Casterton & District Historical Society Inc.
Chetwynd State School, No 2738

History of Chetwynd State School, No 2738

The School opened on the 25th February 1886 with Mr John P WATSON as the Head Teacher.

Mr Roland GREAVES succeeded Mr WATSON within a few months of opening.

Correspondence indicated that in June 1886 that Chetwynd No 2738 and Koolomert No 1893 were worked part time.

There were 23 children enrolled in June 1886 at Chetwynd No 2738 and 7 children at Koolomert No 1893.

The two schools were 11 miles apart.

The school was originally in a building which was leased by the Department from Mr George Bilston until February 1887 when a "portable school house" was erected on an allotted Chetwynd Township site. It was of wooden construction, could accommodate 30 children and a two roomed residence attached. The school was unfenced for some time and caused difficulties as indicated in a letter by Mr GREAVES in September 1887 stating:

"The school is situated in the township adjoining the Chetwynd common, upon which a great number of horses, cows etc roam at large. These straying stock make the school premises their camping ground and in the summer damage water tanks in their endeavor to get water".

The site was fenced in 1906.

A Departmental residence was competed in 1908 within the school boundaries and Mr D BLACK was the first married teacher to occupy it.

A former head teacher, Mr F W KEMP had died at Gallipoli in the First World War an is named on the Chetwynd School Honour Roll.

A tree planting project was completed in 1914 and extended in 1916.

A tennis court was formed in 1922

The floor of the shelter pavilion was cemented in 1932 having been an earth floor since its erection.

In 1955, a school building formerly in use at HILGAY was transported to the site as a replacement for the wooden construction, but this proved unsatisfactory and a new school building was built and opened in 1957.

In 1959 a dam was excavated on Crown land east of the school as a water supply for the school garden. A shelter shed was built on the original school building site.

In 1960, the HILGAY school building was damaged, even though it was never set up and was removed from the site.

A bus service was set up in 1960.

By 1962, the enrolments started to decline and this continued until its closure.

OF NOTE:

There were two other schools in Chetwynd District:

CHETWYND JUNCTION No 1777.

  • Opened 19th October, 1876
  • Head Teacher - Thomas WINNIAT 1876-1879
  • The school closed on 19th December 1896.
  • The building was removed and sent to EDENHOPE as an extra classroom

CHETWYND EAST No 2975

  • Opened 25th November 1889
  • Head Teacher - Miss Jessie MCNAUGHTON 1889-1894
  • Head Teacher - Mr Samuel TYERS 1899-1901 & 1903-1906
  • Head Teacher - Miss Winifred JOHNSTONE 1901-1902
  • The school closed on 20th March 1906

Head Teachers: Chetwynd State School, No 2738

Head Teacher

From

To

Notes

WATSON, John F

25/02/1886

07/06/1886

 

GREAVES, Roland

1886

1888

 

CARTER, Mary

1889

1889

 

FEDDERSEN, Simon E

1889

1894

 

TREADGOLD, Leslie R A

1895

1896

 

CLARKE, Charles

1897

1899

 

MEEHAN, Margaret

1899

1905

 

JOHNSTON, Mr

1906

1906

 

McDONALD, Mary I

1907

1908

 

KEMP, Francis W

1909

1910

Born 1885, Yendon, Victoria; WW1, 8th Light Horse Regiment; KIA "The Nek", Gallipoli, 7th Aug 1915.

BLACK, Davis

1911

1912

 

THORNE, John H

1913

1913

 

ADAMS, Harold M

1914

1915

 

ELSKIN, Eileen

1916

1917

 

KING, Jennie

1918

1920

 

PICKEN, Agnes

1921

1927

 

CALABY, Walter F

1928

1929

 

MCMAHON, Peter I

1930

1944

 



Extracts from the booklet:

"Chetwynd State School No 2738 Centenary; 100 Years 1886-1986"

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