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Illustration by BL Cameron, drawn from a
description provided by Mr WV McRae. The building consisted of two
rooms, the classroom and the teacher's
office.
A door on one side of the building led into the office and the window on
that wall provided light for the classroom. Entry to the classroom was
through a door on the other side of the building and the window on that
side provided the office with light.
Just inside the classroom door was a hat rack and a large "frog mouthed"
chimney served the fireplace in the schoolroom. Older pupils sat at desks
and the younger ones on forms.
The building had a shingled roof, slab walls and calico lining. |
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This emblem represents Chandler School and the surrounding district. In the
centre of the emblem is depicted the Wollomombi Falls and the gorge country
which are characteristic of the area.
A eucalypt affected by dieback is shown as well as the school and the pines
which grow nearby.
This emblem was first designed for use on the sports uniform, late in 1980,
by Mrs J Ross. |
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Before Chandler
Summarised
from SCOTS CORNER,
Chapter 7 by BL Cameron and JL McLennan,
1971.
As late as 1880 there were very few schools or qualified teachers in the
remote areas of the New England.
In order to provide some sort of education for their children some settlers
employed private tutors, or several families would club together to hire a
teacher. Lessons then would take place in crudely constructed buildings
which acted as classrooms.
While some of these tutors were well educated and fulfilled their tasks
capably, "there were some queer characters among those old dominies" (RA
McRae in "The Recorder). Some were misfits who could do little more than
teach the most elementary reading and writing.
On the whole however, these people did valuable work, making it possible
for many bush youngsters to receive an education they would not otherwise
have obtained.
As time went on half-time schools filled the void. These schools were often
run by teachers who had only a basic education themselves. There was but
one teacher training college in New South Wales and many of our early
teachers opted to gain only "on the job" training.
Children were often needed to help out on the family property an such
activities frequently took priority over schooling. It was said that a
school inspector in 1906 complained that it was hard to get children to
attend lessons because of the high price of rabbit skins!
Another important breakthrough in education came for children unable to
attend school regularly with the formation of the Correspondence School in
the 1920s.
In 1957 there were so many correspondence pupils in this area that they
were able to form their own team to compete in the school sports.
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Background
The New England District was first settled in the mid 1830s when pastoral
companies and individual settlers took up large tracts of land in the Peel
River Valley and the Tablelands to the north. The centres of Tamworth and
Armidale, established in 1834 and 1835 respectively, became increasingly
important as the region developed. The discovery of tin, gold and antimony
deposits in the area stimulated further development in the 1860s and 1870s.
This was also aided by the extension of the railway from Newcastle to the
Queensland border, which reached Tamworth in 1878 and Armidale in 1883. In
1886 the link between Sydney and Newcastle was completed to form what
became known as the Great Northern Railway.
Tamworth and Armidale soon assumed the importance of large provincial
towns. By the late 1880s Armidale boasted several cathedrals as the
northern seat of both the Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops. Both towns
acted as focal points for the surrounding districts, while the wealth of
natural resources in the region encouraged a plethora of small and
sometimes isolated settlements to spring up. The existence of these
settlements was often tenuous, since they were dependent on economic or
climatic circumstances. A fall in the price of wool, a succession of poor
seasons or the failure of mining leases to realise expectations, could
result in their disappearance, or as more commonly happened, a shift in
population from one locality to another.
This pattern of development made the task of providing adequate educational
facilities for all, a difficult one. The passage of the Public Instruction
Act of 1880, which attempted to impose a system of compulsory elementary
education, obliged the state to make education universally available. While
centres such as Armidale had supported private church schools from 1847 and
a public school from 1861, outlying areas were by comparison poorly
provided for. Even where schools were established in these areas, declining
enrolments often led to their closure. The emergence in 1867 of provisional
and half-time education in areas of scattered population and, although both
types of schools endured until the 1950s they were at best palliative
measures rather than a solution to these problems.
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School Commences
The New England District was first settled in the mid 1830s when pastoral
companies and individual settlers took up large tracts of land in the Peel
River Valley and the Tablelands to the north. The centres of Tamworth and
Armidale, established in 1834 and 1835 respectively, became increasingly
important as the region developed. The discovery of tin, gold and antimony
deposits in the area stimulated further development in the 1860s and 1870s.
This was also aided by the extension of the railway from Newcastle to the
Queensland border, which reached Tamworth in 1878 and Armidale in 1883. In
1886 the link between Sydney and Newcastle was completed to form what
became known as the Great Northern Railway.
Tamworth and Armidale soon assumed the importance of large provincial
towns. By the late 1880s Armidale boasted several cathedrals as the
northern seat of both the Anglican and Roman Catholic Bishops. Both towns
acted as focal points for the surrounding districts, while the wealth of
natural resources in the region encouraged a plethora of small and
sometimes isolated settlements to spring up. The existence of these
settlements was often tenuous, since they were dependent on economic or
climatic circumstances. A fall in the price of wool, a succession of poor
seasons or the failure of mining leases to realise expectations, could
result in their disappearance, or as more commonly happened, a shift in
population from one locality to another.
This pattern of development made the task of providing adequate educational
facilities for all, a difficult one. The passage of the Public Instruction
Act of 1880, which attempted to impose a system of compulsory elementary
education, obliged the state to make education universally available. While
centres such as Armidale had supported private church schools from 1847 and
a public school from 1861, outlying areas were by comparison poorly
provided for. Even where schools were established in these areas, declining
enrolments often led to their closure. The emergence in 1867 of provisional
and half-time education in areas of scattered population and, although both
types of schools endured until the 1950s they were at best palliative
measures rather than a solution to these problems. |
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The First Building
The original building provided by the residents for use as a school was
slab construction with a shingle roof. At a later stage it was re-roofed in
galvanised iron sheeting. The building had wooden piers with log sleepers
as foundation plates. Initially the school was not provided with water
tanks and water was drawn from a nearby creek or brought by children from
home. One bush toilet was provided which became a popular target for stone
throwing.
In July 1882 an area of two acres was granted as a school site together
with a reserve of 20 acres which served as a school paddock. This land was
described as lightly timbered and situated north of the Armidale Road, with
the Chandler River forming its western boundary. |
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Repairs Needed
The original building provided by the residents for use as a school was
slab construction with a shingle roof. At a later stage it was re-roofed in
galvanised iron sheeting. The building had wooden piers with log sleepers
as foundation plates. Initially the school was not provided with water
tanks and water was drawn from a nearby creek or brought by children from
home. One bush toilet was provided which became a popular target for stone
throwing.
In July 1882 an area of two acres was granted as a school site together
with a reserve of 20 acres which served as a school paddock. This land was
described as lightly timbered and situated north of the Armidale Road, with
the Chandler River forming its western boundary. |
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CHANDLER 1960 (The building had not changed a great deal since it was
originally built). Back row: Beverley Sauer, Janet Sauer. Middle: Front: ?,
Annette Browning, ?, Annette McRae, Russell Marchant, Barry McRae, Stephen
Sharp. |
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The old building was sold to Mr L. Edmonds for one pound ($2) excluding the
tank and roofing iron which were removed to Jeogla Public School. The
Chandler River site was given up in August 1922 when both the reserve and
school site were revoked.
Mr Stan Ellem, teacher in charge from 1924 to 1933, instigated the fencing
of the school grounds. This enabled some shrubs and trees to be planted as
well as a vegetable garden. It is believed Ellem was also responsible for
the map of Australia near the tennis courts.
During the late 1920s the grounds of the school were further improved with
the addition of two tennis courts. These were constructed by members of the
Chandler Parents and Citizens' Association and were used by that body on
weekends.
Later extensions to the weatherboard building included lengthening the
classroom during the early 1960s and later enclosing the verandah on the
northern side. In 1979 an area was partitioned off for use as the clerical
assistant's office.
The P and C, using materials supplied by the Education Department
constructed a weathershed on the western side of the grounds in the 1940s.
This building was later completely enclosed.
In 1972 a new brick veneer building was completed to house the increased
population in the Lower Division. To cope with the increase in numbers
during the late 1970s and the formation of a third class at Chandler a
demountable building was set up early in 1979. This building had previously
been in use at Ebor.
During 1980/81 an improved water system had been installed, drawing water
from the Wollomombi and providing a number of additional tap outlets around
the school grounds.
The sports field, located between the school boundary and the Grafton Road
was levelled through a joint effort of the Chandler Parents and Citizens'
and Dumaresq Shire Council. Further improvements are shortly to commence |
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New School Site
Negotiations to acquire a new site for the school commenced about October
1913. These were completed in April 1914, when a 2 acre grant of Crown Land
was gazetted. At about the same time Alfred Ede of Armidale was awarded a
contract to erect a weatherboard building for 300 pounds. This price
exceeded the original estimates of 280 pounds, but was considerably less
than the offer of 484 pounds which was the only response received to the
initial call for tenders.
The building constructed by Ede consisted of a room 18 by 21 feet
(approximately 6m x 7m) with a partially enclosed verandah, 8 feet wide
(2.4m), on two sides. A portion of one side of the verandah served as a
weathershed while another section was made into a hat room. This section
was also used as a craft activity area. The parade ground was on the
western side. On windy days books and papers would be blown around the room
whenever the door was opened. To overcome this problem a section of the
verandah was closed in. |
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YEAR
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ENROLMENT
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AVERAGE ATTENDANCE
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1881
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21
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16
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1885
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22
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14
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1890
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13
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11
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1895
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14
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11
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1900
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17
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12
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1904
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22
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20
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1915
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32
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16
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1920
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30
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24
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1930
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30
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26
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1935
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27
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24
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1940
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26
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20
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1945
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29
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25
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1955
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21
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1960
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26
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20
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1965
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26
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26
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1970
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36
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31
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1975
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55
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51
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1980
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74
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70
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Teacher Accommodation
Whilst accommodation for pupils at the original Chandler school could be
described as basic, provision for the teacher was non-existent. Since there
were very few premises available for rental in the district and no
departmental residence, the teacher was obliged to accept whatever was
available and to endeavour to recover in rent allowance from the
Department, the amount asked by the landlord for the lease of
accommodation.
The amount of rent allowance payable to teachers in this situation was
often less than was demanded by the landlord and while residents might be
prepared to offer concessional rates to retain a teacher, they generally
felt that they were under no obligation to do so.
In June 1899 the residents petitioned the Department to provide the teacher
with a residence. This was declined because there were insufficient pupils
to justify the expenditure required to build a house, nor was there any
certainty that the number of pupils enrolled at the school would continue
to support a school in that location. The following month, the teacher,
Owen Keenahan, reported that his rent had been raised and requested a
transfer because of a protracted disagreement with his landlord over this
matter. His request was acceded to and Keenahan was replaced.
In July 1926 a four room cottage on a 1/2 acre site was purchased from Mrs
V.E. Frost at a cost of 300 pounds. The cottage became the school
residence. A further 175 pounds was expended on repairs and improvements in
that year.
The residence was added to in October 1930 when a new kitchen, bathroom and
rear landing was completed at a cost of 404 pounds. Other minor changes
were made at this time to the positioning of windows and tank stands.
In recent years consideration was given to the replacement of the
residence. However, in 1981, a decision was reached to carry out extensive
maintenance to the existing house, including replacement of the roof and
placing insulation in the ceiling. |
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Transport 1915
Teacher, Leslie Johnson leaves Ferndale with Miss Bessie McRae.
Group at Chandler School, Wollomombi, 1910/11 when the school was located
about a mile east of the present school on the northern side of the old
road to Grafton
Back row left to right: Don McPherson, Edgar McNeil, Bill Bruyn, George
Mills, Walter Edgar, Tom Parsons, Alex Mills.
2nd Row: Teacher Mr Leslie G. Johnson, Richard McNeil, Olive McRae, Ernie
Bruyn, Annie Diamond, David Sauer.
3rd Row: Bill Sauer, Linnie Milner, Gladys Frost, Bessie Diamond, Marg
Griffin, Evelyn Parsons, Dorothy Bruyn, Jack Diamond.
Front Row: Maud Parsons, Matt Sauer, Harry Milner, Jacob Cundy, Sid Cundy
and Flossie Parsons.
Back Row: Ethel Parsons, Gladys Frost, Parson Twins, Linnie Milner (?).
Front Row: Evelyn Parsons, Olive McRae, Clare Cameron, Evelyn Millner.
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School Concert c1926
The Swaggies.
L to R: L, Sauer, J. Sloggett, C. Cundy, A. Millner, T. Snow, E. Mackay.
"The Princess and Her Fairies".
L to R: Nellie Millner, Francis Sauer, Lorna Frost, Nellie Sauer, Enid
Cundy, Elsie Mullin, Annie Frost.
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Over The years
During World War II
A detachment of the Voluntary Defence Corps was started at Wollomombi. They
drilled on the sportsground, some using broomsticks because of a lack of
rifles.
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In the 1940's
The school received an allowance of ten shillings (one dollar) per year for
firewood. Even then this money did not buy much wood. The P and C would
borrow a 3 ton truck, collect a load of wood from various properties and
cut it into two foot (60cm) lengths. Even after the longest, coldest winter
there was still sufficient fuel for the beginning of the following year. |
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Not Guilty
One of Mr W.V. McRae's more vivid memories of his school days at Chandler
was that he was caned for pushing a little girl down the river bank. He
still claims his innocence. Mr McRae was a pupil at Chandler in 1901. |
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From "an ex-student’s meanderings"
In concluding my meanderings I can only repeat, I personally owe much to
the little school, as I am sure many do. And, having lived through two
world wars. . ., a depression. .., inflation.. ., the reign of five
monarchs and many governments, I look back on those school days as among
the happiest of my life. I still regard Australia as a country of wonderful
possibilities for which we should daily give thanks to God. What a
wonderful home it will be when greed is tossed into the sea and people
learn to love and not hate, and to work and not waste precious years on
quarrels and violence. Advance Chandler, Advance Australia Fair. |
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Special days at Chandler - 1910/1920
Pupils were members of the Gould League of Bird Lovers. A container was
placed in a tree by the school and scraps were put in it for the birds to
eat mainly soldier birds.
On Wattle Day children went to the Chandler Falls for nature study.
Sometimes children went to Grandfather Diamond's hut where he would play a
gramophone with cylinder records and a funnel speaker.
On Empire Day, a lecture on the Empire would be given and then children had
a half day holiday. |
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A Trip to Armidale
As late as the 1920s a trip to Armidale was quite an event. Usually a day
had to be allowed for the trip each way and another to take care of
business in town. Three days all told. |
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On the edge of the falls
In a secluded spot known as the Pheasant Scrub inside the dog fence there
was quite a colony of lyre birds. They would imitate the noise of the cross
cut saw. There were some two to three hundred platypus in some of the holes
in the Chandler. |
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Jeogla Public School 1957
Back: Kevin Cundy, Doug Cundy, Robert Gray, Terry Mullen, Rodney Westaway,
Christopher Powell, Michael Dawson.
Second Row: Heather Gray, Rhonda Foster, Dorothy Millner, Barbara Westaway,
Janice Cundy, Wendy Diamond.
Third Row: Gerald Sloggett, Peter Westaway, David Gray, ? Gatenby, Winston
Green, Bobby Nelson.
Sitting: Noel Dawson, Lynette Green, Margaret Nelson, Joan Diamond, Colleen
Westaway, Leonie Cundy, Mervyn Powell.
February 1981: L. Sauer, E. Sauer, M.
Sauer, H. McRae, G. McRae, W.V.
McRae. Participants in a discussion
afternoon about Chandler's history.
A copy of the tape recorded
during the afternoon will be included in the
"time capsule"
"Grandfather" Sloggett and "Grandfather"
Williams' teams hauling a log on
the Kempsey Road. The log was 10 feet
long with a girth of 14 feet 1 inch,
during the 1930s. The tree was
felled by Jack Norman. |
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W. Finlayson sports
At the
end of the second world war, in November 1945, it was suggested by
Mr
W. Finlayson that a commemoration sports day be held at Wollomombi.
The
surrounding districts of Hillgrove, Jeogla, Waioma and
Yooroonah
participated and thus the first combined sports day was a
peace celebration
for the end of six years of war.
They were a
huge success and it was decided to continue these sports days
three
times a year. The venue on each occasion changed. Children competing
in
the running and jumping events at that time received prize money,
first
being one shilling (10 cents), second sixpence (5 cents) and
third
threepence (3 cents).
In April 1947 the first competitive
sport day was held at Jeogla. Mr W.
Finlayson donated a large silver
cup to be presented to the school gaining
the most points. A small
replica of this cup was presented to the boy and
girl gaining the
highest individual points on that day. From 1949 a
certificate was
awarded to each boy and girl with the highest individual
points in each
division. Today they receive a medallion, replacing
the
certificates.
Since April 1948 the sports have been held
twice a year and in November
1949 it was decided to hold all sports
meetings at Chandler sportsground.
In the same year Mr W. Edgar donated
a cup for school competition.
Mr W. Edgar was secretary of the W.
Finlayson Sports Committee from 1946 to
1970. Mr G. Gray was president
from 1954 to 1970 and Mr R.A. McRae was
treasurer from 1955 to
1975.
Schools which have participated in the sports in the past are
Rock Abbey,
Rockvale, Thalgarrah, Waioma, Correspondence, Yooroonah,
Hillgrove and
Jeogla. The present schools which participate are
Chandler, Ebor,
Wongwibinda, Hernani, Dundurrabin and Bald Blair. The
school children
travel long distances to attend the sports Bald Blair
89 kilometres and
Dundurrabin 72 km.
The cups and trophies being
competed for at present are: W. Finlayson Cup
for relays W. Edgar Cup
jumping events McRae Trophy running Waters Cup best
demeanour Comino
Cup marching Williams Trophy cross country and ball games
Two Chandler
School Trophies for Senior and Junior tug-o-war
At present the
sports committee and parents and citizens of the
participating
districts are raising funds to improve the sportsground.
Farmers
Grazcos and other agricultural suppliers kindly donated rural goods
for
sate at the sports in April and a total of $2390.00 was raised
towards
this improvement.
Farmers Grazcos will again lend its
support by operating a stand at the
October 1981
sports.
Mr H. Hourigan, Pres. W. Finlayson
Sports C'tee, receiving proceeds of
stand at March 1981 sports from Mr
B. Wright, vice chairman of Farmers
Grazcos.
Chandler children at the Small School
Sports 1960. L to R Dennis Farrel,
Sylvia Farrel, Beverley
Sauer.
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YEARS 4, 5 and 6
Back: Robert
Kennedy, Petrina Weston, Lloyd Gitsham, Fiona McRae, Matthew
Slade,
Judy Browning, Don Browning, Leisa Cross.
3rd: Mark Clayton, Jane
Ross, Robert Lasker, Cindy McRae, Nick Kaminski,
Maryann Jenkyn, Tui
Paul, Jenny Cameron.
2nd: George Craig, Anna Ross, Gavin Browning,
Catriona McRae, Gary Swan,
Ana Kaminski.
Front: Lachlan Elliott,
Amanda Williams, Andrew Frost.
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YEARS 2 & 3
Back: Andrew
Cameron, Veronica Swanson, Shane Enks, Sandra Lasker, Brian
Mullen,
Tania Ker David, Jock Weston, Pania Paul.
Middle: Jeffrey Enks,
Georgina Craig, Philip Macfarlane, Danielle Slade,
Ben Lasker, Tania
Clarke, Lindsay McRae, Katherine Elliott, Ben
Cowell.
Front:
Carissa Clarke, Jason Keelan, Eva
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Annice Edmonds
Chandler
School commenced with one school room and one teacher - upper
and
lower divisions being taught in turn with oral and black
board work - and
written work.
Primary school age being
from six to fourteen, 7th class pupils being
assisted by
correspondence leaflets. Entrance to High School examination
was
originally called Qualifying Certificate, then Permit to
Enrol.
"Play time" consisted of various games, but no
organised sport until tennis
courts were built and we played a
few matches against Hillgrove. Boys
played cricket against
Jeogla. |
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Left to right: David,
Gordon, Amanda and Annice Edmonds. Taken
1997.
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Hand craft
was sewing lessons for girls, wood work for boys. But
how
different were facilities - or lack of them! Firstly, no
electricity, so no
electric lights. When night meetings were held
for P&T Assn, kerosene
lanterns were used, or later, portable
pressure lamps.
Chandler School upon the hill, I loved my
school and always will.
Heating was from one open fireplace, with
a big back log, and kindling and
heavier wood carried in by the
teacher and older boys. No electric jugs, or
urns for hot drinks,
no telephones for quick and constant messages, all
communications
were posted, or sent home with the pupils. No septic systems
or
flush toilets, far away lavoratories. Last but not least, no
school
buses. Most walking to school, having a creek to cross was
interesting, and
nicely the water was warm enough to paddle
across, or over a big log or by
a suspension bridge built by a
"handy man" father.
Different times, but
happy, healthy and rewarding
days. |
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