Deseret News | Reader comments: New Zealand school leaves legacy of leadership

Reader comments
School leaves legacy of leadership

ramper | 5:31 a.m. July 8, 2009

Sorry! I must have missed something here. Why is the place being closed?

Eileene | 7:01 a.m. July 8, 2009

The article does not say WHY the school is closing. With such a rich history what is the cause of its demise.

dbf | 8:44 a.m. July 8, 2009

The school was built to provide High School level education at a time when New Zealand didn't have a very good educational system. It was also to provide a good religous base for youth when the Church wasn't very strong in that country. That is not the case today and the church can't justify the cost anymore.
I graduated from CCNZ in 1972 and am sad to see it close, but I understand the decision.

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 8:55 a.m. July 8, 2009

Why does (or I guess did) the Church own a High School?

ramper | 12:45 p.m. July 8, 2009

Re: dbf

Appreciate you shedding some light on why the school was closing. I would have thought the writer of the article would have thought it important enough to include it.

lpw | 1:51 p.m. July 8, 2009

New Zealand always had a high standard of education and a requirement for youg people to attend highschool by law. Even at the time the college was built every child under the age of 15 was required to attend school and this was in fact the case for all maori children. Church College was built primarily as a missionary tool to help spread the gospel throughout NZ and the Pacific. The School was to be an LDS faith based model school to the world. This spirit comes out in the dedicatory prayer by President David O McKay. The closing of the school is a great loss to NZ because unlike in 1958 when the school was opened, the standard of education provided by government (state) schools has fallen whilst Church College has risen to become recognised as a great achiever, particularly among Maori and Pacific students. For this reason local officials are hoping that the church will change its decision to close or demolish the school.

Malcolm | 2:10 p.m. July 8, 2009

DBF The same could be said for BYU. The us has a good educational system so why not close Byu. the church is strong in Utah so again why the need for church owned schools using the tithing money of people worldwide.

The words of president Eyring apply here as recorded by Elder Bednar: at BYU Idaho in Oct 2006

2006 I asked Elder Eyring if he was interested in quickly walking through the completed Taylor Building.

Our last stop was the Taylor Chapel where Elder Eyring stood near the pulpit on the stand and gazed into the audience area for quite a long time. After a few minutes, I asked him: “Elder Eyring, what are you thinking about?” He answered with this profound and penetrating observation: “I am thinking about how much we do for so few and how little we do for so many.”

He then continued, “The tithing of the people I just visited in South America and from good people all over the world paid for this facility. And most of the people who have made this beautiful facility possible will never see or step foot in a building like this.

Saddened | 2:13 p.m. July 8, 2009

CCNZ has been the church's best kept secret. Very little publicity has been given during it's lifetime to it's outstanding achievements. Perhaps that's why 'anonymous' hadn't heard about it.
The New Zealand education system is considered by some to better now than when the school was built. However, success rates for Maori students in the country is dismal. CCNZ is a shining light for the majority Maori and Pacific Island teenagers who attend the school - many from disadvantaged backgrounds. The latest Government ERO report which is available on the Internet identifies the school's amazing academic and social accomplishments.
The closure and subsequent demolition of the buildings is ridiculous.

Mom | 5:00 p.m. July 8, 2009

The church owns high schools in several island nations. 2 in Tonga, Fiji, Samoa. The education programs there are geared toward educating the top 5% of the students and they many are not able to attend public schools after Primary (elementary)School. The church steps in and provides a place for those in the more average range to get a high school education either in academics or in useful technical fields so they can better support their families.

I was a teacher in one of them many years ago. Other churches also have schools in these islands for the same purpose.

Memories... | 6:09 p.m. July 8, 2009

My brother and sisters,cousins and relatives all went to CCNZ except for me,I remember the good old days attending the school balls and the temple days etc..so its kinda sad to see the end of an era, but the lord has other purposes.

got a chance | 7:25 p.m. July 8, 2009

Got a chance to ask a Kiwi about the school.

She has 2 doctorates.

She has never heard of it.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Preaching to the choir again are we.

Joe College | 7:36 p.m. July 8, 2009

I agree it must be very expensive for the church to maintain a school the size of CCNZ which had a sealing of 700 students all LDS. Soon to be minorities in the other churches schools.
So what will it cost the church in terms of Leadership in both Australia and New Zealand, in missionaries thru out the South Pacific, in Temple Marriages, in service to the church?
The biggest losers will be the Maori and Polynesians.

NZCon | 8:56 a.m. July 9, 2009

2 Doctorates and NEVER heard of the Church College of New Zealand ?? INCREDIBLE.Maybe she lives on the Moon. She should return her Doctorates. CCNZ has a GREAT reputation in NZ from the Government on down.

Anonymous | 1:43 p.m. July 9, 2009

Now that the Church leaders have backed WAY off of the idea that American Indians and Pacific Islanders are the descendants of Lehi, their policies are changing to focus on areas of the world that will yield more converts. That is what it is all about: numbers! The number of converts among the Maoris as an outcome of the money spent on CCNZ is no longer considered worth it.

Besides, the Maoris have had plenty of time to become "white and delightsome", but they continue to be so... dark!

Jon B. Holbrook | 3:17 p.m. July 9, 2009

I hope that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints become more involved with the education of its members in the future. The LDS Church needs to offer an education program to counter the rise of secular humanism and other godless philosophies that undermine society. I know that maintaining a school is expensive but what is the worth of a human soul? I trust that the Lord's Prophets will strike a proper balance to meet the challenge.

Anonymous | 3:25 p.m. July 9, 2009

To Jon Holbrook,

Your pathetic party-line nonsense is just drivel. Look around! Religion and disagreements over religion are tearing the world apart! If the world is destroyed, I guarantee you it WON'T be by an atheist! So stick that fanatic, prejudiced head of yours into an ice-cream freezer and wake up!

PansyM | 2:37 p.m. July 18, 2009

As a life-tme resident in Temple View and graduate of CCNZ, the announcement of the closure of CCNZ was, at first, one of those 'WHAT?' moments. However, time has passed and life goes on. My father was a teacher there; all my brothers and sisters went to CCNZ; my children all graduated from CCNZ. But unlike some, my memories of my time at Church College are not all wonderful. However, I'll be able to remember the good times and move on. Just like everyone else. The Church Leadership have made a decision. I sustain them. PS - one article states the students as 95% Maori. Perhaps 95% Polynesian is a better percentage.

Margaret M. | 8:54 p.m. July 23, 2009

I had three of my children attend CCNZ and for them it has been so far the highlight of their lives. During that time we watched them grow and develop as individuals both spiritually and emotionally and watch their testimonies of the gospel solidify. Two of our sons have since served missions and all three of these children have since married in the temple. We are so grateful for the opportunity they had to be a part of that great school and in an indirect way us as well. Although we are sorry that the school is closing and our youngest will not have an opportunity to attend, we know that the Lord has given a direction through his prophet and in sustaining him, we sustain the Lord's decision and our faith will continue to sustain us. Again we are grateful for the opportunity our children have had and also for the eternal friends they have made. The gospel is true and the Lord stands at the head of it. This is truly his church and his work.

Dr. Peter Sloan | 5:04 p.m. Aug. 10, 2009

I was a Labour missionary on the CCNZ project. I have been involved in Education as a teacher and teacher trainer all my life and can say that NZ had avery fine high level high school education available to all. It is rubbish to say that the CCNZ was built because NZ had a low level education at the time. CCNZ was built to replace the old Church run Maori Agricultural college. The problem of CCNZ when it first opened was that it had an American Education focus with standards well below NZ colleges. It was a missionary tool and used to keep hold of the Polynesian youth. In that aspect the college did well and grew in status. I know first hand the difficulties with some staff quality and student achievement that CCNZ faced, but which to its credit it did deal with well. As Labour missionaries we worked for no pay, were poorly fed most times and faced safety risks unacceptable in most places all because we were promised out children and grandchildren would be able to have a Church based education. That is, sadly, no longer the case.

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2 photos

Garwood Walton, All

Built in 1958, the Church College of New Zealand serves 700 students. The campus is located adjacent to the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, which is seen in the upper-left portion of the photo.

Gallery (2 photos)