Henderson High School

I have made little mention of early childhood education is my education blogs, not because of a failure of interest, but of experience and knowledge. I am childless so have not had first-hand participation in this sub-sector and the roads that opened before me did not lead into it.

It was a privilege to be associated in the Beehive with Dr Anne Meade, David Lange’s chief education adviser. Anne’s report which led to the subsequent release of the Before Five report was a landmark step. The tendency to divorce parenting and care from education means everyone loses, male and female, young and old.

It was seen as very innovative in the 1960s when some secondary schools opened a creche and/or centre on site. Even now there are still complications. When I interviewed the late Ian Mitchell, Henderson High School principal, for my book 'Education Is Change' he spoke of a dispute which arose over a request to have a Tuvaluan language nest in the school. They wanted to build on a vacant piece of land by the canteen.

In Ian’s words Ministry officials argued that: “You couldn't have the little ones playing where the big ones might knock them over. It should have been our decision and our response to a community need. Eventually we won. When you go over to our canteen now there are big students buying their food, and right beside them these little mites. That is as it should be - a softening influence and the big ones more conscious of their responsibilities. It's part of being a caring community."

As a tale it is a sad commentary on what happened to the Tomorrow’s Schools vision of devolution.

Ian also told an amusing story reflecting the daily trials and tribulations of a principal. "One Friday afternoon I was looking forward to the start of our Peace Week which one of the keen staff members organises every year. She starts it with an assembly with lots of students participating, orignial composition, drama and singing. I always begin with some pretty high-minded thoughts about how if we don’t have peace in our heart and peace in our microcosm, how can we criticise the horrors of Bosnia – things like that. I had a little quote from John Paul about how violence is evil and should have no place in the heart of man."

"I planned to spend the final quarter of an hour before assembly honing this, but a child burst in Maureen Page’s, the deputy’s office, loudly shouting, ‘Quick! Miss! Quick! The goat’s loose.’ A billy goat from the adjoining wasteland had somehow got through the fence and was chewing a golden ash we had only just planted. The property manager’s on honeymoon, the groundkeeper’s sick, who else attends a stray goat but the principal? The people in Wellington don’t think principals and deputy principals do, but whenever there is a crisis, it is us who have to react."

"On the back field we discovered a scene which was a cross between a Brueghel painting and that mad dance from Zorba the Greek. Someone had let loose the special education children to catch the goat. They were racing around the back-field and because they are special education children they were confused. They kept forgetting they were chasing the goat, and chased each other and threw each other to the ground. So our first job was to shoo them away."

"At that point, I noticed to my horror, the goat lining up to butt Mrs Page. Then a magnificent thing happened. A Samoan, a member of the first fifteen suddenly appeared from nowhere, running at high speed. He raced between her and me and, catching the goat in a flying tackle, he up-ended it and sat on it. Eventually someone arrived with a piece of rope, and it was tethered and led away. We arrived at assembly, no finely honed thoughts, me puffing like a grampus, grass sticking out of my trousers, goat shit probably adhering to my shoes, for Peace Week."