Old School Houses I, II & III

A RUSTIC START

It was some time before the proposed system was fully operational, in the meantime school began in a small shack type dwelling on the south bank of the river until there was provision for a suitable building on the north bank.

Also at this time, Mr Edwin Willet was the local publican trading from the Holstery, which had taken over from ‘Murrumba’, as the coach stop and was to be credited as the first school teacher on record. [More on the Teachers page] [RESEARCH REQUIRED]

By September 1873, a form submitted to the Department listed the names of the committee elected to manage the school submission to the Board, the original name proposed was ‘North Pine Crossing’.

 

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to see the men elected as the first school committee members“]

John Duffield | Chairman (farmer)

John Duffield Jnr. | Secretary (farmer)

Thomas Petrie

Karl Leis

John Todd

Walter Francis

[/reveal]

 

Points of note from the letter of reply by Secretary of the Education Department regarding the committee’s request:

 

“The committee will make the best arrangements in their power for rendering the experiment of the half-time school successful.”

 

Another special meeting was called to consider where and how to erect a small building suitable for a school on the north side of the river.

Funds and donations of building materials were required to be raised to build the north bank side of the school, however early times were difficult and donations were not as were hoped, so the original building was built for the basics.

Edgar Foremen wrote “History and Adventures of a Queensland Pioneer” in which he mentions that he and Bill Scott took on the job of building the school. His description below:

 

“The building was to be 16 feet by 12 feet and composed of split slabs and shingles with a sawn floor and battens.”Mr Foreman Snr had donated the split timber from his property at Sideling Creek.Settler Charlie Hay offered to cart the split timber with his dray and two horses.Sawn timber was purchased.The three men made the trip to Brisbane to obtain the sawn timber for the long floorboards from Pettigrews [a well-known and reputable timber trader of the era]. Source: Foreman, Edgar 1928, The history and adventures of a Queensland pioneer : being the experiences of the author, Exchange Printing, Brisbane

 

North Pine Provisional School became operational on the south side of the Pine River in 1874 with enrolments of children with the surnames of many of the local streets, monuments and parks of Petrie and the surrounding suburbs.

 

THE FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE

SOUTH SIDE OF THE PINE RIVER

The original schoolhouse was rudimentary and originally believed to be rented from early farming brothers John and Richard Thomas on property that eventually was purchased by the Bray family (acquired by them in 1900). However, a special inspection of a new south bank building stated it was rented from a farmer named W Jonas. It was a separate dwelling to a house that was also on the property and was also occasionally used as a place of worship by the local Anglican community.

Amid much controversy in 1995, the council sought to move this iconic building to a spot at the local historical village (Old Petrie Town), however it was deemed unfit to move there and was dismantled. Today it is in storage with the Bray family as caretakers. [See Fate of Original Schoolhouse]

The photos in the photo strip were taken in 1975 and show the shack in fairly preserved form from a number of angles.

 

Caption: Old North Pine Provisional School building on the Bray family’s former property at 895 Gympie Road, Lawnton, 1976. The building was said to be erected in 1871 as part of a complex of farm buildings constructed for the pioneering brothers, John and Richard Thomas, although an inspection report on a new south bank schoolhouse stated that the building was on the farm of W Jonas. It was used as a schoolhouse in 1874 and 1875. [A series of] photographs taken by John Armstrong and his students from the Brisbane College of Advanced Education. Selected photographs were used in the publication ‘The National Estate of Pine Rivers Shire: Historical Sites and Buildings’. Courtesy Moreton Bay Regional Council Digital Image Library.

 

On the 3^rd June 1874 a School Inspection Report as submitted to the Department was carried out on the first school-house situated on the south side of the Pine River [now where the Neighbourhood Centre is near the A J Wyllie Bridge].

This report painted a very dim picture of the original quality of the services that were arranged by the local community as the report outlined many problems and concerns.

It must have hit at the heart of the School Committee to read harshly worded comments from the Inspector such as:

 

“dark and gloomy”; “furniture found to be limited”; “no desks, no clock, no blackboard, and not even a shelf for the school material”; “furniture was wholly inadequate to even the crudest form of instruction – to write on paper the children kneel on the floor and support their copy books on the forms”; “school-room was very dirty”.

 

The teacher was not beyond reproach:

 

“school records were found to be very imperfectly kept, through ignorance of the proper method of keeping them, and there was no time-table”; “children were docile and their relations with their teacher genial; they were wholly unacquainted with any form of drill or orderly movement”.“The teacher is an intelligent and liberally educated man, but wholly unacquainted with the methods of modern school keeping. His earnestness combined with his intelligence gives promise of a better state of things at next inspection.”

 

However there were a couple of encouraging positives:

 

“well ventilated, with verandah facing the west”; “supply of material for teaching the children granted by the Board was found to be abundant”; “school was opened in April, and up to the time of inspection the attendance has been regular, the aggregate being 20”.

 

The Inspector also felt it important to remind the Department that this was the first stage of an ambitious plan:

 

“This school stands on the south side of the Pine River, within a quarter of a mile of the ford, and it is proposed to conduct it as a half-time school, in conjunction with a school on the north side of the river.”

 

Transcript of 1874 school inspection report:

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to read transcript“]

PINE RIVER NORTH (PROVISIONAL)

Inspected 3^rd June

On roll: – Boys, 9; girls, 10; total, 19. Present: – Boys, 7; girls, 7; total 14

The apartment used as a school is a weather-board structure, shingled, and floored with sawn wood; well ventilated, with verandah facing the west; walls dark and gloomy; used as a place of worship occasionally by the Anglican communion. The furniture was found to be limited to six forms, a small table and a stool; there were no desks, no clock, no blackboard, and not even a shelf for the school material. The furniture was wholly inadequate to even the crudest form of instruction – to write on paper the children kneel on the floor and support their copy books on the forms. The supply of material for teaching the children granted by the Board was found to be abundant. The school records were found to be very imperfectly kept, through ignorance of the proper method of keeping them, and there was no time-table. The school-room was very dirty. The children were docile and their relations with their teacher genial; they were wholly unacquainted with any form of drill or orderly movement. The school was opened in April, and up to the time of inspection the attendance has been regular, the aggregate being 20. The teacher is an intelligent and liberally educated man, but wholly unacquainted with the methods of modern school keeping. His earnestness combined with his intelligence gives promise of a better state of things at next inspection. This school stands on the south side of the Pine River, within a quarter of a mile of the ford, and it is proposed to conduct it as a half-time school, in conjunction with a school on the north side of the river.

[/reveal]

 

THE SECOND SCHOOL HOUSE

NORTH SIDE OF THE PINE RIVER

The north section of the school was completed and opened at the commencement of the 1875 school year. The Department would refer to the south bank school as North Pine No. I (Provisional), while the north side school was referred to as North Pine No. II (Provisional).

While the south bank school was numbered 183 by the department, the north side school was numbered 183½. Eventually however, after the bridge over the river was completed the south bank school shut down and the north bank school reverted to the whole number of 183.

In August that year, the annual departmental inspection was carried out in both school sections over two days.

This report produced less detail about the pupil’s conditions however there was a marked change of tone and seemingly – improvement made.

Transcript of 1875 school inspection report:

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to read transcript“]

18 & 19 August 1875

An inspector visited both half-time schools in August 1875 and completed reports on both.

NORTH PINE I. (PROVISIONAL).

Inspected 18 and 19 August.

Enrolled, 20; 9 boys and 11 girls. Present, 16; 7 boys and 9 girls.

The school is a weather board structure on the south side of the river, leased by the teacher along with the adjoining residence and premises and the farm on which they stand. The material organization is fairly satisfactory in the circumstances. The school has been open since April, 1874, and has been inspected once previously. The school hours are from half-past 8 to half-past 12, the teacher working in a school on the north side of the river during the afternoon. The teacher is earnest and not deficient in intelligence, but time and labour have been lost by excessive subdivision of classes. Allowing for the circumstances and class of school, moderate proficiency has been reached and progress has been made.

NORTH PINE II. (PROVISIONAL).

Inspected 18 and 19 August.

Enrolled, 14; 10 boys and 4 girls. Present 13; 9 boys and 4 girls.

This school is a new, neat slab building, erected by the inhabitants on a reserve on the north side of the river. It is very fairly furnished and provided with teaching material. This is the companion school to that on the south bank, and is conducted in the

afternoon by the same teacher, the school hours being from 2 to half-past 4, and often longer. The administration is much the same as in the other school, and displays the same prominent defect of excessive subdivision for the classes, especially of the first class. The attainments are very low, but the pupils have made some progress in the elements of the primary subjects. This school and its companion are the only half-time schools yet established in the Moreton district. In so far, therefore, they are an experiment. It will, however, take a longer time than they have yet existed to show whether such schools are likely to prove successful, and should, in certain circumstances, be supplied easily and cheaply, and no complaints are made of either the quantity or the quality of the instruction imparted.[/reveal]

The teacher again however, came under some scrutiny:

 

“The teacher is earnest and not deficient in intelligence, but time and labour have been lost by excessive subdivision of classes.”

 

On inspection of the new building provided on the north side of the river the Inspector had further remarks regarding the subdivision of classes, “especially of the first class”, and that the general attainment of students was “very low” but that “the pupils have made some progress in the elements of the primary subjects”.

The Inspector also elaborates further on the broader view taken of the experimental phase the school was in at the time:

 

“This school and its companion are the only half-time schools yet established in the Moreton district. In so far, therefore, they are an experiment. It will, however, take a longer time than they have yet existed to show whether such schools are likely to prove successful, and should, in certain circumstances, be supplied easily and cheaply, and no complaints are made of either the quantity or the quality of the instruction imparted.”

 

THE THIRD SCHOOL HOUSE

SOUTH SIDE OF THE PINE RIVER

By the end of the 1875 school year the lease on the original school-house on the south side of the river was nearing its end, to be finalised on the 1^st of April the following year. Perhaps there was a community push to improve the conditions of the south side to match the now new section on the north side, but for whatever reason it seems that it was decided to not renew the lease on the Gympie Road property.

A meeting was convened on the 13^th October 1875 to discuss this as evidenced in a letter sent to the education department on the 18^th October discussing a new site, donated by a Mr Ebert [although transcribed as Abert], written by the Secretary of the School Committee – Thomas Houghton.

In the letter, the offer of land is described:

 

Mr. Ebert [mis-transposed as Abert] offered to give a piece of land for the purpose on a hill facing the Gympie Road and opposite the present Schoolhouse large enough for the building to stand on or else to sell an acre in the same place and resolutions were passed appointing a Committee and a Treasurer to collect subscriptions and to be measurers for the erection of a building thirty-four feet long by fifteen wide on the above site to consist of two compartments one for a schoolroom and one for a teacher’s residence.

Transcript of 1875 letter to the Department regarding the plan to build a new schoolhouse on the south side of the Pine River:

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to read transcript“]

 

18 October 1875

Letter sent to Board of General Education by Thomas Houghton, Secretary.

No. of School 183

Proposed erection of new school buildings.Thomas Houghton

Primary School

North Pine River Crossing

18 October 1875

The Secretary,

Board of General Education,

Brisbane.

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that the lease of the building at present used by the inhabitants of the district as a schoolhouse expiring on the 1^st of next April a meeting of the inhabitants was held on the 13^th inst. at the School House to consider the putting up of a new building.

Mr. Abert [sic] [EBERT] offered to give a piece of land for the purpose on a hill facing the Gympie Road and opposite the present Schoolhouse large enough for the building to stand on or else to sell an acre in the same place and resolutions were passed appointing a Committee and a Treasurer to collect subscriptions and to be measurers for the erection of a building thirty-four feet long by fifteen wide on the above site to consist of two compartments one for a schoolroom and one for a teacher’s residence.

The Committee would be glad to know whether under the new act they might expect to receive any aid either from the Board of General Education or from the future Education Minister toward the erection of the said building or whether the new act or the regulations under it will in any way affect Provisional Schools or the aid granted to them so as to render the erection as above mentioned of a schoolhouse and teacher’s residence unadvisable at present.

The number of children in the district on this side of the Pine River between the ages of four and sixteen who might attend this School is about thirty. The number of children on the roll of the present school at the end of last quarter was twenty-two and the average daily attendance for the same quarter.

Yours obediently,

Thomas Houghton,

Secretary.

[/reveal]

 

1876: SOUTH SIDE SCHOOLHOUSE MOVES FURTHER FROM THE RIVER

Following the breaking of the lease on the original south side schoolhouse, possibly in response to the negative feedback of early inspections, the new schoolhouse was built. Mr Ebert had ‘donated’ the land for this purpose however there seemed to have been some sort of monetary agreement in place as it was leased for 10 years. It is clear however that the lease would not have been served full term as this schoolhouse would have been vacated when the school amalgamated following the construction of the bridge across the river in 1877.

This land was in the south east corner of Portion 39 of Warner, County of Stanley [RESEARCH REQUIRED]. According to a series of advertisements in the Brisbane Courier in November 1900, a public auction took place on the 17^th of November of the Lawnton Estate. The advertisement describes the land thus:

 

“140 Magnificent Sites Adjoining the LAWNTON RAILWAY STATION and having Extensive Frontage to the North Coast Railway Line and North Pine Road …

This Splendid Estate comprises the Finest Sites in the flourishing North Pine District. Every Allotment is high and dry, and affords a splendid view of the Pine River and the beautiful scenery of the surrounding district …

THE LAWNTON ESTATE

Being Subdivision 1 to 140 of Portions 39, 40, and part of 38, Parish of Warner, County of Stanley.

The Lawnton Railway Station is situated on the splendid Estate, thereby affording every convenience to intending purchaser of getting to and from the city.

Also, For Sale Privately, or by Auction, if not sold before date of Sale, A BLACKSMITH’S SHOP, Complete, on the Estate …”

Source: 1900 ‘Advertising.’, The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), 7 November, p. 10, viewed 6 September, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19039679

 

This description places the third schoolhouse a much further distance from the river and the north side schoolhouse than did the previous lease. The teacher would have needed to travel a considerably longer distance to reach the river, then row a boat across the river to then proceed up the hill to ‘Petrie’s Paddock’, where the north bank schoolhouse was.

Although at this stage it is a little uncertain exactly where the schoolhouse was in Lawton [RESEARCH REQUIRED], it was described as “1 rood of the S.E. corner of Portion 39”. The Inspector notes that “Water is handy” but there is “no fencing”.

On the 11^th August 1876 the annual inspection was carried out on both 183 and 183½ schools.

The south building at this point was still very new, and this is perhaps a reason there was a second special report completed on both schools only 10 days later. In this report there was quite a negative tone with regards to learning materials, “… there is no outhouse and no press for books. The teaching material is deficient as regards slates, reading books, and reading tablets.”

There were however a few positives, “Organisation good for a school of this class. Proficiency fair. Progress satisfactory.”

The teacher was again scrutinised, “Order and discipline pretty good, but tone too shy”.

The north building had now been up and running in the afternoon session for just over a year and a half. The Inspector describes the progress of its establishment, “building is of slabs, furnished with a sufficiency of desks and forms, and having a blackboard, but clock, press, and outhouse are wanting. Slates are scarce, and a ballframe is required.”

Interesting the Inspector also notes a marked difference between the attitudes and progress of the pupils on either side of the river:

 

“The tone of the children is more pleasant than obtains in the companion school. Too many classes have been made. The proficiency and progress are scarcely so notable as in the other school, but this may well be accounted for by the fact that the afternoon school time is shore than the forenoon time.”

 

Transcript of 1876 annual school inspection report:

 

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to read transcript“]

NORTH PINE RIVER, No. I (PROVISIONAL HALF-TIME)

Inspected 11^th August.

On roll: – Boys, 10; girls, 4; total, 14. Present: – Boys, 5; girls, 2; total, 7.

The school room is a new and substantial slab building, sufficiently furnished except that there is no outhouse and no press for books. The teaching material is deficient as regards slates, reading books, and reading tablets. Order and discipline pretty good, but tone too shy. Organization good for a school of this class. Proficiency fair. Progress satisfactory.

NORTH PINE RIVER, No. II (PROVISIONAL HALF-TIME)

Inspected 11^th August

On roll: – Boys, 12; girls, 4; total, 16. Present: – Boys, 9; girls, 4; total, 13. This school is on the north bank of the river, and is open in the afternoon; the other is a little distance from the south bank of the river, and is taught in the forenoon. The building is of slabs, furnished with a sufficiency of desks and forms, and having a blackboard, but clock, press, and outhouse are wanting. Slates are scarce, and a ballframe is required. The tone of the children is more pleasant than obtains in the companion school. Too many classes have been made. The proficiency and progress are scarcely so notable as in the other school, but this may well be accounted for by the fact that the afternoon school time shorter than the forenoon time.

Source: Moreton Bay Regional Council Local History Library, Strathpine

[/reveal]

 

Only 10 days later a special departmental inspection took place, on brand new premises now only 2 months old on the south side of the river. About a quarter of an acre of land (or 1 rood: an English unit of area, equal to approximately 1011 m²) in the south east corner of Portion 39 in the Parish of Warner County of Stanley [RESEARCH REQUIRED]. This location was presumably used until the opening of the amalgamated school (after the bridge over the river was completed) in 1879, despite the fact that it was leased by the School Committee for 10 years.

An auction notice appearing in advertising section of ‘The Brisbane Courier’ in 1900 described this property as being subdivided into “140 magnificent sites, adjoining the Lawnton Railway Station and having extensive frontage to the North Coast Railway Line and North Pine Road” (Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19039970)

This report includes a hand-drawn map of the layout of the schoolhouse including the location of the furniture stating that, “most, if not all, of which was used in the old school recently quitted a room of W Jonas’ farm buildings – and may be deemed satisfactory as to supply and quality”.

A description was provided of the school having water handy, substantial and neat slab walls, pine floor, storey guard sleepers and wall plates, sapling rafters and tie beams, sawn pine bottoms, ironbark shingles, windows of nine panes each swinging vertically, with pine flooring beams. An issue with the windows being too weak and no fencing were the only negative items.

 

Transcript of 1876 special school inspection report for the new south side building:

 

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to read transcript“]

21 August 1876

183

Special Report on the Premises of the North Pine River (No. I) Provisional Halftime School

The site is 1 rood of the S.E. corner Portion 39 Parish of Warner County of Stanley, and is leased by the Committee for 10 years. The building is only two months old. It measures 25 ft x 14. Substantial and neat slab walls. Pine floor. Storey guard sleepers and wall plates. Sapling rafters and tie beams. Sawn pine bottoms. Ironbark shingles. Don of pine flooring beams. Windows of 9 panes each, swinging vertically on firsts 15(?) are too weak – Water is handy – There is no fencing. The subjoined Plan will sufficiently indicate the quantity and arrangement of the furniture, most, if not all, of which was used in the old school recently quitted a room of W. Jonas’ farm buildings – and may be deemed satisfactory as to supply and quality. No [???]. No [???].

The Under Secretary

Department of Public Instruction

D. Ewart

21/8/76

Source: Moreton Bay Regional Council Local History Library, Strathpine

[/reveal]

 

Of course a special report was also carried out on the north bank building at this time. This report also included a map depicting the schoolhouse and the positioning of the furniture.

The Inspector reports the location of the school in relation to other landmarks of the area and the allotment is described as ‘triangular’.

The description of this structure is being of slab walls, iron bark flooring boards, roof frame saplings shingled with iron bark shingles, windows of six panes each – however the joints of the walls, door and floor were rather open.

This report also gives us first insight into the interior of the schoolhouse stating:

 

“Two very fair 10ft desks and forms. Nails for hats inside the wall on each side of the door. A shelf on the end wall opposite the door and a small corner shelf. Blackboard of fair size and supports against wall. Table (3ft x 1 ½) and chair. No clock, press, or closets.”

 

Transcript of 1876 special school inspection report for the north side building:

[reveal heading=”%image% Click here to show/hide contents”]

21 August 1876

183 ½

Special Report on the Premises of the North Pine River (No. II) Provisional Halftime School

The site is between Portions 28 & 32 Parish of Redcliffe, County of Stanley. The triangular reserve between these portions is bisected by the northern road after it crosses the N. Pine River: on the W of the road is the Police Station and in the S.E. corner of the part of the reserve on the E. side of the road stands the school. The ground is not fenced except by the S.W. boundary fence – a paling fence – of Portion 28. The building is 20 ft x 14. Slab walls. Floor of iron bark flooring boards. Roof frame saplings shingled with iron bark shingles. Windows have 6 panes each. Joints of walls, door and floor rather open. Two very fair 10 ft desks and forms. Nails for hats inside the wall on each side of the door. A shelf on the end wall opposite the door and a small corner shelf. Blackboard of fair size supports against wall. Table (3 ft x 1 ½) and chair. No clock, press, or closets.

The Under Secretary

Department of Public Instruction

D. Ewart

21/8/76

Source: Moreton Bay Regional Council Local History Library, Strathpine

[/reveal]