HomeDeaf Educationvan Asch Deaf Education Centre (Ko Taku Reo)

van Asch Deaf Education Centre (now called Ko Taku Reo; formerly Sumner School for the Deaf then van Asch School for the Deaf). The school has a long and illustrious history, with its services covering a huge geographical spread. Established in 1880, van Asch is also the oldest special school establishment in New Zealand and is also believed to be the oldest fully government funded residential school in the world. van Asch celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2005. It merged with Kelston Deaf Education Centre to become Ko Taku Reo in 2020.

van Asch Begins

Footage from ‘National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf – 75th Jubilee’, 1955.

Gerrit van Asch was from Rotterdam, Holland and was employed as director of the newly created School for the Deaf in Sumner. van Asch was a strong promoter of the German (or “oral”) system. His appointment and methods set the pattern for Deaf education in New Zealand for the next 100 years.

As well as attending class, students were involved in manual labour, milking cows, tending the vegetable gardens and doing the washing. This continued until 1936. During the 1930s, students were placed into jobs by Department of Education placement officers after they left school. Due to the outbreak of World War II, van Asch was used as a military base and North Island students relocated to the Titirangi School in Auckland until Kelston School for the Deaf was built.

The World Visits

Footage from ‘Sumner School for the Deaf 75th Jubilee’, 1955.

van Asch received a number of visits from distinguished international guests including Alexander Graham Bell (who pioneered the telephone and was a strong supporter of oralist education) in 1911, Helen Keller in 1948 and even Michael J Fox in 1998!

van Asch has also had its fair share of attention when the school’s Marching Girls won numerous awards during 1953-1960.

Moving to Modern Times

Footage from ‘Sumner School for the Deaf 100 Years Centenary celebration’, 1980.

van Asch introduced the use of the Total Communication philosophy in 1979, until the introduction of the first bilingual-bicultural programmes in 1996. Up to 2019, van Asch was both a co-educational special school and a national resource centre, supporting Deaf and hearing-impaired children and students in the South Island and lower half of the North Island.

van Asch celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2005. It merged with Kelston Deaf Education Centre to become Ko Taku Reo in 2020.

Reference: Fogarty, P (2005) ‘Moving Hands, celebrating 125 years of Deaf Education,’ Silence Books, Auckland.

Note: This page was last updated 2020. Contributions are welcomed.

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2019
article – Taonga source: Stuff

Deaf children need better access to New Zealand Sign Language to close the education gap

Lack of access to interpreters means deaf children are missing out on education. There are about 3600 children in the deaf education system, of which about 96 per cent attend mainstream schools. There are just three NZSL educational interpreters working full time with students, meaning most children were missing out.
Stuff
1991
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Journal: September 1991 (Vol. 5, No. 3)

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1980
Object – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Centenary Flag: van Asch College 1880-1980

Auckland Deaf Society
1947
video – Taonga source: Archives New Zealand

National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf – Student life

The National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf to film a typical day at the school.
Archives New Zealand
1968
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Summer 1968 (Vol. 5, No. 2)

1980
video – Taonga source: Dennis Tod

Sumner School for the Deaf celebrates its centenary (100th)

Members of the Deaf community and their families attend the centenary celebrations at Sumner School for the Deaf.
Dennis Tod
1968
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Winter 1968 (Vol. 5, No. 4)

1995
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: July 1995

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1986
publication – Taonga source: Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ

Hostel News: van Asch College, 1986

Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ
1992
publication – Taonga source: Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ

School Magazine: van Asch College, 1992

Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ
1995
publication – Taonga source: Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ

Yearbook: van Ash Deaf Education Centre, 1995

Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ
1998
video – Taonga source: AUT Visual Languages Section

Memories of Susan Thomas (1998)

Susan, born as the only deaf person in a hearing family, talks about the dialect differences in sign between the South Island and the North Island, oralism, moving cities, participating in the Trans-Tasman Games, and meeting her husband, Paul.
AUT Visual Languages Section
1980
video – Taonga source: Deaf Society of Canterbury

Two founding members of Christchurch Deaf Club take a trip down memory lane

Cyril Pruden and Douglas Ashley, two founding members of the Christchurch Deaf Club, discuss the club’s history at its Armagh Street location. 
Deaf Society of Canterbury
1998
video – Taonga source: AUT Visual Languages Section

Memories of Julie Bullivant

Julie Bullivant tells her story about what it was like growing up deaf and attending van Asch, a deaf boarding school.
AUT Visual Languages Section
1964
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Spring 1964 (Vol. 2, No. 1)

NZSL Stories
  • John Hunt
2019
article – Taonga source: Stuff

New Zealand’s two deaf education centres to merge

New Zealand's two deaf education centres will become one next year as Kelston Deaf Education Centre and van Asch Deaf Education Centre merge from Term 3, 2020.
Stuff
1954
article – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

NEW INSTITUTION AT FEILDING OPENED AND BLESSED

Described by a prominent Palmerston North specialist, Dr A.A. MacGibbon, as a school which compares more than favourably with the latest schools of its type overseas, St. Dominic's School in Feilding for deaf children was officially blessed and opened yesterday afternoon.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2000
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones

Memories of Merv Forman and Nellie Benney

Merv and Nellie Forman are both interviewed by Dorothy Jones on their lives and their involvement with the Deaf community at their home in Hawkes Bay.
Dorothy Jones
NZSL Stories
  • Patreena Bryan
1988
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive

van Asch students learn street theatre skills from Mr Moon

After Mr Moon has been teaching Van Asch Deaf Education Centre Deaf students street theatre skills, they watch a performance from the Montreal Street Theatre at the New Zealand Festival in Wellington, in preparation for staging their own live performance.
Television New Zealand Archive
2004
article – Taonga source: Education: The Next Level

Spelling it out for deaf people

Three Christchurch College of Computing Students have joined forces to create material to help the Deaf and hearing impaired, as part of their NCEA Level 3 technology studies.
1993
publication – Taonga source: Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ

School Magazine: van Asch College, 1993

Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ
1965-66
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Summer 1965-66 (Vol. 3, No. 2)

NZSL Stories
  • John Hunt
1979
video – Taonga source: Sue Penman

Trans-Tasman Deaf Games: Opening Ceremony and sports

Coverage of the Trans-Tasman Deaf Games, Lincoln College, Christchurch, 10 January 1979, including opening ceremony and various sports.
Sue Penman
2003
article – Taonga source: Bay Harbour News

Patty Still – active role model for deaf community

In late July, Woolston grandmother Noeline 'Patty' Still joined a special group of New Zealanders in Wellington for the official presentation of the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours medals. Patty was there to receive her MNZM for her services to the deaf community.
1969
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: 1969 (Vol. 6, No. 2)

1994
publication – Taonga source: Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ

Yearbook: van Asch College, 1994

Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ
2017
article – Taonga source: Stuff

St Theresa’s School sets example for NZSL friendly schools

A Porirua school is being heralded as a great example of inclusive education. St Theresa's School in Plimmerton is the focus of a new short documentary by van Asch Deaf Education Centre, which will be used as a resource to show how to effectively integrate deaf education and culture into schools.
Stuff
1966
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Autumn 1966 (Vol. 3, No. 3)

NZSL Stories
  • John Hunt
2000
video – Taonga source: Hilda Tamepo

Memories of Verna McRae

Verna McRae is filmed at her home in Napier alongside her husband, John. Verna talks entertainingly about her life growing up on a Manawatu farm, going to Sumner School for the Deaf, work, travelling, and married life.
Hilda Tamepo
1955
video – Taonga source: Archives New Zealand

National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf – 75th Jubilee

The National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf to report on progress in the education of deaf children and to check out the school's 75th Jubilee celebrations.
Archives New Zealand