Schramm's School, Doncaster Road - The Forgotten Cottage

Many people tend to forget that Pastor Schramm's old school house is still standing, now the centre section of the ES&A Bank building. There had been a demand for the Lutheran School on Waldau Hill to be moved to a more central position. An application for a grant to build a school had been made to the Board of Education. In its historical research, the Doncaster School recently discovered that this application was withdrawn. Max Schramm wished to erect a school building on his own land out of his own resources.

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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The simply designed brick building that Schramm erected had charm and character. On the steep gable roof, a tower held the school bell. At the front was a small porch and at the rear a creeper covered verandah ran the length of the building, with one end closed in to provide a small bedroom. Inside on the left, the schoolroom took up the larger part. Opening off this was the Schramm familyís combined kitchen and living room. Steep steps led up to a garrett room,
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

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

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