Helena shifted her family to the Lake Wakatipu Hotel at Kingston in the winter of 1901. There was no school operating at Kingston, although there was a school there in earlier, and later, times. Schooling at Queenstown across the lake was out of the question. There was no road connection and there was no regular morning and afternoon boat sailings to and from Queenstown.
The nearest school was 18 km to the south at Garston, which was itself 5 km north of the Selwood children’s previous school at Athol. It was at Garston School where the younger Selwoods went for the next five years.
The Garston school was established unofficially by Mrs Christina Wraytt in 1879 with the support of a local committee. She had previously been the teacher at Kingston but upon her marriage and moving to Garston she saw a need for a school in the district. She started the school on her own initiative in a room in her own home. Mrs Wraytt applied for official recognition and two inspectors visited and had no hesitation to approve the process of the school becoming part of New Zealand’s school network. Mrs Wraytt was appointed Garston’s official teacher and received back-pay, at a rate of £60 per annum, from the time she established her home school. The school was originally called Fairlight but was renamed Garston when a new purpose-built school was established in Garston. Mrs Wraytt was a very popular teacher with children travelling long distances to attend.
The Selwood children travelled the long daily distance to school by way of the Kingston Flyer.
The Selwood children attending the Garston School were:
Albert (Bertie) Selwood (born 10.3.1886), 1901 to 1902
Charles (Charlie) Selwood (born 26.8.1887), 1901 to 1903
Rose (Rosie) Selwood (born 19.1.1889), 1901 to 1903
William (Willie) Selwood (born 20.8.1890), 1901 to 1906
Evelyn (Eva) Selwood (born 24.4.1892), 1901 to 1906
Hilda (Tot) Selwood (born 16.9.1894), 1901 to 1906
Hilda went on to complete her schooling in the third term of 1906 at the Invercargill South School, so by the end of 1906 all the Selwood children had completed their formal schooling.
In summary:
Charlie Selwood: Schools: Lumsden, Athol, Garston, 1892-1903
Rosie Selwood: Schools: Lumsden, Athol, Garston, 1895-1903
Willie Selwood: Schools: Lumsden, Athol, Garston, 1896-1906
Eva Selwood: Schools: Lumsden, Athol, Garston, 1897-1906
Hilda Selwood: Schools: Lumsden, Athol, Garston, Invercargill South, 1892-1906
Garston was a very close community, and many social events were held and many friendships made. These friendships lasted. For instance, the two youngest Selwood daughters attended a Garston wedding of a friend in 1911 and in 1912 Eva participated in Garston dances and socials.
