute Books 1880-1906, 1920-1923, 1927-1988 [Boxes 58-84]

Minutes of board meetings may include details of teacher appointments, but there is often no indexing. A search for a teacher in the unindexed minute books is much easier if the appointment/start date is known.

Nelson Education Board - ABDW W3572

• Teacher Salary Registers 1877-1909, 1916-1921, 14 volumes [Boxes 14 and 15]. No name index. Salary, location and dates of employment included with teacher name.

• Register of Teachers 1907-1919 [Box 9]

• Appointments and Resignations 1916-1922. Various records, alphabetical by school; correspondence between teachers, principals and board concerning appointments and resignations [Box 159]

• Teacher Grading Cards, c1930-1980s. Four separate series, alphabetical, giving date of birth, qualifications, training and service details [Boxes 153 and 154]

• Teacher Personal Reports Book 1-5, 1959-1989. Volumes indexed by teacher name. Entries include school, personal and professional qualifications, assessment [Box 152]

• Registers – Trained Teachers Certificates, 1974-1989 and Diploma in Teaching 1974-1986 [Box 41]

• Minute Books, 1856-1989 (22 volumes) [Boxes 29-40]

Minutes of board meetings may include details of teacher appointments, but there is often no indexing. A search for a teacher in the unindexed minute books is much easier if the appointment/start date is known.

Taranaki Education Board - ABDU W3570

• List of Board members, teachers and assistants, c1884-1905. Three files, lists arranged by name of school. Little detail apart from names and sometimes residential addresses and some inspectors’ reports. [Box 124 records 18/1a and 18/2a]

• Teacher Salaries January – December 1909 [Box 137/6a]

• A typical teacher’s pay list, February 1925 [Record 137/6]

• Primary Teacher Record Cards, 1921-1979. Alphabetical in various bundles, including date of birth, qualification, service details. [Boxes 354-355]

• Teacher Selection Staffing. Professional Files, 1915-1958, 1975-1980, 1984-1989. Appointment and transfer of primary teachers. One file per school, staffing correspondence between school and board, including some personal information on staff. [Boxes 59-61]

• Personal Files of Board Members, 1950-1989. Includes five who were also teachers. [Box 168]

• Registers of (teacher) appointments and resignations, c1967-1986 [Box 137]

• Registers of appointment and transfer of primary teachers, 3 volumes, 1983-1985, 1986-1988, 1988-1989 [Box 244 E13/1/1 parts 1-3]

• List of teachers employed by the Taranaki Education Board, 1976-1988. Arranged by term and schools in alphabetical order. No personal information [Box 174/1a]

• Minute Books, 1861-1989, some indexed [Boxes 35-54]

Minutes of board meetings might include details of teacher appointments, but not all are indexed. A search for a teacher in the unindexed minute books is much easier if the appointment/start date is known.

Whanganui Education Board - ABDV W3571

• Teacher Salary Registers, 1914-1917, 1920-1934, 1960-1965, 14 volumes [Boxes 1-8, 10-15]

• Pupil-teacher Salaries Register, 1889-1894 [Box 41]

• Minute Books, 1897-1988 [Boxes 65, 117-154]

Minutes of board meetings may include details of teacher appointments, but there is often no indexing. A search for a teacher in the unindexed minute books is much easier if the appointment/commencement date is known.

Wellington Education Board - ABDM W3569

• Teacher Salary Cards, 1890s-1970s. Alphabetical, details include school appointments. [Boxes 494-509]

• Teacher Service Record Cards, 1910-1930s. Alphabetical, little information.  Details include school, sometimes country of origin and maiden name. [Box 510]

• Individual School staffing files, 1921-1980s. By school name, sometimes in more than one series, often incomplete. [Boxes 309-365]

• Staffing and Grading cards, 1953-1989. Alphabetical. [Boxes 512-515]

• Appointment Register, March 1958-October 1969. Chronological. [Box 542]

• Teacher Earning Cards, 1966-1967. Alphabetical, giving salary and dates of increases. [Box 511]

• Disciplinary Cases, c1960s-1970s. Alphabetical B-S, containing correspondence, reports, etc. [Box 490]

• Minute Books, 1872-1989 [Boxes 1-60]

Minutes of board meetings might include details of teacher appointments, but indexing is incomplete. A search for a teacher in the unindexed minute books is much easier if the appointment/start date is known.

• Indexes to Minute Books, 1891-1896, 1913-1937 [Boxes 61 and 64]

Christchurch

Department of Education, Southern Regional Office

General education records since about 1920. Files include matters such as Teacher Staffing and Salaries, and Staffing Appointments. [CH5, CH11, CH45, CH46, CH90, CH102, CH141, CH181.]

Canterbury Education Board - CAMJ

• Salary cards, c1920-1976 [CH278]

• Salary registers (South Canterbury), 1883-1916 [CH207/1-15]

• Salary registers (North Canterbury), 1908-1915 [CH207/16-17]

• Salary registers (Canterbury), 1935-1959 [CH207/18-47]

• Teachers register (South Canterbury), 1876-1905 [CH207/48]

• Teachers registers 1943, 1951, 1953, 1960 [CH676/1-4]

Westland Education Board

• Teachers register, indexed by name, 1885-1916 [CH207 Box 28/52]

• Teachers salary register, 1904-1905 [CH284]

• Register of salary levels, 1930-1936 [CH284]

Note: Some Canterbury Education Board salary registers c1878-1934 are held in the Canterbury Museum.

Dunedin

Campbell Park School (Otekaieke, Waitaki Valley)

• Staff records, c1910-1987 [CAJG D16]

Southland Education Board

• Teacher salary cards, c1910-1950. Alphabetical, with qualifications, date of birth, marital status, service details, school, salary etc. [CATD D25]

Note: Otago Education Board records are held in the Hocken Library in Dunedin. Southland Education Board records are held in the Invercargill Public Library.

We hold few records about secondary school teachers. Most teacher files were destroyed. We hold a sample of about 2900 personal files from throughout New Zealand.

• Teachers’ Personal files, c1947-1989 (Ministry of Education) [ABEP 7127]

• Central Regional Office Teacher Salary Cards 1930s-1970s (Education Department) [ABFI W3556/21-54]

Restricted to central New Zealand, many of these cards record Primary and Kindergarten teachers, but some secondary teachers are included. Roughly alphabetical, they give date of birth, qualifications, service details, school, classes taught, position, grade, salary.

Some records of secondary teachers for the period after 1960 are to be found in Education Board records. If the records exist, they will be held regionally across our four archives.

See also ‘Teacher Lists – Gazettes’ in the section above.