Wairarapa College

Secondary education started in Masterton in 1884 when the Masterton Central School became the Masterton District High School and started accepting secondary students. However, the district high school was short-lived and the school reverted to primary only at the end of 1885. The Masterton Technical School opened in 1897, offering technical secondary education. In 1908 it became the Seddon Memorial Technical School and moved to a purpose-built building in Dixon Street. While the second storey was removed after the 1942 Wairarapa earthquakes, the building still stands today as the Lone Star restaurant. ==Enrolment==

Until August 2013, Wairarapa College operated an enrolment scheme to help curb roll numbers and prevent overcrowding. The school's home zone, in which students residing were automatically entitled to be enrolled without rejection, covered the western half of the Masterton township and the rural area to the northwest, west and southwest of the town, bounded by Mikimiki Road to the north, State Highway 2 to the east, Wiltons Line in the south, and the Tararua Ranges in the west. In September 2013, the enrolment scheme was removed, meaning any eligible student may enrol without rejection. At the October 2013 Education Review Office (ERO) review of the school, Wairarapa College had 942 students enrolled, including six international students and 112 students living in College House. The school roll's gender composition was 54% male and 46% female, and its ethnic composition was 69% New Zealand European (Pākehā), 22% Māori, 3% Asian, 2% Samoan, and 4% Other. As of , Wairarapa College has an Equity Index of , placing it amongst schools whose students have socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to decile 4 under the former socio-economic decile system). == Principals ==

Wairarapa High School Wairarapa College ==Notable alumni==

• Sir Bob Charles – golfer, first left-handed golfer to win a golf major (The Open Championship, 1963) • Bill Francis – broadcaster • Sir Brian Lochore – rugby union player, All Black player (1964–71), captain (1966–70), coach (1985–87). Also has served as chairperson of Wairarapa College's Board of Trustees. • Esther Lanser – cricketer, member of the Netherlands national cricket team • Celia Manson – writer and journalist • Ian Prior – doctor and epidemiologist • Ross Taylor – cricketer, member of Black Caps (2006–2022) (also attended Palmerston North Boys' High School) • Stu Wilson – rugby player, member of the New Zealand national rugby team ==References==