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Palmerston North Boys' High School
Palmerston North Boys' High School
	Crest of Palmerston North Boys' High School
Address
	263 Featherston St, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Coordinates	40°20′55″S 175°36′26″E / 40.3485°S 175.6073°E
Information
Other names	PNBHS, Palmy Boys'
Type	State, day and boarding secondary school
Motto	Nihil Boni Sine Labore; commonly translated as 'Nothing Achieved Without Hard Work'
Established	1902; 123 years ago
Sister school	Palmerston North Girls' High School
Ministry of Education Institution no.	202
Rector	David M. Bovey
Grades	9–13
Gender	Boys
School roll	1,722 (November 2024)
Socio-economic decile	8P
Website	pnbhs.school.nz

Palmerston North Boys' High School is a boys' school in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Location

Palmerston North Boys' High School has a campus located on Featherston Street between Rangitikei and North Streets in the central city. There are secondary entrances to the school on Wellesbourne Street, Ivanhoe Terrace, Edgeware Road and North Street. The rear boundary is shared with Queen Elizabeth College.

Students and school culture

Most of the school's approximately 1,700 students are "day boys" from Palmerston North and surrounding townships such as Ashhurst, Levin, and Feilding. Around 170 boys are housed in an onsite boarding hostel – College House (also known as 'Murray House,' after former Rector John Murray; his former home is part of the hostel.^[4]

History and controversy

In 1902, Palmerston North High School was established as a co-educational secondary school with an initial roll of 84 students (40 boys and 44 girls). The first classes were held at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church Sunday School hall. In 1920, Palmerston North High School was split into two single-sex schools: Palmerston North Girls' High School and Palmerston North Boys' High School.

In a 1990 case, M & R v Syms and the Board of Trustees of Palmerston North Boys High School [2003] NZAR 705,^[5] the plaintiffs challenged the steps taken by the rector in suspending both students for consumption of alcohol, and later by the board expelling M. McGechan J gave judgment for the plaintiffs holding that the rector's discretion as to whether to suspend the pupils "is not to be ignored, as if non-existent. Nor is it to be fettered by a principal through self-imposed rules permitting no exceptions". The judge further found that the board did not exercise its mind on the ultimate discretion whether or not to uplift suspension or procure removal.^[6]

In September 2006 the school had an outbreak of tuberculosis in which a substantial number of students contracted a latent form of tuberculosis, as well as a small number of students who had active tuberculosis.^[7]^[8] There was a second, smaller outbreak in 2010.^[9]^[10]^[11]

The then-rector, Tim O'Connor, was awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship and the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award in 2007.^[12]

In August 2017 the school was hit with media attention as a year 12 student was denied access to the ball as he did not have a partner to go with.^[13]

Rectors

The school has had ten rectors since 1902:

Period	Rector
1902	William Gray
1902–1918	John E. Vernon
1919–1946	John Murray
1947–1954	O. J. Begg
1954–1963	Edward S. Craven
1963–1970	Percy A. Muirhead
1971–1987	Eric D. P. White
1987–2002	D. A. Syms
2002–2012	T. M. O'Connor
2012–present	D. M. Bovey^[14]

Facilities

The school has the following facilities:

These include:

Library
ICT computer suites
Specialised technology/workshop block
College House – Boarding facilities for approximately 180 students^[15]
War Memorial Gallery and archive room

The school has 12 main teaching blocks.^[16]

College House

College House is a boarding facility for approximately 180 students^[17] College House provides seven day boarding for students that attend Palmerston North Boys' High School. Seven day boarding means that students can remain in the hostel during the weekends. Parents apply for weekend leave to allow their sons to go home in any given weekend.

Cultural

Ian Colquhoun Memorial Hall – 1700-seat auditorium
The Speirs Centre

Recording facilities
Rehearsal rooms
David A. Syms Auditorium – 400-seat theatre

Little Theatre – 80-seat theatre

Sporting

Two multiuse gymnasiums
Full-sized basketball court
Weights room
Heated indoor swimming pool
Two rugby fields
Football field
Three artificial cricket wickets and a grass wicket
Cricket training nets
Astroturf all-weather tennis and hockey courts
Two sports pavilions
Grandstand

Clubs

Palmerston North Boys' High School is divided into six 'clubs'.^[18] On enrolment students are placed in a club at random, or into a house with a family tie. Staff are also placed in clubs, with the exception of the Rector.

The clubs names and colours are as follows:

Colours		Name	Reason for name
		Albion	Named for the founding club secretary
		Gordon	Named for the founding club secretary
		Kia Ora	The reason for this name unknown. See: Kia Ora.
		Murray	Named for former Rector Mr John Murray
		Phoenix	Named for the Phoenix on the school crest
		Vernon	Named for the school's second Rector, Mr J. Vernon

Murray Club, also known as College House, is composed of the school's boarding students.

The Clubs compete in sports and codes, including team sports, individual sports, and whole club activities, such as Road-Race and Marching competitions. For each code the clubs are ranked first to last, with the winning club gaining one point, and the loser gaining six. The club with the fewest points at the end of the school year wins the Shand Shield.

Sports

The school has experienced success nationally in sports such as football, cycling, badminton, squash, basketball, hockey and rugby.^[19]^[20]

The rugby union 1st XV plays in an all-white strip. Other rugby teams from Boys' High are likely to play in blue and white hooped jerseys, similar to Auckland or St Kentigern College.

Notable alumni

Sport

Cricket

Dane Cleaver – Black Caps
Jamie How – Black Caps
Adam Milne – Black Caps
Jacob Oram – Black Caps
David O'Sullivan – Black Caps
Victor Pollard – Black Caps and All White
Mathew Sinclair – Black Caps
Ian Smith – Black Caps and commentator
Derek Stirling – Black Caps
Ross Taylor – Black Caps
George Worker – Black Caps
Bryan Yuile – Black Caps

Cycling

Jesse Sergent – Olympic bronze medalist
Simon van Velthooven – Olympic bronze medalist
Campbell Stewart - Olympic silver medalist

Football

Stu Jacobs – All Whites, New Zealand Olympic coach
Steven Old – All Whites
Jarrod Smith – All Whites
Alex Rufer – All Whites
Adrian Elrick – All Whites

Golf

Craig Perks – former PGA tour golfer

Hockey

Nick Wilson – Black Sticks
Hayden Phillips – Black Sticks

Kayaking

Ian Ferguson – Olympic gold medalist
Ben Fouhy – Olympic silver medalist

Motor Racing

Brendon Hartley – 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship
Jono Lester – Japanese Super GT
Chris Pither – V8 Supercars

Rugby

Kurt Baker – IRB Sevens player, Manawatu and Taranaki representative
Josh Bradnock – Hurricanes
Francis Bryant – Manawatu Turbos
Dean Budd – Italy, Benetton
Craig Clare – Manawatu, Otago, Highlanders, Bay of Plenty
Aaron Cruden – All Blacks
Jason Eaton – All Blacks
Jason Emery – Manawatu Turbos, Highlanders
Ma'afu Fia – Highlanders
Mark Finlay – All Blacks
Ben Funnell – Crusaders
Hamish Gard – Canterbury
Jackson Hemopo – All Blacks, Highlanders, Manawatu Turbos
Emosi Koloto – Manawatu, Wellington and Tonga
Ngani Laumape – All Blacks, Hurricanes, Manawatu Turbos
Johnny Leota – Highlanders
Lifeimi Mafi – Munster
Hadleigh Parkes – Scarlets, Southern Kings, Welsh Grand Slam Winner.
Liam Squire – All Blacks, Highlanders, Tasman Mako
Andre Taylor – New Zealand Maori
Jade Te Rure – Manawatu Turbos, Edinburgh
Brent Thompson – Hurricanes
Rob Thompson – Canterbury, Highlanders, Maori All Blacks
Doug Tietjens – Highlanders
Grant Webb – Newport Gwent Dragons
Craig Wickes – All Blacks

Rugby League

Emosi Koloto – New Zealand Kiwis
Ngani Laumape – New Zealand Warriors (rugby league), Hurricanes, Manawatu (rugby union), All Blacks

Politics and public service

Harold Barrowclough (1894–1972), Chief Justice of New Zealand (1953–1966)
Douglas Carter (1908–1988), National MP representing the Raglan electorate^[21]
Trevor de Cleene (1933–2001), Labour MP representing the Palmerston North electorate^[22]
Gaven Donne (1914–2010), Chief Justice of Samoa, Niue, the Cook Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu^[23]
Jonathan Hunt (born 1938), Speaker of the House and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
Major-General Brian Poananga (1924–1995), Chief of the General Staff, New Zealand Army^[24]
Grant Smith, Mayor of Palmerston North (2015–present).^[25]

Television

Shane Cortese – NZ theatre and TV actor
Peter Land – UK theatre and TV actor
Hamish McKay – NZ television presenter
Richard Wilkins – television presenter
Jed Brophy – TV and film actor – Lord of the Rings
Clarke Gayford – Fisherman and TV personality
Jeremy Corbett – TV presenter – Comedian

Other

H. W. Gretton – poet, lyricist, teacher, journalist, diarist and soldier
Simon Grigg – music industry entrepreneur, archivist and writer
Aaron Hape – Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Fred Hollows – ophthalmologist
Bob McDowall – freshwater fish scientist
Barry Mora – opera singer
Simon Moutter – CEO of Spark NZ
John Panting – artist
David Shand – International Civil servant
Colin Webster-Watson – artist
Guthrie Wilson – novelist and educator
Gregor W. Yeates – scientist

References

^ "New rector takes charge next term". Manawatu Standard. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
^ "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
^ "Boarding at College House". Palmerston North Boys' High School. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
^ "Ministry of Education - Principal's decision". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
^ "EXCLUSION AND EXPULSION FROM SCHOOL – JUSTIFIED OR UNJUSTIFIED? - Jamieson Partners". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
^ Tuberculosis (TB) at Palmerston North Boys' High School Archived 8 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
^ "TB rampant at Palmerston North Boys High". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ "Tuberculosis case linked to 2006 school outbreak". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ "TB case linked to 2006 school outbreak". Stuff. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ "More students to be tested after boy develops TB". RNZ News. 12 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
^ "The Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards". Sunday Star Times. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
^ "Old school ball rule needs to be ditched, says Palmerston North teenager". Stuff. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
^ "New Boys' High rector announced". Manawatu Standard. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
^ "College House".
^ "School Map".
^ "College House".
^ "Shand Shield".
^ "Cricket". PNBHS Website.
^ "Rugby". PNBHS Website.
^ Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 303. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
^ Hancock, Mervyn (December 2005). "Trevor Albert De Cleene : Member of Parliament for Palmerston North 1981–1990" (PDF). Palmerston North Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
^ "Judge who toppled a government dies, aged 95". 3 News. NZPA. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
^ Poananga, Henare Matauru (Pon). "Poananga, Brian Matauru – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
^ "Grant Smith elected mayor of Palmerston North". Stuff. Fairfax New Zealand. Manawatu Standard. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2018.

External links

[1] "New rector takes charge next term". Manawatu Standard. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.

[NZ_school_roll_data-2] "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.

[3] "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2015.

[4] "Boarding at College House". Palmerston North Boys' High School. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

[5] "Ministry of Education - Principal's decision". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2011.

[6] "EXCLUSION AND EXPULSION FROM SCHOOL – JUSTIFIED OR UNJUSTIFIED? - Jamieson Partners". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.

[7] Tuberculosis (TB) at Palmerston North Boys' High School Archived 8 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine

[8] "TB rampant at Palmerston North Boys High". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[9] "Tuberculosis case linked to 2006 school outbreak". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[10] "TB case linked to 2006 school outbreak". Stuff. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[11] "More students to be tested after boy develops TB". RNZ News. 12 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2022.

[12] "The Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards". Sunday Star Times. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2007.

[13] "Old school ball rule needs to be ditched, says Palmerston North teenager". Stuff. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2023.

[14] "New Boys' High rector announced". Manawatu Standard. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.

[15] "College House".

[16] "School Map".

[17] "College House".

[18] "Shand Shield".

[19] "Cricket". PNBHS Website.

[20] "Rugby". PNBHS Website.

[Gustafson-21] Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 303. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.

[De_Cleene_parliamentary_bio-22] Hancock, Mervyn (December 2005). "Trevor Albert De Cleene : Member of Parliament for Palmerston North 1981–1990" (PDF). Palmerston North Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.

[3News_148670-23] "Judge who toppled a government dies, aged 95". 3 News. NZPA. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2011.

[DNZB_Poananga-24] Poananga, Henare Matauru (Pon). "Poananga, Brian Matauru – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 October 2012.

[25] "Grant Smith elected mayor of Palmerston North". Stuff. Fairfax New Zealand. Manawatu Standard. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2018.

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Palmerston North Boys' High School