Wellington College of Education

Wellington Teachers’ Training College was established in 1888.

A decision to expand the teacher training facilities in Wellington was made in the 1930s, however it was not until 1966 that the building of the Karori campus began. There were teacher training reforms in the mid-twentieth centenary that were triggered by increased populations after World War Two. [4] As well as being architecturally significant, the Wellington College of Education also has had many notable teachers and students over its long history, significantly in New Zealand’s education system, arts sector and Māori rights movement.[4]

Author David McGill, who attended in the early 1960s, says of his experience: "At teachers' college there were five girls for every boy. A whole world opened up. There were all these women, and it was so exciting. As students, we all wore desert boots, fishermen's knit jerseys. We'd go to cafes and pubs. Barrett's was the nearest pub, or the George. Girls weren't allowed into pubs, so we'd go into coffee bars with them.[5] Those were the days, at that wonderful teachers' college in Karori, with liberal teachers like Jack Shallcrass."[6]

Wellington Teachers Training College was renamed the Wellington College of Education in 1988 in line with government policy.[7][8][9]

2005 was the Faculty's 125th anniversary, the College having been originally established in 1880.[10]

Victoria University for marketing purposes often referred to the faculty as the University's College of Education, rather than as a faculty of the university. The University, in internal bulletins, refers to both a faculty and college fluidly: VicNews of 13 January 2005 apparently describes a "new Faculty of Education to oversee the degrees and diplomas awarded by it, and a new College of Education, consisting of four Schools," and later in that issue refers to a Victoria University College of Education.

• Fanny Irvine-Smith (1878–1948) Teacher, writer. Lectured in New Zealand history and Māori culture until 1932. These subjects were not taught much at this time and so this was quite unique. Irvine-Smith was also the president of the Wellington Teachers College dramatic society.[11][12]
• Doreen Blumhardt (1914–2009) Potter, ceramicist and arts educator (Head of the Art Department in the early years)[4]
• Apirana Mahuika (1934–2015) Māori leader and chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou.[13]
• Olive Smithells (1920–2007) Dancer and health instructor. Lecturer in health and physical education.[14]
• Jack Shallcrass (1922–2014) Writer and educationalist.[6]

• Marie Bell (1922–2012) New Zealand educationalist. Attended in 1939
• Iritana Te Rangi Tāwhiwhirangi (born 1929), advocate of Māori language education and the Kohanga Reo movement (1947–1948)[15]
• Sydney Jones (1894–1982), National MP for Hastings (1949–1954)[16]
• Cliff Whiting (1936–2017) Māori artist and teacher. Attended in 1955.
• Noel Hilliard (1929–1996) Journalist and novelist. Graduated in 1955.
• Sam Hunt (born 1946) Poet (1968)[17][18]
• Margie Abbott (born 1958) businessperson and the wife of Tony Abbott, the 28th Prime Minister of Australia (attended in 1974)
• Helen Kelly (1964–2016) Trade unionist. Enrolled in 1983, she also became the president of the student association.[19]
• George Lowe (1924–2013) Mountaineer.[20] Dates of attendance unknown.
• Roy Cowan (1918–2006). Potter, illustrator, and printmaker.[21] Dates of attendance unknown.
• David McGill (born 1942). Writer. Attended early 1960s.

• The Faculty's site
• Press releases/VicNews bulletins on the merger:
  • Merger finalised announcement
  • First press release by the University after the merger on the new Faculty
  • VicNews: Order-in-Council signed (PDF)
  • VicNews: Merger finalised (PDF)
  • First post-merger VicNews issue (PDF)