Centenary 1874-1974 - Templestowe Primary School No 1395 - Souvenir Booklet
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It is hoped that this booklet will give some idea of the History and Growth of Ternple-stowe to those people who are relative newcomers to the district, as well as refresh memories for those long-established members of the Community.
Our thanks are due to those people who have kindly provided all the information, photographs and recollections, without whom this booklet would not have been written. Also, we apologise if there are any glaring errors or omissions which have been inadvertently recorded or omitted.
According to records, it appears that Mr. John Woods arrived in Melbourne from England in 1836 and took up land on the river Plenty and the Karra. The district at Mr. Woods’ station on the Yarra is recorded as Bulleen in 1837. Meetings of the Central Roads Board, the i King group of the meeting, were held in Templestowe which was then the headquarters of the Shire of Bulleen. The first meeting was in 1857 and had as business to be attended to ‘Re-fencing of Land on Road frontages in Unwin’s Special Surveys’. Surveying and road planning had taken place in 1852-54, and there were mostly half-acre blocks in the township of Templestowe, which had brought up in £40 each. These were part of the Unwin’s Special Surveys. The area which is now near the intersection of Bulleen Road and Thompson’s Road was known as Duncan’s Flat, named after an early pioneer who had his home there. Bridges of saplings and bush materials were built so that the bullock drays and horse-drawn wagons with their loads of wood could get to Kew. The Yarra frequently flooded this flat, consequently cutting off the traffic. An item at a meeting later in 1857 is as follows —
- Item to Mr. John Dillon for wheel barrow and self for road work, for filling in of pot holes — 22 days.
- Total £6.1.0, horse, man and dray 8/-per day
A far cry from the modern equipment and expense of today’s roadmaking!
In 1864, the statistics were set out of the district. These were —
- Name -.Templestowe and Bulleen
- Area: 22 square miles
- Estimated population: 1,280
- No. of dwellings: 220
- Rate: 1/- per acre
Amongst the earliest of ratepayers were — Riccarda, Waterfield, Wright, McKindley, Laidlaw, Portus, Murray. Ssmblin, Adams, Cox, Thompson, Porter, Hicks, Hewish, Eccleston, Doherty, Parker, Kent, Lacey, James, Hunter, Mahoney, Crooks, Smith, Cunningham, Newman, Chivers, Read, Au-mann, Cannon, Finn and Hodgson.
On July 1st, 1875 the Shire Council came into existence, the Shine Hall being at the corner of Parker Street and High Street; where the Memorial Park is today. The formation of this Bulleen Council severed the connection with Nunawading, but functioned for Doncaster and Templestowe as well as Anderson's Creek, later called Warrandyte. In about 1910, local government was moved to a new Shire Hall in Tower Street, Doncaster, and in 1857, the new Shire Hall was built in Lancaster Road. This became the City Hall when Doncaster/Templestowe was proclaimed a City in 1967.
Local Industries — Wood carting, farming and dairy farming were the first industries, to be followed when the land was cleared of the trees, by fruit growing. Timber was of course cleared by hand and carted into the city to be sold, it was a common sight in those days to see strings of drays making their way early in the morning into the city. While the men were away, the women would often help by having ormther load cut up ready to be transported the next day.
Dairy farming was carried out on the Yarra Flats and a horse-drawn milk lorry would take the milk into the city. In those days a quart of milk wm 7d, and a pint 4d!
The first orchard was planted in Church Road, and wagons took the fruit into the Victoria Market, leaving in the evening after the day’s picking. The journey took about four or five hours, and the horses were often stabled, fed and rested at the market and returned the following day when the load was sold - being fortunate if they reached home in time for mid-day dinner.
Oats and wheat were grown for stock feed, these crops being; scythed by hand before the introduction of reapers and binders.
Antimony was discovered on Thompson’s Road, and about 1880 a mine was started, providing work for many local men. This was closed in about 1910 as it did not pay to keep it in operation.
Housing - Houses were built of bush timber in the early days (1840 onwards) the walls being made of slabs of wood cut from the trees. Others were made of wattle-sticks, nailed horizontally on to uprights and then a paste of clay and water was dabbed over them. Whitewash was applied and the earthen floors treated with clay and sand. Roofs were made of sheets of stringy-bark overlapping each other and ceilings were lined with unbleached calico. Many homes were built near rivers or creeks so that water was available, or one could cart water in barrels. Other householders could buy water from a carter at 6/- a barrel. Barrels were placed near homes to catch all the rainwater, these containers having been used originally to bring out goods from England. Nearly every home kept fowls, pigs and cows and the womenfolk walked into Kew or Colling-wood to sell their produce. Lighting was provided by home-made tallow candles. In 1918 electricity came to Templestowe, and water was piped to the township in 1930.
Education in Templestowe — In the early days, children of the first settlers were taught by their parents. A barn belonging to Alex Duncan, near the river flats, was used as a school in about 1844.
Four years later, the Denominational School Board was formed to assist Private and Church Schools receive Government aid, provided that they adhered to the rules and regulations of the Board. Three such schools were established in the Bulleen/ Templestowe area, and it was from these schools that Templestowe State School No. 1395 finally emerged in 1874. These were —
1. Church of England School Bulleen. This opened in 1847 and received Government aid in 1849, the Headmaster being Mr. John Ferguson and 51 pupils. This school closed in the 1860’s.
2. The Free Presbyterian Church School Templestowe. This began in 1850 and received aid in 1853. Mr. James Stephens was the teacher and he had an average of 20 pupils. The building was a slab hut with a bark roof. In 1864 the school became Common School No. 627 with Mr. Ferguson as Head Teacher. Children from Doncaster are also believed to have attended this school.
3. Church of England School Templestowe. This was opened in 1854 receiving Government aid. It seems that a wooden building was brought out in sections from England and erected on two acres of land reserved for Church and School purposes; the site being near the Parker Street and High Street corner. Mr. Ben Hadfield was teacher for a term, being followed by Mr. and Mrs. Hackett who lived in a tent for a few months until teachers’ quarters were added to the school. This school became Common School No. 624 with Mr. Sparke as teacher in 1864. The two Common Schools combined to become Templestowe State School No. 1395, with Mr. Thomas Collingwood as Head Teacher and Miss Eliza Cox as assistant teacher. The building, which still stands and is in use, opened on May 1st, 1874.
(A highlight of 1867 was the visit to Australia of H.R.H. Prince Albert, Duke of Edinburgh. Mr. Ferguson arranged for a group of 40 children over the age of eight from Common School No. 627 to attend a demonstration in his honour. Pupils from Common School No. 624 and from Doncaster Common School No. 157 also attended).
The first records of the Common School No. 627, dated 8th April, 1864 show 66 children on the roll with the following surnames. Blake, Britton, Broadbent, Clancy, Docherty, Eccleston, Griffin, Hunter, Howeth, Jacks, Jones, Kent, Lowe, Lacey, Murray, Mahan, McEwen, Macnamara, Mahoney, Maloney, Parker, Read, Sewart, Sweeney, Smith, Williamson. One family had five children at the school, and families of three or four at school at the same time were not uncommon.
The records of the State School show that in August, 1874 there were two first classes, one with 25 children and the other with 11. In the lower first, the youngest child was three years seven months old, and the oldest six years eleven months. In the “upper”, the youngest was seven and the oldest ten. Altogether there were 127 pupils (including one girl of 171/2 in fourth class). A sixth class did not make its appearance until 1884, when numbers at the school had dropped to 72. In 1911 is the first mention of a seventh class and in 1913 there was one child in Grade 8, the change from “class” to “Grade” having occured in 1912. In 1914 the “lower first” gave way to “prep.” grade. The last of these old records end in 1920 when there appeared to be 55 children enrolled, from Grade 2-8, with no mention of Preparatory or first grade. The staff then consisted of a Head Teacher and a Junior, or pupil, teacher and a sewing mistress who attended half a day per week. (It was in 1920 that a glass partition was put into the school; it seems that great efforts were then needed to get the Education Department to install a new chimney in the room thus formed). Until 1943 most children completed their education at the State School, and a Merit Certificate was granted in eighth Grade if the child had sufficient marks. In the early 1950’s the seventh and eighth Grades were taken over by the Secondary Schools.
In 1947, there were 49 children, six of these going on to Secondary and Technical Schools. It was noted at this time by the Inspector that the “Boundary fences showed signs of age in parts. The detached school residence is occupied by the Head Teacher and his family (pulled down in 1974). The shelter pavilion in the school grounds is showing signs of age. Help in cash and kind has been given to Metropolitan charities. The ‘Food for Britain’ appeal has also been well supported. There is a branch of the State Savings Bank at the school. The school participates regularly in the annual sports for district schools which are held at Ringwood or Mitcham. Woodwork is given to the senior boys by the Head Teacher; a woodwork bench being available in the senior classroom. Use continues to be made of the Head Teacher’s wireless set for the reception of educational broadcasts chiefly in Music and English. There is also a piano available in the school.”
In 1948 the gardens, lawns, established trees and shrubs and a very fine show of dahlias were noted. Some tomatoes were also raised on plots. Sports equipment, lawn mower, hand plough, gardening tools and a barometer were supplied by the School Committee and Mothers’ Club. The school was shown to be a “happy and helpful place”.
On the rapid expansion of the district, over 120 had to be accommodated in the original building. Extensions were added in 1954, and later still, portable classrooms were set up to take the ever-growing number of pupils. In 1969 there were 500 pupils, but these numbers were reduced considerably the following year when Templestowe Valley and Templestowe Heights Schools were opened.
The school library opened in 1969. Extensive housing development in the district has led to the building programme which is at present under way. When completed, there will be 18 classrooms, a new staff room, Principal’s office, Vice-Principars office and Secretary’s office, first aid room, and storeroom, and a much needed new toilet block. The present enrolment (August, 1974) is 584. The name State School was superseded by Primary School in 1972. It is of interest, and a matter of considerable pride to the descendants of some of the school’s families concerned, to know that there are original families among the present-day pupils, thus forging a living link with those pioneer days.
The school Committee aided by local residents constructed a swimming pool in Ruffey’s Creek reserve about 1910; unfortunately the maximum amount of water came into it at the time of minimum temperatures! Parts of it can still be seen near the Templestowe Bowling Club. Photograph taken approximately 1913. Around 1913 - Ruffey Creek looking south across Parker Street - Tennis courts on the left with timber framed fences. (also reproduced in booklet: Century of Tennis at Tempy)
One of the earliest photographs of pupils at the school, approx. 1898
Taken in 1911. Note School Bell beside flag-pole, swing at left rear and finials on each gable. Air-vents not installed, although present in cover photo, likewise enlarged window.
Old Schoolhouse in background (demolished in 1974). Note girls knitting for war effort! Taken in 1916. Mr. Searby, Headmaster.
Grades 1-4, 1924
In school grounds, looking towards Foote Street
1936. Taken with Mr. Dyson in his last year as Headmaster
1932. Templestowe School 1395. One of the rare war-time photographs. Spot the present School Secretary.
Mr. William Watson with pupils, approx. 1951
Grade 4. New classrooms are now being erected where this photo was taken in 1957
Templestowe State School 1962. Grade 6. Large classes are nothing new!
A smiling group of 5th graders
The following comments have been taken at random from the column of the Register.
“The children in the first class are not properly employed,” and against one child’s name “ears should not be boxed”. Later, “The school management is much improved; the timetable requires a little improvement and the third class is below the programme in arith., gram, and geog.”. In September, 1866, the Inspector remarks — “The arithmetic, grammar and geography are low throughout the school. Reading is good. Spelling and writing fair. Needlework very satisfactory. The discipline is good. The building satisfactory, except that the sexes are not sufficiently separated at the out-offices. Rhymes should be taught to the infants.” The furniture drew a bad comment from the Inspector in 1868 — “Wall desks are very objectionable and the supply is deficient”. He goes on to add that, under the Common Schools Act, “Two clear consecutive hours must be devoted to secular instruction both morning and afternoon, I would suggest that the reading of the 1st class should be conducted less individually, and also that more class instruction should be given in arithmetic”. Not surprisingly he adds that “1st class require more attention to tables”. 2nd class, too, are “equal to programme in reading and spelling but fail in writing and tables”, 3rd class are chastised for not keeping their copy books “as clean as they should be”, 4th and 5th classes fare no better, but “needlework is very well attended to throughout the school. The instruction of the infants would be better if more variety were introduced into it. At present the slate work is continued for too long at a time.”
In 1883, the names on the register include — Newman, Hunter, Bullock, Smith, Cox, Keane, Wilson, Maguire, Mundy, Chivers, Heitsch, Dougherty, Mahoney, Shanks, Cannon, Tierney, Cox, Howith, Buckland, Adams, Sheahan, Beale, Conrau, Hughes, Dunn, Kent, Couch, Barton.
It is interesting to note the entries in the “Occupation of Parent” column. These were mainly farmer, labourer or woodcarter. There was one landholder, one storekeeper, two carpenters, one teacher and one publican. As the years progressed and the community grew, a hairdresser, shoemaker, blacksmith, barber and gardener made their appearance, and by this time people were moving to Templestowe from Brunswick, Eltham, Flem-ington, Hawthorn and other suburbs. In the last decade of the 19th century there was a furniture dealer, another publican, and the first mention of a miner. The first veterinary surgeon, baker, and dairyman are also noted at this time. In 1896, the first children whose previous school was given as being in England were recorded.
Moving on to 1901, the Inspector wrote “Special attention should be given to rousing up the dormant powers of the junior first class, so that answering may be more prompt and intelligent. Such questions as ‘Which man do you love best?’, ‘What is the name of the round things at the sides of drays?’, ‘What are all the children called that are not boys?’ should not puzzle fairly trained children. Poetry. — High class poems should be selected for memorising in all classes. Reading is still weak. Unless a child learns to read well his future education is seriously retarded.” In 1902 the Inspector gave the following instructions as to how a pencil should be held — “The forearm should be supported but no part of the hand save the tip of the little finger should touch the desk. The wrist should not touch the desk.” He added, further, that “many scholars still hold pencils awkwardly”. Regarding arithmetic, he writes “questions should be true to life and reasonable. Fancy a boy eating 6,289 peaches!!!” Also, “efforts are made to secure independent work and class teaching at blackboard obtains. Grammar. — more time and attention to synthesis should be given; parsing might be taught incidentally.”
In 1903, the Inspector says “Books should be held about 12 inches from the face and just level with the chin, head being perfectly erect. The third class might have been reminded this morning during the chat about Italy that Pope Leo XIII resides in Italy in the City of Rome. Writing. — All script work whether on slate or on paper should be done with scrupulous care. Seniors hold pen nicely. Arithmetic appears to be intelligently taught. Mutual help is fraught with drawbacks — independent work is much better in every respect.”
One remark in the examination register of 1904 states “site of about five acres is enclosed and planted. Many of the trees (pines) are well-grown — planted some years ago. Other kinds were planted this season. Ground is not well-suited for gardening.” Later (1907) “The planting of recent years has not been much of a success”. A small library was formed in 1906-07.
In 1911, “I am glad to notice that special arrangements have been made for Science teaching. At an expense of about £8 the Board of Advice assisted by the Department, has put up the shelves, cupboards and tables and there is a good supply of apparatus.” In 1913, “A great improvement in the General Style of Work” was noted and there was a good library. It was consistently reported that singing and drill were very well taught. In July, 1915 “Needlework was very good in all grades. 255 articles have been made for the Expeditionary Forces, materials alone costing £21.”
In 1918, a new school examiner decided that the “Tree planting has been successful. Sand was carted from the river. It is a pity that a garden has not been started. The teacher explains that the want of water as well as soil has hitherto prevented the making of a garden.”
These records discontinued after 1920.
Physical exercises receive due attention. Everyone should put the greatest amount of energy into their execution. Discipline— Pupils are docile and attentive to their school work. The word “Sir” sounds well after monosyllabic answers.
Recollections and remembrances of ex-pupils
(No names, no pack drill!)
“I remember a good garden at the front of the school; there was a round bed of shrubs with a path either side leading to the school house” (1920’s).
“On Friday afternoons the boys did the gardening while the girls had sewing lessons” (1920’s and early 1950’s).
“You know those new toilets which have just been built (July, 1974) — they are about where ours were!” (1940’s).
“Remember when those big pine trees along Parker Street were blown down in a big storm one school holiday?” (1950's).
“We used to collect the mail and papers from the General Store and Post Office on the way home from school” (this site is now occupied by the Caltex service station) (mid-1920’s).
“I remember the then Mr. Robert Menzies coming to visit the school before he went on to Doncaster to open their new bowling green” (1952).
“There was a basketball court and a tennis court on the west side of the building.”
“I can just remember being taken to see the children’s Peace Celebrations in November, 1919, held in the Cool Stores at the corner of Fitzsimons Lane. There were long trestle tables covered with white cloths and there were lots of flags.”
“I remember the Head Teacher had chooks which were free to peck about all over the grounds. In their spare time, the boys used to lasso them by leading a crumb trail into the loop of the lasso which they had placed on the ground. By this time the boys had shinned up the pine trees where they waited until the unsuspecting chooks stepped into the noose. Suddenly the noose would be pulled tight around the chook’s legs, and up it would sail into the trees with the boys hauling away on the end of the rope as fast as they could” (1920’s).
“Rounders were played where the library is now; there was a row of pine trees on the east side and sugar gums on the north side” (1920’s).
“I remember a great tap dancing craze just before the Second World War; several concerts were held in the Memorial Hall with the tap dancing girls as the stars; this craze came to a sudden end when a new Head Teacher substituted woodwork instead. A work bench was bought and installed along the eastern wall of the big room” (late 1930’s).
“I can remember the boys using fennel sticks to aggravate the local butcher’s dogs, which he kept at the side of his shop (at the corner of Atkinson and Clarke Streets). The butcher used to rush out and chase the boys away with a stock-whip. He slaughtered his own cattle behind the shop and cut up the meat on demand” (mid-1920’s).
“We used to take part in the interschools’ sports at Mitcham and usually won lots of the events on the programme” (early 1950’s).
“The Head Teacher owned a horse and ‘Country Buggy’. Sometimes the boys would entice the horse to the far end of the school grounds, place lighted crackers under it and then watch it go for its life when they exploded.” (1920’s).
“During the floods of 1936, one day only six children could get to school. Their photo was taken by a press photographer in front of the fire in the school-room.”
“During the war years trenches were dug at the far end of the school ground, children were instructed on how to use them in the event of an air raid — thankfully they were never needed; black-out curtains were also provided for the windows” (1940’s).
“I remember one master who used to chew tobacco” (1930’s).
“After World War I, returned servicemen graded and gravelled the footpaths in the township” (1919).
“We used to pass an old well on the corner of Atkinson and Clarke Streets, on the way to school. There weren’t any bricks visible, just the filled-in hole where the grass grew greener and taller!” (late 1960’s).
Who remembers “Walking the Top Rails” around the School ground? (1912-13).
List of Head Teachers at Templestowe State School No. 1395
Supplied by the History Branch, Education Department of Victoria.
- Thomas Collingwood 1874-1876
- William Wattie 1876-1882
- Robert J. Maguire 1882-1890
- William L. Richardson 1891-1895
- John H. Betheras 1895-1899
- Walter Bilson 1900-1912
- George B. Lockyer 1913
- Thomas I. Higgins 1914
- Robert W. Searby 1914-1928
- John S. Dyson 1928-1936
- A. Freckleton 1936 — June-December
- George Rathbone 1937 — February-August
- N. K. Mclver 1937 — September-December
- James D. Cheetham 1938-1939
- Ulysses Browne 1940
- Edward G. Sadler 1940-1944
- John Watson 1944-1949
- William A. Watson 1950-1953
- John Smith 1954
- Martin O’Shannassy 1955-1957
- John L. Stevens 1958-1963
- Francis E. Cummins 1963-1967
- Percival T. Anthony 1968-1969
- Eric Shallcross 1970-1971
- Leon Huon 1971 — June-December
- Joseph Scarlett 1972
- Peter J. Gurry 1973-1974
School in 1974 before building operations commenced.
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