Whangārei Boys' High School's logo could undergo change. Photo / John Stone
Whangārei Boys' High School's logo could undergo change. Photo / John Stone
The crest which has represented Whangārei Boys' High School for more than 100 years is facing change - and a group of old boys from the class of '59 isn't happy.
The school has been consulting with students, staff, parents and old boys regarding the rebrand of the school's currentlogo, which was designed by its first headmaster Roger Lupton in the early 1900s.
Consultation has seen two new designs made public - a contemporary design with koru and a wave on either side of the anchor arms, representing past and future; and a traditional design similar to the current logo but lacking a chain on the anchor.
For 12 of 14 old boys from the class of '59, neither option is popular.
David Hutley said he didn't see any point in the change.
"We don't want it to change. We don't see any purpose in the change at all. It's not that we don't like those two logos - it's that it's not necessary to change them," he said.
"I think it is important that we try to keep that history of the school," he said.
"To some extent the history of the school, with the moving of it down to the bottom grounds, is being eroded. And why make a change? If it's not broke, don't fix it."
Crests
Hutley also suggested the school motto "Developing Boys into Fine Men" should be changed to "Developing Boys into Fine Adults" saying the use of the word men was "sexist" and not "politically correct".
School principal Karen Gilbert-Smith said the rebranding was a chance to ensure consistency in the size, shape, font and colour of the crest for the school's move into the new buildings to be built from next year.
It would mean there was one brand to be used on everything from letterheads to signage, she said.
"There are a number of iterations of the anchor currently existing and the board had a desire and opportunity, because of the rebuild, to gather some options - which has actually been done by an old boy - and put that forward for consultation."
The rebuild is the result of a $50 million investment announced in 2017 by then Prime Minister Bill English and Nikki Kaye, who was Education Minister at the time.
Gilbert-Smith said there were currently versions of the logo where the background colour of the crest, and angle and cross of the anchor differ.
She said the designer of the two logos first researched what already existed before coming up with the options.
The chain was left out because it was a tidier design, she said.
"You can appreciate that the replication of the chain - when it comes to embroidery and printing - sometimes doesn't come out as crisply and cleanly as the image does without."
The "boys into fine men" motto wasn't part of the brand, she said.
"It's the long understood, supported kaupapa of the school."
Gilbert-Smith said she was disappointed the class of '59 had chosen to see the rebranding in a "negative light" and said their views had not been consistent with feedback from other stakeholders.
"There's been good clear understanding from our current community that we do want to establish a brand to move forward with and we've had positive responses from all stakeholders," she said.
The feedback on the designs will be presented to the board next Tuesday night but Gilbert-Smith was not sure if a logo would be selected at that meeting.
