Jean was pleasantly surprised as she cleared out and sorted the boxes from her previous home. Among the items, she discovered a bundle of parcels wrapped in bubble wrap and a large plastic bag. To her delight, these were small award cups, a testament to her achievements in school and sports.
Jean vividly remembered the moment she received the award cup in 1972 from the late Athol Jackson, the Principal of Hamilton West School. It was a proud moment for her, as she had achieved the highest reading scores throughout 1972 in the classroom, a feat that was recognised and celebrated with the award cup.
During an interview with Julie C. (note not Julie P., as her maiden name starts with C.) and Shelley J. (note not Shelley J., as her married name with the first letter was R before she was married.), a mystery unfolded: both Julie C. and Shelley J. had received an award cup. However, the reason for it remained a puzzle, lost in the memories of their time at the school.
Jean has no idea who the previous D/deaf students are who received an award cup at the Hamilton West School because they have not come forward to assist Jean with this project. Moving forward, Jean will continue to collect archives and photos from two past Teachers of the Deaf and one late teacher aide. Additionally, Jean will conduct research at the library and on various online websites.
Waikato Deaf Units Schools History 
Leave a comment