Mount Albert Grammar School

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Mount Albert Grammar School
Image:MAGS-logo.png
Motto Per Angusta Ad Augusta
"Through Hardship to Glory"
Type State, Co-educational, Secondary (Year 9-13) with boarding facilities
Year established 1922
Address Alberton Avenue,
Mt Albert,
Auckland,
New Zealand
Coordinates 36°53′4.52″S 174°43′31.2″E / -36.8845889, 174.725333Coordinates: 36°53′4.52″S 174°43′31.2″E / -36.8845889, 174.725333
Principal Dale Burden
School roll 2242
Socio-economic decile (10 is highest) 7[1]
Ministry of Education Institution no. 69
Website www.mags.school.nz

Mount Albert Grammar School is a semi co-educational state secondary school in Auckland. It teaches from year 9 to year 13. Mount Albert Grammar is one of the largest secondary schools in the country.

Contents

[edit] History

Mount Albert Grammar was founded in 1922 as a subsidiary of Auckland Grammar School, but now the two schools are governed separately. Mount Albert Grammar School was originally boys only, taking girls at year 9 in 2000, becoming semi co-educational in 2004. However, junior classes (years 9 and 10) are mostly single-sex while senior classes are mostly co-educational.

The school has a boarding hostel on a site known as Towers Hall (known as School House until 2000). It has full-time accommodation for up to 100 male students during school terms.

The School’s motto is Per Angusta Ad Augusta translated to “Through Hardship to Glory". The School Hymn, which is sung at all formal assemblies, was written by a student, J. A. W. Bennett, in 1928.[2]

[edit] Philips Aquatic Centre

View from the interior of the complex towards the competition pool
View from the interior of the complex towards the competition pool

The Philips Aquatic Centre is a joint venture between Mount Albert Grammar School and the Auckland City Council. It was officially opened by the Prime Minister of New Zealand in 1998. The facility contains a 25-metre competition pool with variable depth. and a leisure pool that features wave action and a water slide. The complex also features two spa pools, a sauna and a steam room.

[edit] Mount Albert Grammar School Farm

Mount Albert Grammar also boasts a 10.8 ha farm in the middle of Auckland city, home to sheep, pigs, rabbits, goats, cows, and poultry. The farm is adjacent to the school and operates as a separate entity funding itself since 1933. The land it is situated on belongs to an ASB Bank trust and cannot be used as land for class rooms by the school.

It has a farmer's cottage with a live-in manager. Students are able to study agriculture from Year 10 onwards with numbers growing each year. Agriculture students are provided with a plethora of opportunities to travel around the country on day trips and camps. They annually attend the Field Days at Mystery Creek, attend a six day camp at the Taratahi Rural Polytechnic.

These trips plus many more help students attain a goal of working in the agricultural industry and also provides the students with an opportunity to speak to other future farmers.

As well as a classroom for theoretical study the farm has a one-stand wool shed with full wool-handling facilities; sufficient pens to hold 150 sheep overnight; a two-stand walk-through milking shed with milking plant; an implement shed; and a unit for small animals.

[edit] Notable alumni

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Academic and sports

  • Sir Keith Sinclair - New Zealand historian
  • Emeritus Professor Russell Stone - Historian
  • Richard Dell – Scientist
  • Michael Bassett, QSO, NZ Medal - former senior lecturer in History at the University of Auckland 1964-1978. J.B. Smallman Professor of History at the University of Western Ontario 1992-1993. Former Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister.
  • J.A.W. (Jack) Bennett - former Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, 1964-1978. Fellow of the British Academy 1971.
  • Sir Graeme Davies, KBE - current Vice-chancellor of the University of London, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, and University of Liverpool.
  • Sonny Bill Williams, rugby league player for the Canterbury Bulldogs

Media

  • Simon Mercep - News and current affairs reporter for TVNZ since 1990. Current reporter for the Fair Go team.

Religion

Government

Industry

  • Sir Woolf Fisher - Co-Founder of Fisher & Paykel
  • Dr Chris Liddell - Chief Financial Officer Microsoft
  • Sir Alexander Ross - former NZ Reserve Bank deputy governor and former chairman British Commonwealth Games Federation.
  • Sir Daniel James Matthews - Former Chairman of the BNZ.

Public Service

  • Les Mills - Former Mayor of Auckland and athlete
  • Sir Robert (Bob) Mahuta - Commissioner of the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission. Chairman Maori Development Corporation.

Law

  • Judge Mick Brown - Former Principal Youth Court Judge. Past Chancellor of the University of Auckland 1986-1991

Education

  • Mr. G. Gregory Taylor, ONZM - Former history teacher and past Headmaster of Mount Albert Grammar School. First Old-Boy to become Headmaster.

Medicine

  • Sir John Scott, KBE, - former Professor of Medicine, The University of Auckland.

Science

  • E.G. (Ted) Bollard - former Research scientist at DSIR 1948-1980 and director of the horticulture and processing division. Pro-chancellor of The University of Auckland, 1989-1991
  • Sir Alan Stewart, KBE, CBE - former vice-chancellor of Massey University 1964.
  • Richard Matthews, Order of New Zealand. New Zealand 1990 Medal, Hector Medal of Royal Society of NZ, FRSNZ, FNZIC, FRS - Former Chairman of Toxic Substances Board, Health Department. Former President NZ Microbiological Society.

Music

[edit] Notable Staff

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  • Currently the longest serving member of staff is Mr E.B. Murphy BSc (NZ), DipTchg (ASTC), MNZAC. He taught biology from 1960 and is currently the School's Archivist.
  • Mr H.L. Towers MBE, BSc BA taught mathematics at the school from 1922 to 1979. He was the director of School House (now known as Towers Hall) for a number of years.
  • Mr G.L. ('Dad') Weir BA, taught at English and French from 1938 to 1978. He retired in 1966 but returned in 1967 to be the Acting Headmaster for a time.
  • Mr F.J. Douglas BA (London), DipReligiousStudies (Rome) taught French, German, Japanese, Latin and Social Studies at Mount Albert Grammar from 1968 to 2003. He was the longest serving languages teacher.
  • Mr B.H. King DipTchg (ASTC) taught mathematics at the school from 1968 to 2003.
  • Mrs E.L Goddard BA, DipTchg, Dip TL Teaches languages (French & German) from 1980 to present. Director of Information Literacy. She is also the longest serving female staff member.
  • Mr. G.J Cave has taught at the school since the 1970's, teaching classical studies and now the year 13 Dean.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Decile change 2007 to 2008 for state & state integrated schools
  2. ^ Notable Albertians. Mount Albert Grammar School.
  3. ^ / Mother of God Brothers ; / Wagga Wagga Catholic diocese

[edit] See also

[edit] External links