A final farewell to school

Tears marked a final farewell from more than 50 people at Lansdowne Primary School yesterday on the eve of its demolition.
Included in the crowd of former pupils and teachers, Masterton civic leaders and iwi authority representatives was Richard Williams, who was principal at the school when it closed in 2003 with the merging of schools in the town.
Mr Williams said the blessing ceremony, led by Archdeacon Hariata Tahana, and a last walk around the grounds of a school that he led for seven years, had left him "speechless".
Arsonists and vandals have repeatedly attacked the abandoned school, which also became a long-term shelter for a homeless man. A community group was formed this year that lobbied for the razing of the buildings.
The site is subject to Maori land claims and claimants and the Office of Treaty Settlements, acting as custodians of the school, decided to go ahead with demolition to ensure public safety.
Mr Williams described the dereliction as "obscene".
"We came along expecting to be really sad but it's just a set of grubby old buildings now," Mr Williams said. "The spirit of the place went with the school cat and the kids - it's gone."
Other past pupils who bid farewell to the school yesterday were Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell, businessman Rick Long, whose father and four children attended Lansdowne in their day, and Castlepoint Surf School founder Miles Ratima.
Seven years ago the Ministry of Education closed Lansdowne and Totara Drive schools and merged their rolls with Hiona Intermediate to form Lakeview School on the intermediate site on Te Ore Ore Rd.
Cornwall St School was closed and merged with West School, becoming Douglas Park School in Cole St. Also closed was Harley St School, which was merged with Central School to form Masterton Primary School in South Rd.
Harley St and Lansdowne Primary became frequent targets of arsonists, vandals and thieves.
There have been 10 fires at Lansdowne Primary School and at least six blazes at Harley St School before its sale last year.
Lansdowne Primary School was opened in February 1909 with a roll of 81 and a staff of three teachers.
Masterton firm Bruce Buchanan won the tender to demolish all buildings at the Lansdowne site.