- Home
- Hansard & Papers
- Legislative Assembly
- 24 November 2000
Spencer Public School Centenary
Printing Tips |
Print selected text
| Full Day Hansard Transcript
« Prior Item |
Item 17 of 22
| Next Item »
About this Item
Speakers - Andrews Ms Marie
Business - Private Members Statements
|
Page: 10908
Ms ANDREWS (Peats) [4.40 p.m.]: On Saturday 4 November I had the great pleasure of attending the centenary celebrations of Spencer Public School. The celebrations were well attended by local residents, former principals and pupils of the school—many of whom had travelled long distances to be in Spencer for this special occasion. The centenary of this one-teacher school was marked with a full day of celebrations. The master of ceremonies was no other than world-renowned town crier and Central Coast resident, Graham Keating, looking resplendent in his full regalia. A special centenary book was produced to commemorate 100 years of public education at Spencer Public School. The official opening of the centenary gardens in the school's grounds was one of the highlights of the day. Those gardens are a very pleasant reminder of the school's centenary.
Central Coast Superintendent of Schools, Mr Bill Low, and the school's principal, Mr Paul Miller, paid tribute to those who had served and supported the school in the past. Both commended all those who had been responsible for the centenary celebrations which continued throughout the day. One person who was given a special mention was the president of the school's parents and citizens association, Mrs Donna Thompson. Donna, together with her fellow association colleagues, did a marvellous job on the day, catering for the huge crowds. They had also worked extremely hard in the months prior to the centenary celebrations.
Students of the school were invited by the school's principal to place various items, including brightly coloured drawings—the personal work of each student—in a time capsule, together with a roll of past students who attended the centenary celebrations. The capsule will not be opened until 2025. A centenary birthday cake was cut by the school's oldest former student in attendance, Mrs Edna Parsons, nee Wallbank, who attended classes at Spencer in 1917, and the youngest student in 2000, Sam Bevan. Spencer Public School is the smallest school on the Central Coast, located in an idyllic setting near the majestic Hawkesbury River. Moves were afoot as far back as January 1894 to have a school established in the area. That application by the residents of Lower Mangrove Creek was unsuccessful, as Inspector of Schools, Charles Pitt, reported on 17 February of the same year that in his opinion the educational requirements of the district were sufficient for the present. In 1900, Fernleigh, as Spencer was then named, had 21 children of school age and eight under school age.
School Inspector Dettmann then recommended that a full-time school be established at Fernleigh, at the mouth of Mangrove Creek, on about two acres of Crown land near Mr James Crosland's property. The school was to accommodate from 30 to 40 children. The first selected site for the school was not considered to be central and District Inspector Lobban was asked to investigate the matter. Lobban noted that the land had belonged to the current owner's father—presumably this was the father of George Byrnes—and that there was some debt on it. Although Byrnes' offer to give the site to the department and its resumption without compensation to the owner was approved by the department on 12 July 1900, the land apparently was not resumed but remained Byrnes' property.
The department then realised that there was already a school named Fernleigh near Ballina. Inspector Lobban was asked to suggest another name for Fernleigh on the Hawkesbury River. The local residents suggested Orange Valley while the inspector submitted Tyrnant, which is Welsh for "by the water", as an alternative. The Inspector of Schools, Frederick Bridges, had the final say in the matter and recommended that the name of the school be altered to Spencer, being the parish in which it is situated. It is interesting to note that the post office was not changed from Fernleigh to Spencer until 1914. That alteration was made necessary because mail for Fernleigh school on the North Coast was repeatedly being mistaken for the Hawkesbury River school.
Construction on the school building began on 2 August and was completed by 6 September 1900. The classroom measured 16 feet 8 inches by 20 feet 9 inches with a hat room measuring 10 feet 8 inches by 7 feet 9 inches. The building by George Byrnes was completed by 6 September 1900. The school opened on 15 November 1900 with an attendance of 13 and the only furniture consisted of two combination forms and desks in very bad repair, one easel and several pieces of blackboard. The first teacher was a young single man aged 21 years, Mr George Hutchison, BA, who earned an annual salary of £72.
In July 1902, Spencer school became a public school with an average attendance of at least 20. The enrolment over the years has fluctuated from a peak of 46 in 1930 to seven in 1995. Today, there are 10 students attending the school and these students have benefited significantly from the Government's computer roll-out program. There are four computers at the school and one of those is connected to the Internet. [Time expired.]
Last modified 05/12/2007 16:30:52 : Update this page