House boys were stricken with measles. 30 No wonder there were “many failures in matriculation and games were not as successful”. 31 In late 1920, the Board revisited isolation and infectious diseases. Dr Acland had inspected the isolation ward and recommended a sink, better ventilation and a small safe for milk and invalid food. In July 1921, the Medical Officer also visited and made a list of requirements. He was particularly concerned that items like beds, blankets, and sheets were not transferred from the Houses. 32 In 1925, College closed again. This time it was an outbreak of infantile paralysis (polio). There was some discussion as to whether there would be two or three terms when permission was given to open again. The Headmaster was quite clear that at College there would be two terms, largely because of the distance that boarders had to travel. 33 Schoolwork continued while the boys were absent. Weekly test papers were sent out “much to the consternation of the lazier folk”. 34 The term finally began on 23 April with the opening of the Dining Hall. The decision to build the Dining Hall created one problem and resolved another. The movement of the Chaplain’s House, to inside the gate, moved the rooms that had been set aside for isolation. So, the joining of the hall to the new classrooms (Harper–Julius) by the Tower Block not only included staff quarters, but also sick rooms and a flat for a nursing sister. There is a hiatus in recording outbreaks of any kind until a mild form of influenza in the third term of 1933 when Condell’s House became a hospital and measles struck in 1934. There was another outbreak of infantile paralysis and so the 1937 College year did not begin until 1 March. The Annual Barracks Week and the Quail Island Swimming Sports were cancelled and Cricket did not begin until late in
the season. The prize-giving that was delayed because of the polio threatened in Christchurch the previous year was finally held in Big School but no parents were present. 35 And 1938 was really no better. Influenza, measles and wet Wednesdays are reported in the August Christ’s College Register , as well as depleted numbers in debating, the camera club, the field club and the Chapel congregation. The Acting Headmaster summed it all up in his prize- giving speech while thanking “the Medical Staff, matrons and nurses for their care and attention during the epidemic of measles, and parents for their consideration and confidence, and the patients for their philosophical attitude”. He also added “that in spite of the difficulties the school had been very successful in all branches of games and sports”. 36 The 1947–48 polio epidemic is one that will be remembered by Christ’s College Old Boys. Regulations preventing the gathering of children under 16 in a number of places that included “churches, reading rooms, public hall, theatres, recreation grounds, places of public amusement” were promulgated and school prize-givings were cancelled. 37 The Acting Headmaster, Mr Strack, arranged an impromptu closing ceremony “which gave a little dignity to an otherwise hurried pack up” by the open air classrooms at 5pm. 38 Why this haste? Quite simply to stop the spread of the disease which had been prevalent in the North Island. The next step was the joint announcement by the Honourable Terence McCombs, the Minister of Education, and the Honourable Mabel Howard, Minister of Health, that in late January, school would remained closed until the Easter holidays. That did not stop the Board from meeting on 12 February. Mr Gurnsey reported that the staff were working on lessons by correspondence and the first assignments were posted on 5 February.
30 Christ’s College Register December 1920 pp350 and 383. 31 Christ’s College Register April 1921 p422. 32 Christ’s College Board Minutes 7 October 1920 and 5 July 1921. 33 Finance Committee Report to the Christ’s College Board 4 March 1925.
34 Christ’s College Register August 1925 p5. 35 Christ’s College Register May 1937 pp357–8. 36 Christ’s College Register April 1939 p168. 37 Press 9 December 1947. 38 Christ’s College Register April 1948 p330.
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