Christchurch Boys' High School

Christchurch Boys' High School
Location
Straven Road, Riccarton, Christchurch
Coordinates	43°31′29″S 172°35′57″E / 43.5246°S 172.5992°E / -43.5246; 172.5992Coordinates: 43°31′29″S 172°35′57″E / 43.5246°S 172.5992°E / -43.5246; 172.5992
Information
Type	State Single sex boys secondary (Year 9-13) with boarding facilities
Motto	Latin: Altiora Peto "I Seek Higher Things"
Established	18 May 1881
Ministry of Education Institution no.	327
Principal	Trevor McIntyre
School roll	1380
Socio-economic decile	9[1]
Website	cbhs.school.nz

CBHS vs. Nagasaki Kita HS, Global Arena, 2006

Christchurch Boys' High School is a single sex state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated on a 12 hectare site between the suburbs of Riccarton and Fendalton, 4 kilometres to the west of central Christchurch. The school also provides boarding facilities for 130 boys, in a newly refurbished residence called Adams House, located about 500 metres to the east. The schools colours are deep blue and black with an occasional flash of gold.

History

Established in 1881, the prime purpose of Christchurch Boys' High School was to prepare students for enrolment into the then newly formed Canterbury College, now known as the University of Canterbury.^[2] Consequently, it was initially co-located with the College in downtown Christchurch, at the site of the modern-day Christchurch Arts Centre. As the university and school expanded, the school moved to its present location on Straven Road in 1926.^[3] The school's present site was originally a farm owned by Canterbury’s pioneer settlers, the Deans, and several buildings from the Deans' farm still stand on the grounds.

Christchurch Boys' High School has a rich sporting and academic history and boasts many traditions. The school has produced many All Blacks, with only Auckland Grammar having produced more. The school can also lay claim to several famous cricketers. There is a unique ANZAC Day service each year that is compulsory for new students of the school to attend to commemorate the hundreds of Old Boys' that fought and died in the two World Wars. The school song 'Altiora Peto' has a third verse that is only heard on this day. In 2004 CBHS provided 2 of New Zealands 'top scholars', one of only 3 schools to do so with the other two both being girls-only schools in the Auckland region.^[4]

Of note is the fierce rivalry Boys' High has with Christ's College, Canterbury and the annual Christ's College / Boys' High rugby match is a major event in any calendar year. This rivalry harks back over a hundred years to when the schools were not only the first two all male schools to be founded in Canterbury, but also conveniently situated within 100 metres of each other.

Of late, the school's cultural activities have gained some prominence, in particular its dramatic and musical productions^[5] where it often joins forces with its sister school, Christchurch Girls' High School.

Notable alumni

Main category: Former students of Christchurch Boys' High School.

Christchurch Boys HS 2006 Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament champions at Global Arena

Arts

• Rewi Alley - writer, social reformer
• Brian Brake - photographer
• Allen Curnow - poet
• Alan Duff - writer
• Jason Gunn - radio and television personality
• Sir David Low - cartoonist
• Bill Sutton - Artist
• Niel Wright - poet and critic

Military

• James Burrows - army commander (also an All Black)
• Sir Leonard Monk Isitt - air force leader
• Sir Howard Kippenberger - army commander
• Keith Thiele - WWII pilot

Politics

• Dr Donald Brash - leader of the ACT Party, former leader of the National Party and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
• George William Forbes - Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935, first leader of the National Party
• Bruce Jesson - left-wing activist
• Keith Locke - spokesperson on international affairs, defence and disarmament issues for the last decade (for NewLabour, the Alliance, and now the Green Party)
• Sir Maui Pomare - Māori politician, doctor, reformer
• Tony Steel - former All Black, Headmaster of Hamilton Boys' High School and Member of Parliament

Aerial view of CBHS, December 2005

Sport

Christchurch Boys' High has one of the richest sporting alumni of any school in New Zealand, having produced the Hadlee brothers (cricket) and numerous All Black rugby footballers (42 in total) who have gone on to represent New Zealand with great distinction.

Athletics

• David Ambler - sprinter

Cricket

• Geoff Allott - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Chris Cairns - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Lee Germon - Captain New Zealand Cricket Team
• Dayle Hadlee - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Sir Richard Hadlee - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Walter Hadlee - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Blair Hartland - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Llorne Howell - New Zealand Cricket Team
• Chris Martin - New Zealand Cricket Team

Football

• Ben Sigmund - All Whites footballer

Rugby Union

• Daniel Carter - All Black
• Bob Deans - All Black
• Bob Duff - All Black
• Ben Franks - All Black
• Owen Franks - All Black
• Daryl Gibson - All Black
• Scott Hamilton - All Black
• Steve Hansen - All Blacks assistant coach, Wales coach
• Graham Henry - All Blacks coach, Wales coach
• David Hewett - All Black
• Richard Loe - All Black
• Aaron Mauger - All Black
• Fergie McCormick - All Black
• Andrew Mehrtens - All Black
• James Paterson – USA Eagle
• Colin Slade - All Black
• Adam Thomson - All Black
• Patrick Vincent - All Black captain

Speedway

• Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE - Six time Speedway World Champion

See also

• High School Old Boys RFC

References

1. ^ Decile change 2007 to 2008 for state & state integrated schools
2. ^ Cresswell, Douglas (1956). Eight Christchurch Schools. Christchurch: The Pegasus Press. p. 5.  As quoted in Mercurio, Joseph A. (1972), Caning: Educational Ritual, Syracuse University, p. 6, http://rapidshare.com/files/176886582/19408.pdf 
3. ^ CBHS 2004 Prospectus
4. ^ CBHS. "Top Scholars Announced". http://www.cbhs.school.nz/school/news/_2005/960_topscholars/. Retrieved 2006-07-11. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ On Chunuk Bair. p7: The Christchurch Press. 2002-08-27. 

External links

• Official Christchurch Boys' High School website
• Adams House Boarding Hostel
• Christchurch Boys' HS Rugby Club Official Website