Rathkeale College
Encyclopedia
Rathkeale College is a state-integrated Anglican boys secondary school on the outskirts of Masterton
, New Zealand
.
in Hadlow School. The foundation Headmaster was E.J. Norman, a housemaster from Christ's College
in Christchurch
, while the deputy headmaster was Bruce Hamilton, also of Christ's. The school was established in the homestead of Rathkeale farm, previously owned by the Maunsell family. The Rathkeale homestead is now known as School House. The school was officially opened in 1963 by Governor General Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson. The school was officially called St. Matthew's Collegiate School for Boys, but has always been known as Rathkeale College, after the farm on which it was situated. The farm's name comes from Rathkeale
in County Limerick
, Ireland
, where the Maunsell family was originally from.
schools; Rugby
House, Cranleigh
House, and Repton
House. In 2009 these were changed to Halberg, after gold medallist runner Sir Murray Halberg
, Hillary, after mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, and Blake, after yachtsman Sir Peter Blake
.
and tennis
, while the main winter sports are rugby
, hockey
and soccer. Rathkeale College has sports exchanges with Scots College
, Christ's College
, Lindisfarne College
, Hutt International Boys' School
, Wanganui Collegiate and St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
.
competition, and in previous years, a House drama competition. The college also offers lessons in many musical instruments, as well as the Viva Camerata choir
, combined with St. Matthew's Collegiate, and previously, a barbershop
group. Many small drama performances are produced by drama classes or for the Shelia Winn Shakespeare Festival, as well as a major school production being produced every year, which usually alternates between dramas and musicals. Past shows have included King Lear
, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
, The Crucible
, Footloose
, Les Misérables
and Twelfth Night.
services, and junior boys take religious education lessons. This special character has recently been enhanced by the purchase of a chapel for the school - St. Martin's on the Close, formerly St. Martin's Church, Mangaweka
. The chapel was purchased, moved and restored by the Friends of St. Martin's Trust. Former Board of Trustees chair Robyn Prior received the Bishop's Medal from Bishop of Wellington Tom Brown for her services in acquiring and restoring the chapel.
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
History
Rathkeale College was established in the 1960s to complete the family of schools managed by the St. Matthew's Schools Trust Board, which already had a girls school in St. Matthews Collegiate and a preparatory schoolPreparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
in Hadlow School. The foundation Headmaster was E.J. Norman, a housemaster from Christ's College
Christ's College, Canterbury
Christ's College, Christchurch is an independent, Anglican, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand....
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, while the deputy headmaster was Bruce Hamilton, also of Christ's. The school was established in the homestead of Rathkeale farm, previously owned by the Maunsell family. The Rathkeale homestead is now known as School House. The school was officially opened in 1963 by Governor General Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson. The school was officially called St. Matthew's Collegiate School for Boys, but has always been known as Rathkeale College, after the farm on which it was situated. The farm's name comes from Rathkeale
Rathkeale
Rathkeale is a town in west County Limerick, Ireland. It is located 30 km southwest of Limerick city on the N21 road to Tralee, and lies on the River Deel. Rathkeale has a significant Irish Traveller population....
in County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where the Maunsell family was originally from.
Governance
Rathkeale is currently owned by the Trinity Schools Trust, managed by the Trinity Schools Trust Board, chaired by John Greenwood, while the school is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Andrew Pottinger.Staff
Mr William J Kersten is the current Principal, with Mr M Grant Harper as Deputy Principal, Mrs Arlene du Cann as Assistant Principal and Mr James Clarke as Chaplain.Houses
Boys are split into three houses to compete in various sporting, cultural and academic competitions. The houses were originally named after old EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
schools; Rugby
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
House, Cranleigh
Cranleigh School
Cranleigh School is an independent English boarding school in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey. It was founded in 1865 as a boys' school and started to admit girls in the early 1970s. It is now co-educational. The current headmaster is Guy de W...
House, and Repton
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
House. In 2009 these were changed to Halberg, after gold medallist runner Sir Murray Halberg
Murray Halberg
Sir Murray Gordon Halberg, ONZ, MBE is a former New Zealand middle distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics. He also won gold medals in the 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games...
, Hillary, after mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, and Blake, after yachtsman Sir Peter Blake
Peter Blake (yachtsman)
Sir Peter James Blake, KBE was a New Zealand yachtsman who won the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy – setting the fastest time around the world of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran Enza, and led his country to successive victories in the America’s Cup...
.
Sport
Both summer and winter sport is compulsory at Rathkeale College, with a wide range of sports offered. The main summer sports are cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, while the main winter sports are rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
and soccer. Rathkeale College has sports exchanges with Scots College
Scots College, Wellington
Scots College is a private boys' primary and secondary school located in the suburb of Strathmore Wellington, New Zealand. The College comprises both the primary and secondary institutions - the primary school section is typically referred to as the Preparatory School and has its own Head Teacher...
, Christ's College
Christ's College, Canterbury
Christ's College, Christchurch is an independent, Anglican, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand....
, Lindisfarne College
Lindisfarne College, New Zealand
Lindisfarne College was established in Hastings, New Zealand in 1953 by the Herrick Family. The land was gifted by the Herricks and the school begun with a modest roll of 33 students however its roll has rapidly increased and in 2011 has over 500 students currently attending the college. The school...
, Hutt International Boys' School
Hutt International Boys' School
Hutt International Boys' School is a state integrated boys' secondary school in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. the Principal is Grahame Duffy, who was appointed to the role in 2001.-Foundation:...
, Wanganui Collegiate and St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
St Patrick's College is an Integrated Catholic boys' day and boarding Secondary School located in Silverstream, Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It was established by the Society of Mary in 1931 when the original St Patrick's College, Wellington was intended to be moved to a larger site more suited to a...
.
Culture
Houses compete in a range of cultural competitions, including a House music (choral and band) competition, House hakaHaka
Haka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment...
competition, and in previous years, a House drama competition. The college also offers lessons in many musical instruments, as well as the Viva Camerata choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, combined with St. Matthew's Collegiate, and previously, a barbershop
Barbershop music
Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era , is a style of a cappella, or unaccompanied vocal music characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a predominantly homophonic texture...
group. Many small drama performances are produced by drama classes or for the Shelia Winn Shakespeare Festival, as well as a major school production being produced every year, which usually alternates between dramas and musicals. Past shows have included King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
, The Crucible
The Crucible
The Crucible is a 1952 play by the American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatization of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. Miller wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism, when the US government blacklisted accused communists...
, Footloose
Footloose (musical)
Footloose is a 1998 musical based on the 1984 film of the same name. The music is by Tom Snow , the lyrics by Dean Pitchford , and the book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie.-Act 1:...
, Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
and Twelfth Night.
Special Character
As a State Integrated school, Rathkeale must have a "Special Character" to justify its existence. Rathkeale College's Special Character includes being single-sex, a boarding school, and having compulsory sport participation. However, the main factor is its Anglican religion. Boys attend weekly chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
services, and junior boys take religious education lessons. This special character has recently been enhanced by the purchase of a chapel for the school - St. Martin's on the Close, formerly St. Martin's Church, Mangaweka
Mangaweka
Mangaweka is a township on State Highway One , in the North Island of New Zealand, with a population of just over 200. It is between Taihape to the north and Hunterville to the south...
. The chapel was purchased, moved and restored by the Friends of St. Martin's Trust. Former Board of Trustees chair Robyn Prior received the Bishop's Medal from Bishop of Wellington Tom Brown for her services in acquiring and restoring the chapel.