Elmsdale School was a private boarding school for special needs children situated on Selwyn Street, Timaru, in the former home of Frederic Le Cren. The school was established in 1917 by George Benstead.
Elmsdale (Timaru) Special School
The Elmsdale School was established to provide special care and attention for pupils who were described at the time as backward, delicate, nervous, or mentally retarded — children who required more individual care and both mental and physical training than could be offered within the ordinary school system.
Elmsdale was the name of the estate acquired for the school, and it was particularly well suited to its purpose. Situated in Severn Street, Timaru, the property was within a fifteen-minute walk of Caroline Bay and comprised around twenty acres of grounds. The tall trees surrounding the estate offered privacy and a sense of seclusion.
The Elmsdale School aimed to provide, as fully as possible, the refining influences and personal attention that its pupils required, in a homelike environment rather than an institutional one. While maintaining the advantages of domestic life, the education and training offered were adapted to the intellectual and physical condition of each pupil, alongside any remedial measures necessary. The underlying philosophy of the school was to foster a healthy home life and to avoid the rigid institutionalism common in larger establishments.
"Elmsdale (Timaru) Special Schools (Limited) : a boarding school for the education and care of backward, delicate, nervous and mentally retarded pupils who by reason of such disadvantages, are not well qualified to receive useful education in ordinary schools." https://natlib.govt.nz/records/38481305
Photograph taken at Selwyn Motor Camp in 1969 on a record day.
Image supplied by Ray Egan, who with his father Ray Egan Snr and their family ran the camp for 25 years.
The Egans managed the camp until the mid-1970s before selling it to the Horrell family.
The Horrell family owned the camp for another 25 years.
The old house visible in the background was once the Le Cren family home.
The Le Cren house later became a boys’ home before being destroyed by fire.
Around this time, land was sold to the council.
Athol Place was extended to meet Glen Street.
Elmsdale Terrace was built following this development.
Elmsdale (Timaru) Special School
-
Name: Elmsdale (Timaru) Special School
-
Type: Private boarding school for children with special educational needs
-
Location: Selwyn Street, Timaru, New Zealand
-
Established: 1917
-
Founder: George Benstead
-
Original Building: Located in the former home of Frederic Le Cren, an early Timaru settler
-
Official Company Name: Elmsdale (Timaru) Special Schools (Limited)
-
Purpose (as stated officially):
“A boarding school for the education and care of backward, delicate, nervous and mentally retarded pupils who, by reason of such disadvantages, are not well qualified to receive useful education in ordinary schools.”
— Source: National Library of New Zealand
Facilities and Setting
-
The school was established on an estate known as Elmsdale, acquired specifically for the purpose.
-
The property covered approximately 20 acres.
-
Proximity: Within a 15-minute walk of Caroline Bay.
-
Grounds: Included flower and vegetable gardens, orchards, tennis lawns, paddocks, and playing fields.
-
Surroundings: The estate was enclosed by tall trees, ensuring privacy and a picturesque, healthy environment.
Educational Approach and Curriculum
-
The school offered individualised mental and physical training for pupils needing special care and attention.
-
Combined the advantages of home life with specialised education tailored to each pupil’s condition.
-
Subjects taught: Ordinary school subjects, kindergarten and Montessori methods, physical drill, remedial exercises, manual training, fancy work, music, and singing.
-
Practical activities: Gardening, fruit culture, poultry rearing, care of animals, field sports, and outdoor recreation.
-
Remedial measures: Provided as needed for pupils’ intellectual and physical development.
Organisation and Supervision
-
The school was designed to foster a domestic atmosphere, avoiding institutional rigidity.
-
Matron: The household was managed by a competent matron assisted by a trained hospital nurse and a team of servants.
-
Medical supervision: The school was under constant medical oversight and inspected weekly by the District Medical Officer appointed by the Rector.
Philosophy
-
The school’s aim was to provide refined influences, individual care, and homelike education suited to each pupil’s intellectual and physical needs.
-
The guiding principle was to promote a healthy home life and avoid institutionalism, supporting both mental and moral development through personal attention and nurturing surroundings.
George Benstead
Birth unknown
Death 1941
Burial Timaru Cemetery, Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand
Memorial ID166505433 · View Source
Address Unknown
Age at Death 73
Date of Interment 4 Apr 1941
Cemetery Timaru Cemetery
Section General
Row 133
Plot 122
Benstead, Grace
Record Details
Address Unknown
Age at Death 79
Date of Interment 10 Jul 1959
Cemetery Timaru Cemetery
Section General
Row 133
Plot 122
Timaru Borough Council, 1931–1933.
Back row (left to right): C. H. Mason, M. H. Richards, E. A. S. Killick, F. Chittock, H. J. Mathers, F. B. Hawkey.
Front row: J. R. Hart, A. Kennedy, Thomas William Satterthwaite (Mayor), G. Benstead, W. H. Hunt.
Photographer: J. E. Shivas, 1933.
Collection: South Canterbury Museum, Timaru, New Zealand.
Catalogue number: 4881.
Timaru Borough Council, 24 February 1930.
An informal portrait of the Council in the council chambers.
Left to right: E. Killick (Town Clerk), W. Angland (Mayor), Councillor T. W. Satterthwaite (Deputy Mayor), T. O. Fox (Borough Engineer), R. Downs (reporter), A. Taylor (reporter), G. Benstead, A. Kennedy, J. Todd, W. Hunt, F. Chittock, J. Hart, F. Hawkey.
Photographer: Havelock Williams, 1930.
Collection: South Canterbury Museum, Timaru, New Zealand.
Catalogue number: 4880.