Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1897, Wellington

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

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Mrs. Swan has charge of the Kaitawa Public School, which position she has held from the opening. Mrs. Swan was born in Tipperary, Ireland, and left there in 1873, arriving in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1874. A year later Mrs. Swan, or rather Miss Bourke, for that was her maiden name, began teaching, her first appointment being at the Roman Catholic School, Wellington. Here she remained for about a-year-and-a-half, when she entered the Buckle Street School as a teacher under the Board of Education. After three years in Buckle Street, Miss Bourke resigned her position as a teacher under the Board and was married to Mr. Swan, gaoler, of Timaru. Mrs. Swan was then appointed to the office of matron of the Timaru Gaol. On the 9th of August, 1889, Mr. Swan died, leaving his widow with five children to provide for and educate. Returning to Wellington, Mrs. Swan was re-engaged by the Education Board, and was sent to Kaitawa to open the school as an aided school. During the first month the attendance was twenty-three, and in the second month the requisite twenty-five needed to remove it from the list of aided schools was secured. Since then the attendance has gradually increased, and under Mrs. Swan's popular management will no doubt continue to do so. On arrival in Kaitawa, Mrs. Swan bought land in the vicinity, where she is having a house built. During her residence there she has taken great interest in all matters concerning the welfare of the district.