NZ school looks for former students

NEW Zealand’s oldest school is trying to track down former students from around the Pacific as it celebrates its 175th anniversary in Auckland from Oct 26-27.
Wesley College was established by the Wesleyan Missionary Society in 1844 in what was then the small waterfront settlement of Auckland.
The school is well-known for having produced more recent All Blacks and rugby internationals than any other school in the country along with numerous high achieving sports women.
Many of its predominantly Maori and Pacific Island students have also achieved success in academia, the arts, business and politics at home and internationally.
But the school is asking, “Where are you now?”
Over decades, many former students have moved on around the world and the school has lost touch.
Originally known as the Wesleyan Native Institution, the school began life with 10 students, but it soon attracted others from afar.
Many were young men rather than boys and some were even married. All were selected because they showed promise as leaders.
To enable the school to virtually live off the land, it moved to an 80-hectare farm at what is now the Auckland suburb of Three Kings.
From that site for the next 75 years, the Wesleyan Native Institution provided a sound Christian education for young Maori and an increasing number of needy European children. At times the school was co-educational.
In 1876 the school adopted the name Wesley College. As the 20th century dawned and the city expanded, Three Kings was no longer an ideal site.
In 1911, the present Wesley Training College Trust Board was established and later purchased land at rural Paerata some 70km from the central city.
But the advent of the World War l delayed the new school’s opening until August 1922, with special provisions for the welfare of Maori and Pacific Island students.
During World War ll, students were dispersed as defence authorities took over the buildings.
The school eventually reopened in February 1944 and over the next two decades its roll rose from 27 to over 200 students.
In 1976 Wesley College became the first private school to integrate with the New Zealand state school system – with the advantage of being a government-funded school with a special character.