Puni School erected a memorial swimming pool immediately after the Second World War. The pool has been altered and enclosed since, but still retains the original bronze memorial plaque, which reads: ‘Puni School memorial / pool / erected by the residents / of Puni / to the memory of / past pupils who took part / in the Great War / 1914-18 / for King and Empire / and World War 1939-45’.
A memorial plot of native trees was also planted in the school grounds, dedicated to ex-pupils who had lost their lives during the Second World War. There is a bronze plaque mounted in the grove: ‘The trees in this / memorial plot were / planted in memory of / H. Kidd. E. Patterson. / J. Negus. B. Warbrick. / L. Negus. G. Watkin.’
The school also holds the Puni District roll of honour. This lists 22 local men who served during the First World War (one death), and 49 who served during the Second World War (six deaths). It was originally unveiled in the old Puni public hall after the Second World War, but transferred to the newly built Puni Centennial Hall in 1955, then transferred again to the new combined school and community hall when the Centennial Hall was sold to a private buyer in 2003.
The pool and grove of trees are located in the western part of the school grounds, the hall is at the eastern end.
See: Effort Brings Reward: An Historical Saga of the Puni Primary School and its Surrounding District, Pukekohe, 1978, [p. 9]; Pam Gardiner, Puni School: 125 Years, Waiuku, 2003, pp. 16, 32.
Community contributions