Taiko School Site, Rosewill Settlement

​This old building sits on a corner of the road opposite the Taiko war memorial at the junction of Taiko Hall Rd and Sutherlands Rd.

Following land reform legislation in 1892 the Levels Estate was split into over 200 small farms and sections, the district was named Rosewill Settlement. An influx of families successful in the 1904 ballot meant a school was required to service the area.

A 4.5 acre block, which had been donated by a local farmer, Mr J. Armstrong, was decided to be the ideal location.

The Department of Education used their then standard design for a 1 teacher classroom which was fairly basic but fulfilled the requirements of the day. The local school opened in May 1906 with a role of 22 children headed by Miss Honora Crowley. It continued to run for the next 42 years with the annual roll fluctuating between 12 and 30 pupils, 250 pupils and 13 teachers in total over its 42 years of operation.

The School Board of 5 local residents oversaw the running of the school that provided a curriculum of arithmetic, English, geography, history and domestic skills. Older pupils were harnessed into assisting with school maintenance and as helpers in the classroom.

The building also served as a centre for the community with meetings, services, social, cultural and sporting events being held here. The school grounds boasted a rifle range and tennis court.

Fundraising events including dances, card evenings and working bees helped to keep the building and grounds in good condition.

Eventually the costs of running these small sole charge schools became prohibitive and this coincided with improvements in roading and transport services so in 1948 the school closed and amalgamated with the Pleasant Point District High School as did many other small local country schools.

This did not mean the end for the building which became the Community Hall and in 1957 it was legally gazetted as a Hall site. After ongoing modifications and renovations it is still locally managed and serves as a social centre for the Taiko community.

Most of this information came from the information board on the roadside outside the gates of the hall, this was unveiled in a small ceremony on the 8th December 2020, an event attended by around 60 local people including some past pupils.

Karen Rolleston