New entrants link to school’s roots

Celebrating Barton Rural’s Fairview School origins are (from left) former Fairview School board chairwoman Marian Mehrtens, her grandson Beau Ogg, 5, and Beau’s mother Nicole Ogg (who went to Fairview school) holding new baby Georgia Ogg. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

It was a special moment at Barton Rural school earlier this term when two new entrant pupils, possessing ties to the formation of the school, started on the same day.

Beau Ogg’s grandmother, Marian Mehrtens, was board chair of Fairview School and Felix Washbourn’s grandfather, Tony Brien, was on the board at Claremont school when the two schools were part of a merger in 2004.

Showing off their ties to Claremont School are (from left) Seymour Washbourn, Felix Washbourn, 5, Henry Washbourn, 6, Natalie Washbourn (who went to Claremont school) and Sandra Brien (wife of Tony Brien, who was on the board at Claremont School).

Now, 21 years later, the two grandsons of those board members both started at Barton Rural on October 6.

In 2004, the government wanted to close Fairview School and Claremont School and send all of the students into town schools.

The rural families of the schools at the time were against this.

Marian Mehrtens was instrumental in lobbying the government to save the two rural schools.

Both school boards at the time put in hours of work trying to save the rural schools and eventually suggested to the government that both Fairview and Claremont Schools combine and remain open on the Fairview School site.

The government agreed to this and the new school was named Barton Rural School.

Without their foresight, hard work and commitment to rural schools, Barton Rural School would not exist today.

— Allied Media

Timaru Courier