Longburn Adventist College
Encyclopedia
Longburn Adventist College is an integrated co-educational Christian school in New Zealand for years 7 to 13. It is located just west of Palmerston North
in the Manawatu District
in the small dairy town of Longburn
. From the 26 February 2009 the college had 291 pupils enrolled.
in 1908 and was originally sited at Pukekura
, near Cambridge
. The founder principal was Pastor Frank Chaney from Massachusetts
. He was the principal
, and was responsible for the design and construction of the original school, built largely with volunteer student labour.
A decision was made to relocate the college to Longburn in 1913 to be closer to the centre of the country's population at that time. Initially the college at Longburn was known as the 'Oroua Missionary College'.
In the early days of the college, the focus was on training young people for missionary
service and most students worked, as well as studied, to pay their fees. The college ran a dairy farm, commercial vegetable garden, glasshouses, a basket factory and a lampshade business and it was from these enterprises that students earned their fees. Subjects originally offered included building construction, agriculture, secretarial and Bible work.
, secondary school classes were added to the courses offered at Longburn and in the 1960s the first year of a BA
in Theology
was offered. Primary teacher training was offered in the early 1970s until 1990. Up until the 1970s most Longburn students were boarders, but day students began to increase in numbers as local residents took advantage of the secondary schooling offered at Longburn.
In the late 1980s the college began to struggle for student numbers as the fees needed to run a private school
excluded a number of potential students.
In 1993 Longburn became a fully state-integrated school
operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and student numbers have increased to around the 280-300 mark each year.
Longburn Adventist College is now a Year 7-13 school with the majority of the students being day students, mainly from the Palmerston North
area.
. The new principal announced was Bruce Sharp who has now taken the role. Sharp was already a teacher at the school when he applied for the position.
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
in the Manawatu District
Manawatu District
The Manawatu District is a district in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region in the North Island of New Zealand.-Location:"The Manawatu", as it is usually called, is located in the southwest of the island, close to the river which shares its name...
in the small dairy town of Longburn
Longburn
Longburn is a rural settlement just outside of Palmerston North in the Manawatu-Wanganui area of New Zealand. Made up of large dairy processing plants Longburn is often mistaken to be a small township and not seen as a large satellite town of Palmerston North...
. From the 26 February 2009 the college had 291 pupils enrolled.
History
The college was founded by the Seventh-day Adventist ChurchSeventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
in 1908 and was originally sited at Pukekura
Pukekura
Pukekura is located near Lake Ianthe in the West Coast region of the South Island. State Highway 6 passes through Pukekura on its route between Ross and Harihari, and the settlement is roughly 35 minutes south of Hokitika and an hour north of Franz Josef Glacier...
, near Cambridge
Cambridge, New Zealand
Cambridge is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated 24 kilometres southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions".In the 1840s Cambridge had a Maori population but in the 1850's missionaries and...
. The founder principal was Pastor Frank Chaney from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He was the principal
Principal (academia)
The Principal is the chief executive and the chief academic officer of a university or college in certain parts of the Commonwealth.-Canada:...
, and was responsible for the design and construction of the original school, built largely with volunteer student labour.
A decision was made to relocate the college to Longburn in 1913 to be closer to the centre of the country's population at that time. Initially the college at Longburn was known as the 'Oroua Missionary College'.
In the early days of the college, the focus was on training young people for missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
service and most students worked, as well as studied, to pay their fees. The college ran a dairy farm, commercial vegetable garden, glasshouses, a basket factory and a lampshade business and it was from these enterprises that students earned their fees. Subjects originally offered included building construction, agriculture, secretarial and Bible work.
After World War II
Following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, secondary school classes were added to the courses offered at Longburn and in the 1960s the first year of a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
was offered. Primary teacher training was offered in the early 1970s until 1990. Up until the 1970s most Longburn students were boarders, but day students began to increase in numbers as local residents took advantage of the secondary schooling offered at Longburn.
In the late 1980s the college began to struggle for student numbers as the fees needed to run a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
excluded a number of potential students.
In 1993 Longburn became a fully state-integrated school
Secondary education in New Zealand
Secondary education in New Zealand takes up to five years, covering the ages 13 to 18, corresponding to the school years 9 to 13.- Types of school :...
operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and student numbers have increased to around the 280-300 mark each year.
Longburn Adventist College is now a Year 7-13 school with the majority of the students being day students, mainly from the Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
area.
New principal
In 2006 the school's roll was approved by the Ministry of Education for an increase. This was met with much relief, meaning more options available for students to choose from as well as helping the school to rise up from the financial difficulties it had faced since before previous principal Brian Mercer. In 2006 Mercer and vice principal Terry Rogers resigned from their roles to return to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The new principal announced was Bruce Sharp who has now taken the role. Sharp was already a teacher at the school when he applied for the position.
Former names
- Pukekura Training School (Cambridge) 1908-1912
- Oroua Missionary College 1913-1923
- New Zealand Missionary College 1924-1966
- Longburn College 1967-1985
- Longburn Adventist College 1986-
See also
- List of schools in New Zealand
- List of Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools
- Seventh-day Adventist educationSeventh-day Adventist educationThe Seventh-day Adventist educational system is the second-largest Christian school system in the world, after the Roman Catholic system ....