PIESSE BROOK SCHOOL  
By Norma Walsh (Nee Scott)

It was with a feeling of nostalgia that I went to view the Youth Hostel in Mundaring Weir Road being demolished. The building had been empty for some time and was being vandalised, so it was decided to have it removed.

Part of the building had been the Piesse Brook School from 1928 to 1954. On 20^th February 1928 Messrs J. A. Sanders, W. H. Palmer, H. Whiteside and F. Bateman presented a petition to the Education Department requesting a school be built to educate the growing number of children in the district. Their request was granted and a building consisting of a 30ft by 20ft classroom with an 8ft verandah was completed on 16^th October 1928.
 

NORMA SCOTT
 

Miss Clarissa Elliott was appointed as teacher. She arrived to find the school uncleaned and devoid of furniture. Mrs. Bateman and Mrs. Palmer helped her clean the school of sawdust and building scraps. While Mr. Palmer and Mr. Bateman went in horse and cart to bring the furniture from Kalamunda Railway Station. Miss Elliott obtained board from the Palmer family, but later bought a baby Austin car and drove from Kalamunda each day. She and two lady teachers from Kalamunda School rented Stirk Cottage for 14 shillings ($1.40) a week. Miss Elliott left the school in 1934.

I started school in 1934, with Miss Elliott as my Infants Teacher. Miss Victoria Serventy commenced as teacher in 1935. Follow by Miss Jean Sloman. Miss Sloman rented a flat called “Have-a-rest” (opposite what is now Dome Café) in Canning Road. She walked to school each day, but sometimes managed to get a ride home with Jack Honner who had an old grey car without a hood. He and his family were at the time cutting wood in the bush towards Mundaring.

Despite having Infants to Standard 6 in one room, we were taught well. Out tables and number combinations were drilled into us each day. We learnt to read from Oxford and Temple Readers and West Australian Readers (Gumnut Books). Hand writing was perfected with the use of our Copy and Transcription Books, and we became quite skilled at using pen and ink.

During recess and lunch breaks, we played games of Red Rover All Over, Prisoners Base, Dog and the Bone, and Cricket, all on Mundaring Weir Road. It was a rare occasion for a car to come along, but on Wednesdays we had to watch out for Andy Hope as he came around the corner in his butcher’s van.

The children all walked to and from school, some without shoes. Family names from 1930 – 1940 were Palmer, Loaring, McWhirter, Whiteside, Hutchison, Lyneham, Daniels, Newman, Thomas and Scott.

I recall an exciting day when our school went on an excursion. We all set off on foot with our lunches and walked to Carmel to the Sanitarium Health Food Factory, where we were shown over the factory and to our delight, we were each given a small packet of Weetbix. After eating our lunch on the grass outside the building, we trudged down Glen Isla Road back to school and then of course we had to walk home.

Another momentous occasion was when Sir James Mitchell paid us a visit. I remember this stout little white-haired gentleman struggling up the steep bank to the school. A special ceremony took place that afternoon. It was the baptism of James Arthur Findlay, the baby son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Findlay who lived in Aldersyde Road and Sir James acted as godfather. To our glee, our important visitor gave us a day off school next day.

We had a very active P & C led by the energetic Mrs. Mick Loaring. I remember a fancy dress ball when we marched in the grand parade around our schoolroom showing off our costumes with pride. Mostly we celebrated Guy Fawkes Night and had the pleasure of building a huge bonfire. There was always a Christmas tree with children’s games or a trip to the Zoo in a Kostera bus. On these occasions Mrs. Loaring would bring along her ice-cream churn, and after much churning we children would be given a small ice-cream in a cone – such a treat for children in those days.

The P & C ran dances to raise money for the school. The desks would be pushed back and the room decorated with bushes and flowers with hurricane lamps strung around. Mrs. Loaring played the piano with Mr. Green on the fiddle. We children were always taken along and the small ones were put to sleep under the desks. Supper was a grand affair with a kerosene tin of milk being heated on an open fire, with liquid chicory coffee being added.

One afternoon there was a hail storm. The sky darkened, the wind began and the heavens opened up. We and our terrified teacher could only wait for it to pass. As our school was surrounded by trees, it was a miracle that we escaped without a tree crashing onto the building. The destruction in the district was very severe, with many orchardists losing their stone fruit crop. A relief fund was set up to help them.

While I was at the school, Mundaring Weir Road was being built. We would hear the whistle for blasting and hang onto our desks waiting for the bang. This made a junction of four roads next to us – not a very suitable site for a school.

We were very aware of our beautiful surroundings, and with the guidance of our teacher and Mr. Bill Loaring, we were members of the League of Bird Lovers. So we could identify birds and know them by their call. The surrounding bush was a picture in the springtime, with colourful wildflowers and orchids. We were taught their names and knew where they came up each year.

I left school in 1940. The active P & C continued to work for the school, mainly endeavouring to provide a level playing area. Mr. Charles Rose, as headmaster, closed the school on 23^rd December 1954. After that the children were taken to Kalamunda Primary School by bus.

As the years pass by, our lives are filled with memories – such happy memories for me, of my primary school years at my little bush school.

Article:           Norma Walsh (Nee Scott)

Copyright : Gordon Freegard  2008 - 2023