Spectrum was a long-running weekly radio documentary series which captured the essence of New Zealand from 1972 to 2016. Alwyn Owen and Jack Perkins produced the series for many years, creating a valuable library of New Zealand oral history.
Jack Perkins tells of the former milling settlement of Tihoi, west of lake Taupo that was, 18 months ago, a ghost settlement.
Now for 4th form boys from St Pauls College in Hamilton, Tihoi is their class room and living quarters. The surrounding bush, rivers and mountains, their playground.
Mike Shaw, director of Tihoi Venture School tells Jack that the school is an extension of St Pauls Collegiate School and its outside activities include skiing, canoeing, yachting, hiking, rock climbing and abseiling, which allows the boys to prove themselves.
Mike, his wife Judy and Bill Holden run Tihoi with the help of tutors, 3 former pupils of St Pauls.
These boys were responsible for rejuvenating the derelict settlement and they tell Jack what they did cleaning up the place.
Tihoi is modelled on the Timbertop Adventure school in Australia, where both Mike and Judy were teachers. They tell Jack about the normal curriculum that is taught to the boys.
There are 54 boys in 6 houses with 9 boys per house. Jack talks with the boys about living at Tihoi. Jacks asks the boys about their duties, any arguments and about the isolation.
Former pupil, Steve Tracy, tells Jack what the tutors do at the school. Getting the supplies, laundry services and how they get on with the locals.
Mike tells Jack what he hopes the boys take away from the school.