Year: 1943 - 1946
Occupation: Teacher & Writer

After school Noel graduated for Victoria and Canterbury Universities. He worked as a journalist at the Southern Cross and Dominion. He then trained as a teacher and had a long and distinguished teaching career which began at Wellington Technical College. He started the journalism school at the Wellington Polytechnic which became the school of choice for budding journalists. Noel then became the deputy Director of the Wellington Polytechnic and CEO of Northland Polytechnic. Noel is also a writer. He was writer-researcher for the NZ Maori Council, Te Uri –o- hau. He wrote The School that Riley Built; Latimer: a biography; Banks: Behind the Mask and many regional histories of Northland. Noel is one of the school’s heroes. By writing The School that Riley Built he preserved the history of the beginning of this school and that knowledge empowers the school today. He is currently writing a novel about Newtown.

Year: 1937 - 1938
Occupation: Painter and Textile Designer

Avis began her career and was soon the Head Designer for Silk and Textile Printers in Sydney, a firm famed for its avant garde approach to textiles. With her inspired and refreshing ideas Avis quickly earned a reputation as one of Australasia’s most innovative textile designers. Avis is listed on an Australian Government website as one of four “key historical figures” in Australian design Returning to New Zealand in 1948 Avis created a portfolio of designs featuring Australian and New Zealand motifs. It was these designs that later caught the attention of design historian Douglas Lloyd Jenkins, who curated the touring exhibition Avis Higgs: Joie de Vivre in 2000. Her extraordinary talent as a textile designer is now preserved at the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery. Throughput the 1950s and 60s Avis was an active member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Art, the Architectural Centre Gallery and the Helen Hitchings Gallery. She was a foundation member of the Wellington Society of Watercolour Artists and later she became President. Exhibiting widely throughout New Zealand, Avis won numerous awards including the National Bank award for watercolour in 1964 and the IBM New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Award for Townscape in 1985. In 2006 Avis was awarded the Governor-General’s Art Award for her contribution to New Zealand art, and held a retrospective of her work at the Academy of Fine Arts.

Year: 1930 - 1932
Occupation: Nursing

Grattan was appointed principal nurse at Wellington Hospital in 1971. This was a time of great change as nursing education progressively moved from the hospital to polytechnics. Gloria played a key role and received a citation from Massey University acknowledging her leadership, mentorship and inspiration to that generation of nurses. When Gloria retired after 17 years, she became the first chairperson of the Mary Potter Hospice Foundation. She was the first Wellingtonian of the Year in 1989 and, was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for her services to nursing and the community and the Pope John Paul 11 Medal for services to the sick.

Year: 1922 - 1926
Occupation: Artist

While still at school Muriel experienced success as an artist. Her work was exhibited in 1924 at the British Empire Exhibition in London and in Dunedin at the NZ and 1925 – 26 South Seas Exhibition. She later assisted Frederick Coventry to make four murals for the 1940 NZ Exhibition – the first large scale murals in NZ.Muriel taught art and craft while continuing her own copperware, spinning, screen printing and embroidery. Her work is exhibited at Auckland Museum

Year: 1923 - 1925
Occupation: New Zealand Rugby & Cricket

Eric Tindill was WHS’ greatest sportsman as well as the most versatile sportsman New Zealand has ever seen. He represented NZ in both Rugby and Cricket and played table tennis for Wellington against the English in the 1930s. He refereed three rugby tests in the 1950s and was also a test cricket umpire. Eric was a Wellington Cricket coach and selector and a national selector. When he retired he was treasurer of the NZ Boxing Association, secretary to Wellington cricket and co founder of the table tennis association. He was the only NZer to catch Bradman out. His achievements have been described as the Everest of sporting achievements.