Historic school bell tolls from new tower

OLD SCHOOL BELL: The school bell at Masterton Primary School, which is more than 130 years old, is back and ready to toll. Pictured in the newly built tower housing the bell and the mostly original weather vane are Year 1 pupils from the school, Sadida Kukutai (front left), beside Maddy Cocks, and Bianca Neligan (rear left), beside Toni-Robin Reiri.

A retro-fitted bell tower has been raised in a central place of honour at Masterton Primary School complete with its more than 130-year-old bell and mostly original weather vane.

School office manager Karen Brown said the newly built and painted bell tower, which replaced dilapidated housing that had rotting timbers, was returned to the school over the winter school holidays after a drive started last year to refurbish the structure.

The bell tower had originally sat atop the Masterton District High School building, which opened in 1882 in Russell St - between Queen and Chapel Sts - having been relocated from the corner of Lincoln Rd and Chapel St, where the initial Masterton Central School opened in 1865.

MPS teacher Debbie Carman discovered the bell had first tolled students to class on April 24 in 1882.

At one point in its history, a request was made by firefighters to use the school bell as a fire bell, as the defunct Kuripuni Fire Station was just over the southern boundary of the school on Queen St.

In 1923, Wairarapa College was established and Masterton District High School became a primary school, renamed Masterton Central School.

In 1970, the school moved to South Rd and with the school mergers in 2004 was renamed Masterton Primary School.

Students had used a long rope to ring the bell when it sat atop the school building, although MPS pupils may still ring the bell at arm's length away at ground level, wearing ear muffs to dull the peal.

Mrs Brown said retired Masterton builder Merv Brown had been "the driving force" behind the revamp of the bell tower, which will be officially opened next week at a ceremony to which a number of dignitaries had been invited, including Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson.

"Mervyn Brown was the driving force and there have been hundreds of hours, lots of materials, and lots of people and supporters involved in making this happen."