Schramm's School, Doncaster Road - The Forgotten Cottage
| Doncaster township looking east c1900, taken from the Doncaster Tower. Shire Hall, school, ES&A Bank, and houses in the distance. In the grounds of the Shire Hall is a heap of left-over bricks, a privy, water hole, shed, and a picket fence along Council street The large tree in the school ground has been topped DP0005 |
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| DP0005 Simulation GoogleMaps 2018 |
In 1874, Max Schramm, who had previously built the stone cottage on adjoining land, sold his school house to the Department of Education for the sum of (pound) 350.
The ES&A Bank, who had purchased the premises in 1890, renovated and extended the building an 1910. A banking chamber was built onto the front and a weatherboard residence at the rear. These extensions did not hide the quality and proportion of the original building. The charm of the old school house still shows.
Soon Doncaster Road will be widened and this building, which was so architecturally satisfying, will have to be demolished.
Source: Irvine Green writing in 1968-11 DTHS Newsletter
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| Doncaster Township 1960. Shops on the south side of Doncaster Road opposite the council chambers. The two nearest shops were then occupied by W.A.D. Electrics and D. A. Cahill, estate agent. At the left of the photograph is the front door of the ES&A Bank. DP0142 |
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| ES&A Bank (formerly the Doncaster Primary School) in Doncaster Road. Shows the new front on bank built in 1910, and picket fences. Building on right of the bank is the Church of Christ manse. DP0035 |
School at Schramm's
For the first time after one hundred years, school was held in Schramms Cottage. "School at Schramms", an event on the 150 year calendar, was held on a fine, sunny day in August. Twenty four pupils from Donburn Primary School attended in costume. From the time the class assembled to raise the flag, till they were dismissed for the day, the children lived the life of a last century school. They learnt arithmetic tables, wrote with steel-nibbed pen and ink, and at recess played round games. While the girls learnt how to use a washboard, press sheets with the mangle and use a hot box iron, the boys had a sloyd lesson, learning about wood and hand tools. The Headmaster-for-a-day was Irvine Green, resplendent in academic gown and the school marm was Jeanette Johnston, a teacher from Donburn School. Her father, Olaf Soderland took the woodwork class.We would like to thank these three people for the time they spent preparing for the day and their skill in making the past come alive.
Source: 1985 09 DTHS Newsletter
1863 - A Momentous Year
One hundred and fifty years ago, the world was rapidly changing, industrially and politically as well as socially. People's outlook was being influenced by some momentous events.
In 1863, Henry Ford, who was to become and influential American industrialist was born. Although he did not invent the motor car, he developed it so that it was possible for middle class people to afford to buy a car, where previously it was only the prerogative of the rich. This was mass production, raising the standards of life for the many. Interestingly Ford declared, "History is Bunk"
Friedr Bayer founded the famous pharmaceutical company in Germany in 1863 specialising in dyes, initially, and later moving on to chemist's lines of various' types.
In this year an American, Alanson Crane of Virginia invented and patented the fire extinguisher using sodium carbonate and sulphuric acid to shoot pressurised water on to fires. This invention revolutionised the extinguishing of fires, thus saving countless buildings.
Transport, too, was changed for the people of USA and Great Britain. In January 1863, the world's first underground railway was opened in London - the Tube Railway improving communication and movement around the rapidly growing city. Across the Atlantic, again in January 1863, the Transcontinental Railway began in Sacramento California, which when finished was to open up the West for settlement and join up the east and west states of USA.
But perhaps the most interesting historically occurring in the American Civil War was Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, delivered at the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Pennsylvania on November 19th, 1863.
The North or Yankees had won some decisive victories in 1863, the battle ofVicksburg, and the battle of Jackson, culminating in the battle of Gettysburg also in 1863. These battles decisively turned the tide of victory to the Northern states.
The special cemetery was dedicated to the fallen and on the day, the foremost orator Edward Everett harangued the crowd for two hours. Then Lincoln rose and gave in a mere 272 words one of the most famous speeches in world history beginning: "Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. and finishing: ... that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.
After such lofty sentiments, we come to the events, which took place in Doncaster in 1863. This year we celebrate the opening of Schramm's School as a Common School under the auspices of the newly formed Board of Education.
Max Schramm had opened his school in 1860 as a denominational school, which was supervised by the church congregation.
In 1862-63, National and Denominational Schools Boards were replaced by the Board of Education and all schools became "Common Schools".
The Board's plan was to close small schools and amalgamate these into entities that are more efficient and improve teaching standards in Victoria. Some small schools closed but others welcomed amalgamation, as they could be eligible for grants to improve facilities.
Soon after Max Schramm's school became a Common School in 1863, the small church building became too small to house the growing number of pupils and he applied for a grant to build a new school. At that time an application for a building grant had to be matched by funds from the local community.
This did not occur and Max Schramm decided to erect a building at his own expense. A feature of schools at this time was a system of tiered seats to enable smaller children to see the blackboard, as children of varied ages were taught in the same room.
The Common Schools Board lasted for 10 years, when due to dissatisfaction with State Aid for Church Schools, the 1873 Education Act was passed, making education free, compulsory and secular, with the state owing its own schools.
As Pastor Max Schramm had always taught religion as part of his curriculum, this new Act was not acceptable to him and he resigned his position. He then opened a private Lutheran School in his own home. The school continued under headmaster Mr A.O. Thiele and was known as State School No. 197. The present Doncaster Primary School No. 197 is holding a series of school based activities to celebrate its 150th anniversary throughout 2013.
We also celebrate Schramm's school with a display of school photographs and artefacts, beginning at the Heritage Festival of Manningham in May 2013. Please look out for details of this event and come along with your friends to help us celebrate this event.
Source: 2013-03 DTHS Newsletter
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