Mudgee School

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School name: Mudgee

Other name: -
County name: Wellington
Transferred:
URL for linking: https://nswgovschoolhistory.cese.nsw.gov.au/schoolHistory?schoolId=5627
Operating dates:
Type of school Opening date Closing date
Public School Oct 1855 Mar 1881
Superior Public School Mar 1881 Dec 1907
District School Jan 1908 Jul 1916
Public School Aug 1916 Mar 1925
Public School and Home Science School Apr 1925 Mar 1926
Public School Apr 1926 Open1

1870

The Public School, which is in three divisions, numbered last quarter on the roll 132 boys and 101 girls, the attendance I saw was ninety-one boys and seventy girls. The singing of the infants under Miss Terry's discipline and skill was very good2 .

1878

March 1878 John Irving Clarke received two months training at Mudgee Public3 .

1880 Appointments

22 June 1880 the following staff were appointed:

• Mr Nimrod Greenwood, Teacher
• Miss Sussannah Owen, Mistress, Girls Department
• Miss Eliza Styles, Mistress, Girls Department
• Miss Jane Readford, Assistant, Infants Department
• Mr George Gillespie, Pupil Teacher
• Mr Robert Miller, Pupil Teacher
• Miss Mary Wilson, Pupil Teacher
• Miss Annie Chappell, Pupil Teacher4

30 October 1880

Mudgee Public School 1880

1881 Teacher Appointment

31 May 1881 Miss Eliza Jane Cowan was appointed Assistant Teacher, Infants Department at Mudgee Public School6 .

10 August 1881 Mary Cassin was employed on probation as Pupil Teacher at Mudgee P Infants7 .

1884

3 December 1884 Mary Cassin resigned as Pupil Teacher Mudgee P Infants8 .

1886 Appointment

7 September 1886 Sarah Shute was appointed teacher at Mudgee School9 .

1889 Teacher Appointed

On 15 February 1889 William Fowles was appointed Assistant at Mudgee Superior Public School10 .

1895

Mudgee Public School 1895 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page17286550

31 September 1895 Edith Caroline Batten was employed, on probation, as PT at Mudgee Public11 .

20 December 1895
THE S.P. PUBLIC SCHOOL.
The Mudgee Superior Public School, commodious as it is, is not capable of accommodating the children attending there. The Minister for Education has approved of an additional class-room being erected. The school, as it stands, was erected in 1878, and successive head-masters have been gentlemen holding high rank in the service. Mr. George Blumer, B.A., is now in charge and is proving at once a capable and popular head-master. There are 600 children's names on the rolls, with an average attendance of 434, and the teaching staff numbers 4 male teachers, and 9 ladies12 .

1896

24 October 1896

Mudgee School 1896 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71300077

24 October 1896
The Mudgee Superior Public School is a fine structure, with extensive playgrounds, and its total enrolment of scholars numbers 560, with an average attendance of about 475. The headmaster (Mr. G. A. Blumer, B.A.) has been in the educational service of the colony nineteen years, and came to his present post from Emmaville, where he held a similar position. In his present duties he has twelve assistants, who share with him the honors which the school has so persistently earned. Mr. Blumer has been singularly successful in preparing pupils for junior and senior examinations, one of his Mudgee pupils (Colin Davidson) qualifying last year at the senior examination for matriculation and entrance to the Faculties of Medicine and Science at Sydney University13 .

1897 Teacher Transferred
5 March 1897 teacher Mr G Redshaw was transferred from Rylstone School to assist at Mudgee School during the absence of the teacher14 .

1898

18th March 1898 Vernon C Barwick was employed on probation as P T at Mudgee Pub. authorized 18th March 189815 .

1901 Teacher Transferred

On 23 August 1901 teacher Mr J McKay was transferred from Mudgee School to Conrad Public School as teacher16 .

On 23 August 1901 Mr. G. W. Shipp was transferred from South Goulburn School to Mudgee Public as Assistant17 .

1902

24 September 1902
Death of Mr. James J. Walsh, B.A.
The death of Mr. James J. Walsh, B.A., late headmaster of the Redfern Public School, occurred on the 8th instant. The deceased gentleman was born in Liverpool, England, on June 30, 1837. He was a son of the chief engineer of the first steamer that crossed the Atlantic from Liverpool to New York. In his youthful days the deceased followed in the footsteps of his father and chose a sea-faring life. He twice sailed round the world. He finally landed in Melbourne when he was quite a young man, but with very little means. For want of funds he had to carry his swag from Melbourne to Bombala, in New South Wales. There he obtained the situation as bookkeeper at Russell's sheep station at Bibbenluke. He remained in that position for some time, until he came to Sydney. Mr. Walsh was at this period of his life advised by the late Dr. Woolley, the then Chancellor of the University, to study for the Bar. The same advice was also tendered to him by the late Mr. Daniel Henry Denihey and Mr. W. B. Dalley. Mr. Walsh, however, could not find the means necessary to carry him through a University training, the facilities in those days being of a very limited character compared with the opportunities of today. Consequently he turned his attention to the teaching profession, and under the old National School Board he received his first appointment as a Public School teacher in 1862. He was sent to the Waligan Creek School, near Wollombi. To take up his duties he had to walk from Maitland, a distance of 40 miles. He afterwards became first assistant to Mr. Bridges, now Chief Inspector of Schools, who was then head master of the Mudgee school. While at Mudgee Mr. Walsh, who was always a devoted student, attained to the A1 grade, which is the highest in the educational service. He was then promoted to the Grafton school as first assistant teacher. While in Grafton Mr. Walsh was married to Miss Collins, daughter of a local Presbyterian minister. The wedded pair at once proceeded to Tenterfield, where Mr. Walsh was given his first appointment as head master of a school. He remained there until 1876, when he was removed to Wallsend, and in 1887 he was appointed head master of the Newcastle Public School. In 1890 the charge of the Redfern Superior Public School was handed over to his care. He remained in this service until 1899, when he retired from the service on a well-merited pension. Mr. Walsh was a lover of good literature, and some rare and choice works find a place in his extensive library. After he had retired from active duties, he determined that if his pecuniary position in early life had prevented him from following out the desire of his heart, viz., to possess a University training, he would at least make an effort to retrieve to a large extent his position in that respect, and so although Mr. Walsh had at this time reached the age of 60 years, he started and graduated in Arts. Having successfully obtained his B.A. degree he had the honour of having the same conferred upon him by the Prince of Wales during his late visit to Sydney18 .

1904

29 September 1904 Edith Batten was instructed to act as Assistant teacher at Mudgee P II19 .

1905

2 February 1905 Mr. W. M. Clarke, Mr. A. K. Loftus, Mr. O. A. Edwards, Mr. D. G. McDonougah, Mr. S. W. McMahon, Mr. W. S. Reay, Miss Batten, Miss Hardwick, Mrs. Shaw, Miss Stevenson, and Mr. C. A. Hardwick, Mudgee, members Public Service Association20 .

6 September 1905
The Mudgee Superior Public School, another fine structure, with extensive playgrounds, has an enrolment of about 520, and an average daily attendance of 460. The school building was erected in 1870, but several additions have been added since. The present head master, Mr. W. M. Clarke, has been at Mudgee about 18 months, and was formerly at Mittagong and Moree21 .

1914

29 January 1914
Qualifying Certificates.
Results of December Examinations
Names of Successful District Candidates.
We print today a list of the successful candidates who sat for the qualifying certificate examination in this and adjoining districts. All the candidates took the same examination papers as the city boys and girls. Under the Bursaries Endowment Act., the bursaries allotted by the board are divided in the ratio of school population. This works out, so that one-third of the Bursaries are given to candidates from Sydney and suburbs, and two-thirds of the bursaries go to the country districts. These bursaries and scholarships are tenable at the country high schools or the district schools, but the names of the successful bursars and scholars will not be available until next week.
MUDGEE DISTRICT.
Mudgee - Susie M. Arnott, Flora M. Bisby, Letitia F. Carr, Thelma D. Evans, Ruby C. Hartridge, Meggie Kellett, Hazel A. Pitt, Miriam M. Shaw, Doris M. Thomas, Freda. M. Wilton, Ada. Woolley, Ernest H. Conolly, Archibald R. H. Duggan, Mervyn E. H. Elliott. John Guest, Frederick Hartridge, Cecil B. W. Hickson, Aubrey E. Hoad, Albert C. McGowan, Arthur J. Meany, Alfred S. Thomas. Cecil T. Underwood, Errol J. White22 .

1921

31 January 1921
Q.C. Examinations.
MUDGEE AND DISTRICT RESULTS.
The following are the Mudgee and district passes at the Q.C. examinations, success at which Qualifies for entrance at the High Schools: -
Mudgee Public School - Elizabeth Bawden, Marjorie Casimir, Madge Knight, Joan Beatrice Knight, Amelia Waters, Mabel Williams, Richard Cummins, Gladstone Farthing, Lovell Mitchell, Stanley McKay, Madaline Flack, May Gawthorne, Sarah James, Eileen King, Ilma Leonard, Edna Mills, Constance McPhee, Winnie Orth, Bessie Sheppard, Edith Thomas, Ethel Woolley, John Bartlett, Victor Bryant, Russell Cox. Mervyn Graham, Charles Graham, Athol Gibson, Dallas Hattan, Malcolm Kellett, Percy Keigh, Bertram Luckie. Noel Mogg, Charles Milton, Dudley Mills, Cyril Ryley, Allan Sharpe, Flora Taylor, Irene Green23 .

1922

13 July 1922
A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP
TO RYLSTONE VIA MUDGEE.
(By W. S.)
I must, before leaving Mudgee, say that their High School and Public School are the best seen in western towns and the teachers hold very high classifications, so the young people are well provided for in the schooling line24 .

1925

30 April 1925
Another Fire
SCHOOL RESIDENCE GUTTED.
ORIGIN OF OUTBREAK A MYSTERY.
It is a sort of superstition with very many people that fires always come in batches of three. Mudgee has had two within the past few days, and now the superstitious ones are awaiting a further clanging of the fire bell.
At about 2 o'clock this morning a blaze broke out in the kitchen at the Mudgee Public school residence, which occupied by Mr. J. E. Roberts, headmaster. One of the children sleeping in another room, evidently disturbed by the smoke, became restless, and Mr. Roberts, in making an investigation, was surprised to find the fire well established. Recognising that he had no hope of fighting the blaze he hurried to the fire station and gave the alarm. The brigade under Captain Cohen promptly responded, and succeeded after a stern fight in subduing the conflagration, but not before five or six rooms were badly damaged and considerable furniture, household utensils, etc., completely destroyed. Part of the damage is covered by insurance, but Mr. and Mrs. Roberts lost many articles of valuable tapery etc. which it will be almost impossible to replace.
How the fire occurred is a mystery, but it is considered that a fused wire may have been responsible. Mr. Roberts passed through the kitchen at about half-past 11 o'clock, and everything was then in order. The fact that there was no fire in the house during the night makes the mastery even more puzzling.
The damage to the building is considerable. The roof and ceilings of at least six rooms were badly gutted, and it will take hundreds of pounds to place the structure in proper repair.
The people of Mudgee will join with us in extending sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, who lost many treasured articles and who will be considerably inconvenienced for some time owing to the disarrangement of the home25 .

1928

16 January 1928
Farewell to Mr. Walsh.
Mr. J. Walsh, the capable head master of the Mudgee public school, has received notice of transfer to Glen Innes, and he will be taking his departure towards the end of the week. On Wednesday, at 7.30 p.m., he will be entertained at the school by members of the Parents' and Citizens' Association and made the recipient of a presentation, and a full attendance of everyone interested is invited. During his stay in Mudgee Mr. Walsh took a very keen interest in all matters having for their object the advancement of the pupils, and his departure will be generally regretted. Mr. B. Keogh, of Portland, has been appointed to succeed Mr. Walsh.
Teachers Transferred
We are informed that Mr. Roberts, of the High School teaching staff, and Mr. Slack, of the Mudgee Public school have been transferred to other centres. It is also understood that other changes will be notified before the vacation ends26 .

1929

13 May 1929
The Old Days
MUDGEE PUBLIC SCHOOL.
GENESIS AXD HISTORY,
LAST CENTURY AND THIS.
The Mudgee Public School is among the oldest public schools in the State, and has a record of which the famous district should be proud.
The school was opened in temporary premises in the month of October, 1855, at a time when there were only 51 public schools in operation with a total enrolment of 4,542. Since then the school has functioned continuously, turning out year by year many scholars who later occupied prominent positions in the industrial, commercial and professional spheres.
THE START.
The first move in the direction of obtaining a public school at Mudgee was made by the Rev. J. Bowers on March 21, 1855, when he wrote to the Board of National Education, the controlling body of State education at the time, stating that a National School would be desirable to the residents of Mudgee. Subsequently a formal application was made by the residents which was approved by the Board. The actual date of opening cannot be ascertained, but it was in the month of October as above stated.
The first teacher was Mr. J. H. Murray, and the enrolment at the end of 1855 was 62 pupils.
The school continued in its temporary premises, which were not by any means suitable, until the year 1857. It was then transferred to a new permanent school building which had been erected at a cost of approximately £1000, towards which the residents contributed one-third. The site contained two acres and was granted by the Government.
EARLY REPORT.
An inspection report on Mudgee Public School, dated August 18, 1858, states:-
"This school is fully and skilfully organised; the discipline is excellent: the attainments of the pupils are satisfactory, and the school may be considered as highly efficient."
The site of the school was enlarged by the following additions: Two roods in 1876; two acres in 1909, two roods in 1910; and one acre in November, 1925. The total cost of the site was £490.
A NEW BUILDING.
Rapid progress was made in the early years of the school's existence, and in 1859 it was divided into three departments - boys, girls and infants. By 1875 the enrolment increased to 386. At that time it was decided to erect a completely new building, and this was effected in 1877 at a cost of £3,910. Important additions were carried out in 1898, 1903, 1910 and 1926.
The latest additions comprise a new building for the infants; lavatory, weathershed, sanitary block, and large tarpaved assembly area.
The building is erected at the north end of the site, having a frontage of 132 feet to Perry-street, and will accommodate 274 pupils. There are four classrooms, each to accommodate 56 pupils, one kindergarten room with folding doors to the assembly hall; large assembly hall, corridors, two hatrooms, headmistress and staff rooms, and store rooms.
The work has been carried out by Mr. N. R. Morris, contractor, at a cost of £5,741 to the Department.
SECONDARY EDUCATION.
Mudgee Public School was successfully raised to the status of Superior and District School, and prior to the erection of the Mudgee High School in 1917, it provided secondary education for the children of the surrounding district who desired to continue their education beyond the primary course.
EX-PUPILS.
A few of the ex-pupils of Mudgee Public School who have become prominent in their after-school careers are: Mr. Justice Davidson, Mr. W. G. Harvey, inspector of schools; professor A. E. Mills, of the Sydney University; Dr. Lester, of Macquarie street, Sydney; the Rev. Richard Piper, Methodist missionary; Drs. Thomas and Lovejoy, the Revs. W. Deane, and Bernard Deane, Methodist clergymen; Mr. A. G. Taylor (popularly known as "Mudgee" Taylor) ; and there are many others throughout New South Wales and Australia.
HEADMASTERS.
Of the early headmasters of Mudgee Public School, one who is well remembered is the late Mr. Nimrod Greenwood, who was in charge of the school from September, 1879, to April, 1884.
Mr. George Blumer, retired inspector of schools, was in charge of Mudgee from January 1895, to March, 1914, and he was succeeded by Mr. W. M. Clarke, who remained in charge until 1913.
Others who have been in charge are the late Mr. James Jacobs, and Messrs. W. G. Davies, J. H. Peck, J. E. Roberts, J. A. Walsh, G. Hutchinson, Captain Dart and, in earlier days, Mr. F. Bridges, who was later Under-Secretary for Education. Mr. G. Wenholz, and Mr. A. D. Eraser.
ENROLMENT AND ATTENDANCE.
The school contains three departments - boys, girls and infants. There are fifteen assistants at which for the quarter ended in March last were as follow: -
Enrolment .. Attendances
Boys .. .. 234 .. .. 190.3
Girls. .. .. 228 .. .. 191.9
Infants .. 230 .. .. 183.1
Total .. .. 692 .. .. 565.3
The present headmaster of the school is Mr. B. D. Keough, classified 1A. Miss N. Hodge, 2A, is in charge of the girls' department, and Miss W. Locke, 2A, In charge of the infants. There are fifteen assistants at the school, making a total of eighteen teachers27 .

1948

19 April 1948
This week, the Centenary of Public School Education will be celebrated throughout the State, so it is fitting that we publish, by courtesy of Mr. K. Hume, this article on The Evolution or Public School Education in Mudgee.
Among the earliest Mudgee settlers to give education to the young were Mrs. Nicholas Rowell and Mr. Evan Richards. The first school in the town was built on the site at present occupied by the Public School in the year 1853, was conducted by Mrs. Rowell, then a young woman, and was attended by three pupils.
The first Public School building was erected in the year 1853 by the Council of Education, on an area of two acres granted by the Government. In 1859, it was found necessary to make additions to the original building, which was constructed of sandstone with a shingle roof, and with a two storied back portion.
The writer remembers the inscription on the front of the building: "Public School."
The early enrolment was about 70, with an average attendance of about 45.
In 1876, an additional grant of two roods was made by the Government, followed by a further two acres in 1909 and still another two roods in 1910. making the present day total area of the school grounds five acres.
Among the first teachers may be mentioned Mr. J. H. Murray, Mr. Allpass and Miss Styles. Mr. Allpass was followed by Mr. John Dart, who held the position for several years, having for his assistant Mr. Reginald Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan eventually severed his connection with the Education Department to take up law, and practised as a barrister up to the time of his death, in 1946. Miss Styles was in charge of the girls' department.
In the early days, the schools were conducted under what was known as the "National Schools System," the schools being controlled by local school boards. The late Mr. George Davidson (father of Mr. Justice Davidson), Mr. William Kellett and Mr. Daniel Cassin were among the first members of the Mudgee School Board.
It was usual in June and December of each year for the schools to have vacations. Prizes were usually awarded students showing merit, but in order to encourage all pupils, care was taken to see that every child received one prize or other. In order to provide these prizes, funds were solicited from leading townspeople, and these contributions, together with the proceeds of concerts given by the children themselves, were always adequate for the purpose.
At each "breakup", concerts were held in the Mechanics' Institute and were always largely attended. Besides the efforts of the children, prominent citizens always assisted in the entertainment - older residents will doubtless remember the laughable items rendered by the late Fred Campbell and Francis S. Isaacs, then C.P.S. and later Police Magistrate.
With the increase in population, it was found necessary to build a more up-to-date school, and during the process of the demolition of the old building and the erection of the new, the boys' department was carried on in the Mechanics' Institute, whilst the girls and infants were taught in the Methodist Sunday School (now converted into shops).
On December 29, 1876, the brethren of Lodge Edinburgh walked from their lodge room in procession, wearing masonic regalia, to the Market Square (now Robertson Park), where they were met by the brethren of Lodge St. John, also in regalia, and proceeded to the school ground, for the laying of the foundation of the Public School with Masonic Honours. The stone was laid by the Honorable Sir John Robertson, Premier of N.S.W. and member for Mudgee.
The school building was completed in 1877, at a cost of £4000, and further additions were made in 1896 and again in 1903; costing £1500.
In 1909, the structure underwent considerable alterations and remodelling and a separate building was provided for science and manual training, the work costing £1850. Still further alterations were made in 1927.
In the year 1879, the school was raised to the status of Superior Public School - it later became District School - and Mr. Dart and Miss Styles left Mudgee, the former to take charge of the school at Young, and the latter to go into retirement. Mr. Nimrod Greenwood, who succeeded Mr. Dart, remained in charge for a number of years, and although what might be termed a lover of the birch, was a great favourite with all his pupils. He was regarded as a brilliant teacher and during his term laid the foundations for many pupils to rise to high positions throughout the State. On Mr. Greenwood's staff were assistants R. Newton, R. Miller, G. Gillespie, and H. Milne.
Among other teachers connected with early school life locally were Misses Gibson, Miller, Harpur, Chappel, Cardwell, Shute, Chandler, Dennis, Atcheson, Scott and Moffat, and Messrs. Blumer, Wenholtz, Peek, Clark, Jacobs, Darcy, Penny, Morton and the present head master, Mr. Marskell.
By 1938 the enrolment had increased to about 200 in each department - boys, girls and infants - and whereas at the beginning only one school supplied the requirements of a considerable district, there are about 80 departmental schools in the Mudgee district, providing education for about 4000 children.
In 1913, the Education Department, in accordance with Government policy, decided to provide better facilities for secondary education at Mudgee and the High School was erected on two acres of land, with a frontage to Douro and Horatio Streets. The cost of the building and grounds was £6000.
It was not until 1916 that the building was ready for occupation, and in July of that year, Mr. P. D. Shortland. M.A., took charge with a staff of three men and four women. Mr. Shortland retired in 1922 to take up the profession of barrister and is now a judge of the Supreme Court28 .

References