MEMORIES OF PIESSE BROOK SCHOOL'S FIRST TEACHER  
Mrs. C. Edmonds (Nee Miss Clarrisa Elliott)

To reach Piesse Brook School I travelled up to Walliston on the Zig Zag Railway track. It was a cold evening with intermittent showers. When I arrived at Walliston it was raining. Out of the darkness stepped Mr. Harry Palmer carrying a lantern and an umbrella. After introductions we stowed my cases in his horse drawn sulky and we set off down a fairly steep track to the valley. Our way was lighted by the lantern.

On reaching his home I met his charming wife and three small boys, who welcomed us with a delicious bowl of hot soup in a room really warmed by a wood fire. The little boys were wide-eyed, wondering what sort of creature was this teacher invading their home.

Up early the next morning I set off with the high expectations, with one little boy, Arthur. I had been notified by the Education Department that the school was ready to go and the key would be in the door. On the way we were joined by other children, all as excited as I was. Having arrived at the school we had to scramble up a four foot bank and through the native growth to the gate and so up to the door.
 

MISS CLARRISA ELLIOTT
 

My first impression was an untidy verandah littered with shavings and small wood cut offs.

I hit rock bottom when I opened the door – no better than the verandah, and the windows still had swirls of white wash on them.

The word was out – while phone calls were in progress a number of parents arrived with a variety of “tools” (brooms, buckets, mops, dusters, etc.). The phone calls revealed that the furniture and stationary were at Kalamunda Station, so two horse drawn carts were off and returned loaded. By late afternoon everything was in place in a clean room. The children had all the timber oddments stacked for when the fire would be needed.

It was really a fortunate day as it gave me an opportunity to meet my new friends (for that is what they became) and to understand to a degree the people whose children I would be teaching.

My first realisation on opening day was that the children’s ages ranged from 5 ˝ to 13 years – the youngest child was Fay Whiteside. Her sister, eggy was one of the older ones. Some had had some tuition but to most of the children, school in a classroom was a new experience. One of the most excited people was Pat Whiteside who had helped with the clean-up, and who had said she hoped that the school would help her to mix. I enjoyed a very happy six years in the valley – never once considered asking for a transfer. Every season offered such a change. When the weather permitted (autumn and spring especially) we had lessons on the hillside. Half way up the hill was a group of flat rocks, quite ideal. The children named one “stage rock”, as they could act out their stories or recite or sing, or just read on it.

I was terrified of snakes and was often teased. However we only had two snake episodes.

             1.       For quite a few days the girls were afraid to go to the toilet and so we had a few little mishaps. I doubted the snake until one afternoon I was late preparing the next day’s work schedule and before leaving for home I walked quietly up the hill and there on the cold concrete floor was her ladyship coiled up. By the time I obtained a stick, she was neatly slithering down a hole. This I marked and the ever-helpful Dads dug it out plus her little family.

    2.   The “over 4” grades did quite a few of their assignments under the school. On one occasion a visitor arrived. Pursued by the big boys, it retreated under the back steps. In the meantime Peggy had sprinted over to where Mr. Allen was working. He returned with a spade and despatched it between the steps. The men tracked it to its nest which also contained a family.

The children were like one large happy family in their attitude to each other, always caring. One boy, George Robinson from Carmel was of poor health. He came to school in a billy cart pulled by a collie dog and a goat. The other children would meet him as he arrived, then help him, and then tethered the dog and goat to trees and filled their containers with water. The process was reversed in the afternoon and he was sent on his way.

We formed a Parent’s & Citizens Group very soon and commenced organising functions to raise funds and for social contact. One of the first outings was to the Zoo as none of the children had ever made a visit. Having first obtained permission from the Education Department to have the trip on a school day, there was much planning – how to get there, what to wear, what to take. It was, if I remember correctly, about 5 ˝ kms to Kalamunda – too far for the little folk. So it was horse drawn vehicles to Kalamunda, on the train down the Zig Zag to Midland, change to another train to Perth, walk down Barrack Street to the jetty, on to a ferry and over the river to South Perth, then another walk up to the Zoo. Each child had a name tag on and carried his or her drinking vessel (mostly the ever useful enamel mug). It was a great day and a learning experience for each one of us.

We also had many Saturday night dances. Mrs. Loaring used to bring her piano to the school for quite a considerable time and did most of the playing. After much effort we managed to buy our own piano. I was fortunate in having a brother playing football for Perth and I was always sure of a couple of carloads of support. One night one of them brought some chewing gum and gave to the boys who had previously not had any. In between dances the children gave items. This was a big help to building confidence. We also had the pleasure of many adult items.

One person who gave great support to fund raising was the late R. S. Sampson, who was a Member of Parliament and also had an interest in the Kalamunda Hotel. He gave a generous donation to the piano fund.

In 1929 to mark the centenary of W.A., it was decided to have a gathering of small school students to compete in a sports programme. The only hills school at that time with a suitable school ground was Pickering Brook. The Piesse Brook children raced their hearts out running up and down the road, practising for the big day. We levelled a 10 foot strip across the school yard (no mean feat) and the men carted sand for a sand pit, and so the children were able to practice jumps in a rather primitive way.

On the big day the children were put into four cars and several horse drawn vehicles and off we went. Another long, tiring but much enjoyed day.

During several summers there was sufficient water in the Helena River and the brook to leave one especially large pool near their junction. So we were able to have a few water safety lessons and preliminary swimming techniques. Some learned to float very well and to duck dive.

As a sport – with the use of a playground was quite impossible because of the steep slopes so the road was the only option. Fortunately there was little traffic and so the “lookouts” task was easy. Races and relays and novelty races were fun but the firm favourite was cricket. By the grapevine I later learned that some of the boys became quite good members of cricket clubs in their various areas.

My greatest pleasure over the years has been hearing of past students. I think, hope and pray that they all grow to be good citizens. I have never heard anything to the contrary.

Article:           Mrs. C. Edmonds (Nee Miss Elliott)

Image:          Kalamunda & Districts Historical Society            

Copyright : Gordon Freegard  2008 - 2023