School remembers humble beginnings

Forty years ago Waikato University's science professors found teaching space wherever they could.

Some taught out of boiler rooms, while others had students dissect frogs on their laps.

Now retired earth sciences professor John McCraw remembers those times fondly.

"There were no buildings, so we started off using whichever building we could find," the 84-year-old said.

"I used the boiler room in A block. That's how we started off."

The School of Science and Engineering this week celebrates its 40th anniversary.

The school has grown immensely since those humble beginnings in 1969.

It is now New Zealand's number one research science school for key areas of Biology and Chemistry and is among the top three in Earth Sciences.

As one of the founding deans, this is something Professor McCraw is extremely proud of.

"They have done a good job. I'm pleased with the progress we've made."

Professor McCraw worked at the school from 1969 until his retirement in 1988, but still has strong ties with the university.

He regularly visits the school's library for research on the books he now writes.

Professor McCraw said teaching was never something he aspired to.

He was working for the Department of Scientific Research when he was approached by founding Vice-Chancellor Sir Donald Llewellyn on a flight back to Hamilton from Wellington and was asked to join a committee to help plan what subjects would be taught at the school.

The relationship blossomed and Professor McCraw was soon applying for the job of earth sciences professor – a job he landed.

The school's first building was built in 1970, with three more being built in the three years after that.

Sir Donald fought hard to make Waikato a "people's university" not an "ivory tower".

Every Thursday at 5pm he would invite staff and the general public to partake in a few glasses of sherry.

"I got to every one of those," Professor McCraw said.

"Actually I was hauled to every one. Llewellyn was a shy man and I had no trouble talking to people. I was the court jester I guess."

Sir Donald soon took his "people's university" on the road. He and several staff, including Professor McCraw, travelled to high school's around the country – some as far away as Whangarei and the East Cape.

"No VC (vice-chancellor) had ever done that before. I remember we went to the Te Araroa area school on the East Cape and the principal came up to me with tears in his eyes and said `I would never have imagined that a vice-chancellor would ever come to visit me'."

The team also approached local businesses, lining up research projects for their students.

That was the move that saw the school's student numbers "sky rocket".

"I'm a great believer in good research. It's an important part.

"Not just trouble-shooting research, but basic research as well."