Wandiligong's stately primary school looks down on the quite valley, hinting at livelier times gone by

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Wandiligong's stately primary school looks down on the quiet valley, hinting at livelier times gone by. A building like this wasn't provided for the 50 or so children who attend there now, but was built in Wandiligong's boom time when tons of gold were being mined from the quartz on the hills or washed from the stream beds and creek flats.

As early as 1860 there was a demand for education. Following the discovery of rich gold deposits in the Buckland, prospectors followed the creeks and rivers in the hope of new strikes.

Most of these would have been men, in groups or alone, but when rich alluvial gold was found along Morses Creek, wives and families would have soon followed, and homes established.

Quite a few of these pioneering parents were illiterate as we see from the numbers who signed their marriage and birth certificates with a cross, but they wanted something better for their children.

The first school was established in the old Wesleyan chapel which then stood at the rear of the present Uniting Church. At this time the government had not taken responsibility for education and the school was a private establishment under the auspices of the Presbyterian Assembly.

Not surprisingly it was known as the Pressy school. Mr and Mrs James Brooke were in charge of the 42 pupils who enrolled on September 24, 1860 each paying their weekly fee of 2/- to 2/6 according to class, quite a large sum for the time. Provision was made for accommodation of a few boarders, and there were even evening classes for adults.

In 1862 the Common School Act was passed, meaning that government funding would now replace or augment fees from parents. As would have been expected the numbers increased.

Mr Brooks had by now become a qualified teacher, and the school had been moved to the Presbyterian Church, which then occupied the site of the former school residence.

Soon the school was to become Growlers Creek Common School No 275.

In 1863 Mr JH Roberts was appointed headmaster assisted by Miss Kate Bulmer. Mr Roberts spoke several languages including Chinese, but it is doubtful if any Chinese children were enrolled.

John Walker was a pupil at the school from 1864 to 1869, and in 1920 his memories of his school days were printed in the Alpine Observer.

He remembers Mr Roberts as a very popular teacher who "was a good sport and played many a joke on us".

He tells of games of Aunt Sally when the children threw stones to knock clay pipes from Sally's mouth and other tests of marksmanship which involved breaking bottles.

He said: "Mr Roberts was, despite his somewhat eccentric ways a cultured and scholarly man."

By 1867 there were 125 children attending the school and the church building was far too small. Requests by the school committee finally resulted in a wooden building being erected in what is now the northwest corner of the school grounds in 1870.

This sufficed until 1872 when the Education Act was passed, making education not only free and secular, but also compulsory.

Again numbers increased until there were 285 pupils by the end of 1873. Two years later, overcrowding was such a problem that classes were being held in the M.U. Hall.

Agitation by the committee finally resulted in a brick building complete with bell tower, which was completed in 1877.

It was still too small for the overflow of 80 and 90 who had to remain in the old building until 1881 when the upper section was added, giving Wandiligong the fine building which placidly surveys present day life in the valley, but reminds us of livelier times based on the lure of gold and dreams of "striking it rich".

The school still plays an important role in the community, involving not only the children, but also their parents and a number of voluntary helpers.

Some of the children are the fifth generation of their families to attend the school where pride in its traditions is combined with forward-looking innovations and up-to-date methods and equipment.

In 1956 Wandiligong Primary School This photo was taken in 1909 as you

had extensive renovations can see the school didn’t have a very good fence

Alterations and additions to the building have been made with due deference to its National Trust classification. It is probably the most impressive and best maintained historic building in the district and well worth visiting.