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KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL Research by Gordon Freegard
KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL Research by Gordon Freegard The very first school in the district was started
at Canning Sawmills in 1891, setup and provided by the Canning Jarrah Timber Company for the children
of its workers. Later it used the Methodist Church building on the south east
corner of Canning Road and Canning Mills Road, that was rented out to the
Education Department. After the mill closed the school continued until
diminishing numbers finally caused it close in 1930. When the mill closed many of the workers started orchards on the land that had been cleared of the heavy timber by the mill. As the orchards got established a more central position was needed for a school so a site was established near the front gate of Illawarra Orchard in 1913. The minimum number of pupils required before a school could be established was 12. Mr. Price deliberately advertised and employed a family at Illawarra Orchard that had a large family of children to help boost the numbers for the school. That Family was the Tompsetts. The first teacher was a Mr. Fisher, an experienced teacher who batched with Keith White at Illawarra for 6 months. Then Miss Maggie Ferguson was the next teacher at this Karragullen School with minimum number of 12 children attending. Because development went more towards to
south-east, it was decided that in 1919 to move the Karragullen School to what is now
Brookton Highway near the "Rock Inne". The loft at Hanbury's two
storey barn was initially used while the school building was moved. As numbers
increased a second schoolroom was added in 1952. In the next few years a need for another school
at Canning Mills was recommended as the numbers of children of families near
the old Saw Mill site, had increased enough to justify it. In early 1936 the Under-Secretary for Lands received a request from the Director of Education, Mr. J. A. Klein, for an area of land at Canning Mills be set aside for the purpose of a school site, The Lands Department agreed to grant a site at Canning Mills in Perth water supply reserve No. 1774. The new schoolroom was
erect across the road from the Methodist Church school, which had now been
demolished, on the south west corner of the junction of Canning Road and
Canning Mills Road. Mr. Bert Forrest was appointed the first teacher for the
new Canning Mills School. The school building was late in completion so a large room at Mrs.
McKay's house, which was the old mill managers house, was used temporary. This
Canning Mills School continued until 1956 when it finally closed. In the
meanwhile it was decided to transfer the Karragullen School into a more central
position by moving it right into the townsite itself. Where it remained until it
finally closed in 1999 due to falling numbers and most of the children
transferred to Pickering Brook Primary School.
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1913 Teacher: Mr. FISHER Schoolroom built just outside the entrance gate to "Illawarra Orchard". Officially opened 29th July 1913. Twelve children attending. |
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Children known to have attended: Flossie Felts, Percy Felts, Harriet Hunter, Harry Hunter, Allice Price, Hector Price, Wilfred Price, May Tompsett, Kate Tompsett, Charlie Tompsett, Harrold Tompsett, Bill Tompsett, Dick Tompsett
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KARRAGULLEN'S FIRST SCHOOL AT ILLAWARRA ORCHARD |
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1914 School Mistress: Miss Maggie FERGUSON |
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Miss Ferguson regularly joined the boys and girls to play cricket on an old railway formation. Children known to have attended: Flossie Felts, Percy Felts, Harriet Hunter, Harry Hunter, Allice Price, Hector Price, Wilfred Price, May Tompsett, Kate Tompsett, Charlie Tompsett, Harrold Tompsett, Bill Tompsett, Dick Tompsett
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1914 Teacher: Miss MAGGIE FERGUSON
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1915 School Mistress: Miss Maggie FERGUSON |
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Children known to have attended: May Tompsett, Kate Tompsett, Charlie Tompsett, Harrold Tompsett, Bill Tompsett, Dick Tompsett
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1916 School Mistress: Miss Maggie FERGUSON |
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Children known to have attended: John Hanbury, May Tompsett, Kate Tompsett, Charlie Tompsett, Harrold Tompsett, Bill Tompsett, Dick Tompsett
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1917 School Mistress: Miss Maggie FERGUSON |
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Children known to have attended: John Hanbury, Kate Tompsett, Charlie Tompsett, Harrold Tompsett, Bill Tompsett, Dick Tompsett, Frank Tompsett
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1918 School Mistress: Miss Maggie FERGUSON |
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Children known to have attended: John Hanbury, Charlie Tompsett, Harrold Tompsett, Bill Tompsett, Dick Tompsett, Frank Tompsett, Jack Tompsett
1919 Teacher Mrs. Agnes E. PINE Children known to have attended: John Hanbury |
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1920 Teacher Mrs. Agnes E. PINE Illawarra School closed 27th August 1920 Children known to have attended: John Hanbury |
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RECENT PICTURE HANBURY'S BARN #4 |
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RECENT PICTURE HANBURY'S BARN #5 |
RECENT PICTURE HANBURY'S BARN #3 |
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1920 - 1924? #33 |
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1921 Teacher
Mrs. Agnes E. PINE The one-room school this year, was now in its new location, having been moved from its original position near the Illawarra gate. There was a house added to the side of the schoolroom now and a new teacher, a Mrs Pine, lived in it. Mrs Pine was about 60 years of age at this time, and was to be there for another five years until her retirement. In its new location the school now served a wider district and numbers were up to about 40 children. This evidently qualified the school for an assistant, and Miss Doris Bettenay was appointed to this position and taught infants. She was not a trained teacher from the Training College, but was classed as a teaching aide. She did a good job, and was a big help to the head teacher. Miss Bettenay rode a horse to school each morning because she came from her family orchard about three miles away. Her father and mother had started "Irymple", in 1904, and planted some acres of fruit trees. Mr Bettenay Snr. and her two brothers built a stable and a small yard in which Miss Bettenay kept her horse during the day at school. The school ground was newly cleared, and several stumps remained to be grubbed or burned. However Mrs Pine got the bigger children to lay out gardens along the back fence, and start to beautify the grounds. They had to gather rocks from the bush, and make borders for these garden plots with paths between each plot. They also had to dig holes for trees to be planted on Arbor Day in May. Those trees are still there today (2010). Miss Bettenay taught the children how to do Pot-hooks, strokes, circles and all manner of attempts at simple letters and figures. They started by using slates and pencils, but soon graduated to paper. She even taught them money with cardboard coins, how to add and how to count. Even how to sit properly, how to ask for something, and how to play with other children. Most of this is taught in Kindergartens today, but not so then. Seeing somebody get the cane was always a great reminder to show what could happen if you did the wrong thing by the teacher. The main road went very close by the school fence, and was only a track. It became what is today the Brookton Highway. Occasionally a motor vehicle would come along but most of the traffic was horse drawn, mainly sleeper carters, or woodcarters with drays heading for Karragullen station or returning empty to the bush. In those days there would be men who went out for months at a time to catch possums for their skins, and others who camped out cutting sleepers or firewood. They would come in past the school and fill their waterbags or yarn to the children because they had seen so few other people for weeks or months. The track did go through to Brookton and Beverley, but only a track, and very little used. It was known as the "back-track" and for many miles it followed one of the old log-lines laid down by the Canning Jarrah Timber Company. This section crossed Kangaroo Gully, Death Adder Creek and Poison Gully, all of which today flow into the Canning Dam. Several miles of the modern bitumised Brookton Highway still runs on this old railway formation. (Article by James "Pal" Smailes) Children known to have attended: John Hanbury, James Smailes
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1922 Teacher Mrs. Agnes E. PINE On September 23rd a concert party was brought to Karragullen by Mrs. Gillies, at the request of Mrs. Pine, the local school teacher. The party comprised Mrs. Thomson, Mrs. Goe. Horton (Miss Elsie Rosslyn), Madame Marrie, Miss Orchard, Miss Ida Geddes and Messrs Cobb and Geo. Horton. These entertainers gave much pleasure to the audience, and each item was loudly applauded. Messrs. H. P. Colebatch, Minister for Education, and R. S. Sampson, Colonnial Secretary, were present. A vote of thanks to Miss Gilles and party, to Mr. Dwyer who kindly lent a motor car to convey the singers, and the Minister for Education and the Colonial Secretary for their attendance and generosity, was moved by Mr. Harber, of the Parents' Association,and was carried with acclamation. After supper a dance took place. The proceeds of the entertainment will be used for the purchase of tennis materials for the school court. Extract from The West Australian Saturday 30th September 1922 On December 9th the annual concert and prize giving of the Karragullen School was held in the local hall and was the largest gathering ever held in Karragullen. The whole programme of music and rhythmic's was given by the school children, whose teacher, Mrs. A. E. Pine , with her assistants, Miss Bettenay and Miss Pine, is to be congratulated on the clever manner in which the children's talents have been brought out. In the unavoidable absence of Mr. R. S. Sampson, M.L.A. the chair was taken by Mr. H. Stinton (Chairman of the Parents' Association). After the concert each child received a book as a Christmas gift, and the special prizes were presented by Mrs. Laverack. Penny Winter again winning Mr. Sampson's prize as dux of the school. Mr. Harber then distributed the gardening prizes, and the senior girls presented Mrs. Pine, Miss Bettenay and Miss Pine each with a suit case from the children and parents, in appreciation of their services through the year. After a few dances, and the singing of the "National Anthem", the gathering broke up. Extract from The West Australian Wednesday 3rd January 1923 The start of 1922 was of course much better than
the start of the previous year. I was now six, and put into what was known as
Infants 11. Quite superior to those poor soles just starting out at the bottom
of the educational ladder. I will never forget 1922 because it was the first
time that I became aware of a date, or year. Up in the top left hand corner of
the blackboard, Miss Bettenay had the date of the day, and each school day she
would rub out the previous day's date and put a new one, then every so often
the middle figure would change, being the month, but this 1922 seemed to remain
for ever. One day I picked up the courage to ask her why it was never changed.
She thought that was marvelous, that at my age I had noticed such a thing, and
went to no end to explain the years, and how it would change in due course.
Over the following years, a craving for dates and figures became very apparent
in my life and search for knowledge. I attach great importance to dates because
it places all event in proper sequence, and gives a far clearer picture of
history and ages. Had Miss Bettenay laughed at me or not gone to such trouble
to explain it, my whole attitude to dates and figures could have been
different. It is debatable of course. Children known to have attended: James Smailes
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1923 Teacher Mrs. Agnes E. PINE The monthly meeting of the Karragullen Parent's Association was held on the 9th April, when an election of a school board took place, the following members were chosen: - Messrs. Laverick, Simpson, Smailes, Prosser and Harber. The proceeds of the association's last entertainment (over 5 pounds (10 dollars) are to go to the Children's Hospital. Extract from The West Australian Monday 23rd April 1923 The celebration of Anzac Day took place in the Karragullen Hall, on April 25th, when a large gathering assembled from the surrounding district. The proceedings opened with the singing of "Rule Britannia", the solo part being taken by Mrs. G. Simpson. The chairman, Mr. J.A.S. Hanbury introduced the Rev. T. Allan, who addressed the people. The school children then sang an Anzac song, under the direction of their teacher, Mrs. Pine, who also played the accompaniments. Mr. Sampson, Colonial Secretary and member for the district, spoke on the motives which prompted the soldiers to give up everything in order to go and fight for those they loved, and of the women who stayed behind "doing their bit". He hoped that, while we remembered the dead, we would not forget those who came back, but would give them all the help and encouragement we could. He then unveiled a tablet erected by the Karragullen people to the memory of Private Samuel Verrier, also an honour board, given for the local school children by the Parents' Association. Kipling's "Lest We Forget" was sung, and offerings of flowers placed beneath the tablet. The chairman expressing the wish of the people that Lieut. Lantzke's name be associated with that of Samuel Verrier, both of whom had not lived nor died in vein. A German gun was the unveiled by the Rev. T. Allan, and the National Anthem closed the proceeding. Extract from The West Australian Friday 4th May 1923 I well remember the year 1923 because of several
very important happenings in my young life. To move out of Infants 11 and enter
Class 1 was evidently of some
significance to a seven year old, and to have a younger brother in your charge
also had a certain responsibility. Ken, being six in the coming June, was able
to start at school in February of that year. We were always good friends at
home, so I took it upon myself to take him to school and show him the ropes so
to speak. Miss Bettenay continued to ride her horse to the school each day, and
keep it in the small yard and stable which her father and brother had built
near by. In the shelter shed was an old piano case in which was kept the horses
chaff. Miss Bettenay selected me to feed her horse each lunch time from this feed
store, and of course I thought this to be a great honour. It meant taking a
kero tin of chaff to the trough in the stable and then drawing a tin of water
from the tank at Mrs. Pine's house and topping up the water barrel for the
horse. I evidently carried out my duties well, because at the end of the year
she gave me a new box of coloured pencils, the first I had ever owned. There
were other events however not so pleasant. Children known to have attended: James Smailes, Ken Smailes
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1924 Teacher Mrs. Agnes E. PINE When School started in 1924 there were quite a
few changes. The biggest being that there were fewer children at school and
only one teacher. Miss Bettenay had been retrenched because the numbers had
dropped below what was considered necessary to need an assistant. There would
be about 30 children at school now, instead of 40. For me it was the first year
under the Headmistress anyway. I had graduated to 2nd standard and was in what
was called the "uppers". Of course all being in one room, we could
not but help hear what was going on in each and every class. Even when you were
learning three times tables you could hear the older children learning eight
times tables, so you became well prepared for future lessons. Mrs. Pine now
taught everybody, and looking back one must admit, she had her hands full.
Children ranged from 5 to 14 spread through nine grades or classes. Infants 1
and 11, then class 1 to 7, sometimes only two or three children in a particular
class. The desks held five children, and were in two rows of five facing the
teachers desk, which was raised up on a low stage or platform across the width
of the room. There was a fireplace in the left-hand corner, and a big timber
cupboard in the other corner. It was in this that all spare books, pads, ink
etc. was kept. When the days got cooler each year a boy from about eight upwards
would be put on "duties" which included chopping the wood each day
for the fire, and leaving some twigs and chips for starting the fire next
morning. This position was for a week, then another boy took over according to
age and class. Other duties included filling the ink wells, and reading the
weather. We had to put down the noon temperature, direction of wind, and
measure any rainfall that had occurred. It was all good training. Mrs. Pine was very patriotic also. There was a
flag pole in the school yard, and the Australian Flag was run up each morning
and lowered when school finished for the day. When the bell rung at five
minutes to nine, we all had to form up in two lines according to age, and on
command turn and salute the flag. We then marched in lead by the eldest
children, and took our places at our desks. When Mrs. Pine came in last, she
took her place beside her desk, and we repeated "The Lords Prayer"
after her. At nine o'clock school commenced. Three half hour periods, then half
an hour for a morning break, then two more periods to mid-day. An hour for
lunch, two more sessions to 2p.m. then a quarter hour break, two more lessons,
then out at 3.15. Us three Smailes kids had two and a half miles to walk, and
used to go via Simpsons place and join up with their two boys, George and
Lloyd, then continue on to school, then reverse the procedure after school.
During 1924 however Ken and I explored the possibility of cutting through the
bush, and shortening the journey slightly. This we did, and as time went on we
wore a well defined path through the bush, and took off unnecessary corners. 1924 was an election year in the United States, and Mrs. Pine was a great admirer of America, and got the children to list all the Presidents back from then to the beginning of their system and George Washington. Calvin Coolidge was President at the time, and was re-elected later in the year. He was No.30, and we had to look up all the previous 29 and list them in their proper order. President Harding had died in 1923 during his term, and Coolidge as Vice-President had completed that term and was to stand again. President Wilson was the one before Haring, and his name was on all lips because of his fame at the Peace Conference and aftermath of the Great War. However, we children completed the list, and we had to learn them. I can remember them to this day, and have automatically added a further ten Presidents as history has unfolded. It just shows how ones mind can be influenced at an early age, especially by a dedicated teacher. Mrs. Pine was also keen on poetry, music and singing, even used to take girls for piano lessons after school. We boys were never given the opportunity. (Article by James "Pal" Smailes) Children known to have attended: George Simpson, Lloyd Simpson, James Smailes, Ken Smailes
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1925 Teacher Mrs. Agnes E. PINE Retired at the end of the year At school there was not much change during 1925,
we all went up one class, whether by merit or not we will never know. Old Mrs.
Pine had her favourites, and the Smailes children were not amongst them. She
used the cane fairly liberally, even on the girls, but I have no doubt that she
was fully justified. From about this time onwards, it was Mrs. Pine who
awakened in me a love for poetry. Each class had to learn a new poem at least
once a month, and keep revising poems already learnt. She insisted on observing
the punctuation, demanded clarity, and would always give us some background on
the writer, be it Kendell, Keats, Lawson, Paterson or Dorothy McKelar. She was a
very well read person and wanted to get us interested in literature. Every
Friday afternoon for the last half hour of the day, she would read from a book
to all classes combined. To this day I can remember her reading
"Inanhoe", "The Talisman", "The White Company"
and "Kenilworth". She certainly created a love of reading in myself,
and no doubt in many others. Of course few people owned many books as compared
with today. I clearly remember one boy especially telling the whole school one
day, that their Dad had been able to buy a book to have in their home, and it
even had pictures in it. The school had no books as a library, the teacher
either owned or borrowed a volume which was read to the class. Children who had
books were encouraged to bring one or two to school for the teacher to read.
Dad was a great reader, and had quite a few. About this time he started to buy
each of us what were known as the "Wonder Books". The wonder book of ships,
trains, animals etc. They were ideal for growing children, and we used to lend
them to the teacher for reading to the school. 1925 was the 100th anniversary
of the locomotive, and created quite a lot of interest. Steam power was at its
zenith, particularly the railway engines in various parts of the world. I just
loved reading about the huge engines employed on the Canadian Pacific Railway
and in the U.S.A. Then there were the luxurious fast trains used in England,
and speed records set by different countries, and tonnages hauled. Even our own
local railway was unique with the Zig-zag method of climbing the Darling Range,
and the big double engines which were used. They were Garret engines made
especially for sharp curves and steep climbs. It was all part of growing up to
watch these monsters and help the guard throw the points during shunting
procedures, Karragullen being the terminus of the Upper Darling Range Railway. Children known to have attended: George Simpson, Lloyd Simpson, James Smailes, Ken Smailes
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1926 Teacher
Cecil JOHNSTON Looking back over a long period of years certain
dates stand out more than others. I think that it is more your stage in life,
and your ability to understand certain happenings, than the actual events
themselves. There were so many events took place during 1926 that I remember it
as one of the most dramatic years of my childhood. I had had my tenth birthday
in November of 1925, and the old lady school teacher retired at the close of
the school year. We were all very concerned about who we would get as our new
teacher, but one thing certain was that it was to be a man. None of us had ever
experienced a man teacher, and of course the usual rumours and stories were
bandied about as to what to expect, particularly the boys. Well our new teacher was a Mr. Johnston, and he
turned out to be very good, just what was needed for the 30 odd children, some
of which were getting a bit big and cheeky for the previous lady to handle. Mr.
Johnston was married and lived in the school house with his wife and daughter.
Mrs. Johnston taught the girls sewing, and Mr. Johnston commenced teaching the
boys tin-work which was not possible up to now. He used the cane freely, but
certainly not without cause. I found him to be strict but generally a better
teacher. We could not bluff him, and he pushed us further if we showed any
ability. He was very keen on sports and daily exercises, and taught us many new
games and manly activities. He used to fill the blackboards up with the work
for the next day overnight, and conducted six and seven classes in the one
room. He would always read some article of interest out
of the daily paper. It was not that days paper, usually next day, but something
that was topical or happening at the time. I particularly remember following
the progress of Alan Cobham's flight in 1926 from England to Australia and
return. It was the first return flight, and took some 30 days each way. His
mechanic, named Elliot, was shot by an Arab while flying low in a dust storm in
the Euphrates valley between Baghdad and Basra. He died of his wounds, and a
Sgt. Ward of the Royal Air Force joined Cobham to complete the trip. The
triumphs and failures of the Australian Eleven in England that year was also a
great subject with Mr. Johnston, and we were introduced to names like Grimmet,
Oldfield, Collins, McCartney and many others, and of course the love of cricket
was born in many of the boys of that era. He also stimulated the love of
books, and encouraged any of us to read books of our choice or ones that he
would lend us. He would question us on a book which we were supposed to have
read, and could always if you had really read it or were just saying you had.
He himself could read a book in a night, and tell the whole story next day,
where we would take weeks and then not know half of it. He was also a wizard
with figures and could add up several columns of figures at a great speed with
accuracy which amazed us poor children. He was the first person to encourage me
with figures, and told me that I had a flair for arithmetic and figures. Another first for us children in 1926 was a visit
to the Royal Show at Claremont. We all went down on an old truck and took a
picnic lunch. To see such activity and crowds was just unbelievable to us. I
had never seen a tractor, as the orchardists used horses for ploughing, and to
see dozens of them in various sizes, colours and makes just was a dream come
true. Also harvesters, ploughs, windmills and trucks which we did not even know
existed, lined up in dozens. Then of course the hot-dog stalls, cool drinks and
ice-creams which country children never saw, just there for a few pence. We took
part in coconut shy's and all sorts of side-shows, and generally got fleeced
and taken down. But it was a great day, and a wonderful experience for us
growing children. Going to the show however did cost me a days
attendance from the school, and when prizes were given out at the end of the
year, I did get the only prize for attendance. One day missed for the whole
year. And it turned out to be the only prize I ever received throughout my 9
years at school. The effort of attendance was all the more creditable when one
considers that 1926 was one of the wettest years on record, and we had to walk
a five mile return trip every day through the bush. I well remember going one
wet day on my own from home and only 5 children were at school because of the
intense rain. That year there was great floods around Guildford, and the Swan
River actually lapped over the old causeway at times. There was also serious
flooding at Kelmscott and Cannington because Canning Dam had then not been
built to control it.
1926 Back Row (L -R): BILL HANBURY, LIONEL STINTON, ERNEST HANBURY, JOHN COOPER, TED SAUNDERS, DAVID LAVERICK, NORMAN LANTZKE, GEORGE SIMPSON,
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1927 Teacher
Cecil JOHNSTON At school I was in Class 5 and under Mr. Johnston
was doing quite well. He was very strict, and kept us boys really in line. He
used to give all children some drill every morning for exercise, and take part
in games such as cricket and football. He greatly encouraged us with reading
whole books, not only reading to us, but used to get each of us in turn to read
a chapter or a few paragraphs to the class. He loved to read poetry to us also,
particularly Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson. Having come from Maitland in New
South Wales, he had grown up at a time when these men were at their peak in
their writing. Books were still rare in many homes, but he liked us to bring
some to school to share with others, and encouraged us to write short stories
to read out aloud to the class. Each Friday for the last period he would read a
story to the whole school, which as we grew older we began to understand
better, and grasp the real meaning of what he was trying to get across to us. I
am sure that it was Mr. Johnston who developed in me, the love of reading both
books and poetry, not just as a lesson, but for the sheer pleasure of learning
and the love of language and knowledge. This teacher continued to read to us many
articles from the daily paper, and to try and create an interest in events
around the world, and particularly in our own country. Anything to do with the
then infant aviation development would always be a must with him, and during
1927 there were some events which did have a profound effect upon the future of
aviation worldwide and especially on Australia. A Captain E. Jones had created
a record to fly around Australia, visiting all capital cities in 22 days and
11hours. The world was amazed, as aircraft were as yet very experimental.
However to two unknown pilots in W.A. it became a challenge. Kingsford Smith
had just sold out his Gascoyne Transport Co. in Carnarvon, and bought a small
Bristol aircraft. His friend Charles Ulm, also an experienced pilot, had
financial backing so they attempted to lower Jones' record to gain support for
their long range plans to fly the Pacific Ocean. In June 1927, Smithy and Ulm
completed the 7,500 miles flight around Australia in 10 days and 5 hours. This
did cause a sensation, and the eyes of the world were focused on Australia,
aviation and these two men. In the same year, in a different field, another
Australian named Hubert Wilkins had flown over the North Pole for the first
time in a tri-motored Fokker aircraft. This too created great interest, and
laid the course for greater events to come. Not all ventures were so
successful. In August 1927 there was a race organised in California to fly from
San Francisco to Hawaii, which had never been done before. Entries came from
many people seeking publicity and reward, but the results were disastrous,
seven people loosing their lives, and nobody achieving the object of 2,400
miles across the open sea. Several other flights were planned that year to
fly the Atlantic Ocean both from Europe to U.S.A. and also in an Eastern
direction. Here again many men and their machines were lost in futile attempts.
The French war ace, Nunguesser was one of the victims, and some Governments
forbade further attempts at such foolhardy ventures. One day in May however, a
young American named Lindberg took off from America and flew non-stop across
the Atlantic to land in France, in a single engined monoplane. He was named the
" flying fool" but he did demonstrate that these flights could be
done if properly planned, and the right aircraft used. He was the hero of the
hour. These happenings, and many more in other fields
of human endeavour, were always brought to our attention by Mr. Johnston, and
he would refer to a world map or atlas as the case may be, and show us where
these events were taking place, especially if Austraila or Australians were
involved. A very important event of 1927 was the visit of the Duke and Duchess
of York for the opening of the new Parliment House in the new capital city of
Canberra. No body seemed to have heard of the place, and few lived there,
because the Federal Government was based in Melbourne since Federation. When
the opening was completed, the seat of Government became Canberra, and the city
made a start to develop as was intended. Even today it is growing apace, and
sixty years from that opening, will be the opening of the new and larger
Parliment House in 1988. The Royal Tour was followed with interest by the
schools generally, and when the Royal couple came to Fremantle aboard the
cruiser H.M.S.Renown, Mr. Johnston allowed any of us able to take the day off
and watch a parade or visit to the ship. Dad took us children to the quay to
inspect the huge ship, and as luck had it, the Royal couple drove past us as we
waited to go aboard. The Renown was really something for a schoolboy to see.
Its huge 15 inch guns, capable of hurling a one ton shell about 25 miles, its
engine rooms packed with great engines all hot and hissing, the flags, the
discipline of the men and the paint, made us all want to join the Navy. Children known to have attended: Bernard Cooper, Bill Hanbury, Jack O'Meagher, Tom O'Meagher, Lloyd Simpson, James Smailes, Ken Smailes, Venie Smailes
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1928 Teacher
Cecil JOHNSTON Went
on Long Service Leave. One of the first books that Mr. Johnston obtained
in 1928 was written by Sir Phillip Gibbs, and entitled "The Day After
Tomorrow". It was a bit ahead of most of the children at school that year,
but it was basically his views on what was to come in the almost immediate
future. One remark which I well remember was that he wished that he could have
been a schoolboy in 1928. Well I was, and as far as I could tell it was
wonderful anyway. So much happening, many new developments, and I was growing
up right when it was all going to happen. There were pessimists of course, some
were right but most were wrong. Nobody then foresaw the Depression of next
year, or the dark clouds of war which were once again to darken the lights of
Europe, and threaten even the shores of our own Australia. Many of these same
students were destined to play their part in it, even to the extent of giving
up their lives in its defence of our North. Upon returning to school in early February, Mr.
Johnston told us that in June, or in Mid-year, he was going to take his long
service leave, and would be away for the second half of the year. He was going
to the Eastern States and New Zealand, and wanted us to obtain all the
information we could, on places of interest which he intended to visit. He
would tell us all about these places when he returned. Thus we searched for
places on maps and articles on towns, cities, river and mountains both in
Australia and in New Zealand. Even if he did not benefit from our research, we
certainly did, and found out more about the world than we had ever suspected.
He really knew how to appeal to young minds, and could make it all sound so
interesting and wonderful and so worthwhile. He did have trouble with some
children, and was a bit short on patience in some cases. He detested laziness
in a student, would not tolerate lying, and would use the cane fairly and with
effect if the case warranted such measures. I received my share but totally
agree that he was right. The months that followed proved this point. Of course we little knew that we were watching
history being made, and were even part of it. Just as it is going on today, one
is not always aware of how important an event can be, but with the advantage of
hindsight, certain events stand out like beacons. Such were the events of 1928,
particularly in aviation and land speed records. Mr. Johnston readily took any
opportunity to follow and explain any speed record attempt, or a dash to lower
the times of a flight or long distance endeavour. Such was the case when on
February 7th 1928 a young Australian named Bert Hinkler took off from London on
the first solo flight for Australia. Each day his progress was recorded in the
papers, and read with great enthusiasm by young and old. Some people had crude
radios by now, and stole a march with a more recent bulletin. Often the static
or a flat battery prevented hearing the latest. However all went well, he had
delays, bad weather, hold-ups with officialdom, and fuel supply problems but on
22nd February after 15 1/2 days he landed in Darwin, setting an all time record
for a flight so long and arduous. He was the hero of the hour, and was feted in
all capital cities, particularly in his home town of Bundaberg in Queensland. Later in the year Mr. Johnston was on holidays in
New Zealand and his successor, a Mr. Brookhouse, was not as enthusiastic about
such news. This poor old man lived in Maida Vale at the foot of Kalamunda hill
and used to ride a push-bike the 15 miles every morning to the Karragullen
school. He had taken on the relieving teachers role for the six months from
July to December while Mr. Johnston was on long service leave. Us kids quickly
nicknamed Mr. Brookhouse, "Chook" short for chookhouse. On wet days
he was usually late, and gradually we children got "his measure" as
children will do if there is half an opportunity. We learnt how to get into the
school via a window, and if he was late, we would wait for him a while, then go
walkabout, returning about 10a.m. or wait till we saw him coming up the road,
and ring the bell to spur him on. We made his life a hell, and he did not seem
to be able to do anything about it. He eventually bought a Model T Ford car,
and improved his traveling time, but used to have trouble starting this car,
and was late at times. He used to get us children to push it sometimes to start
it, until one day when we were exhausted, one of the boys who could drive,
noticed that the key was not turned on. That finished the job of pushing. One
day he went for a walk along the main road, so we all piled into his car, and
Bernard Cooper who was 13 and could drive well, took off after him. We passed
him and turned around and offered him a ride back to school. It was a
disastrous situation, and I cannot understand how it went on for so long. He
even got Mr. Simpson, a near neighbour, to come to school and talk to us. The
two Simpson boys were among the chief offenders, so that had little effect. In
cranking his car one day, it backfired and broke his wrist. This of course made
it impossible for him to control us with a cane, so he must have notified the
Education Department and resigned at the end of September. A bucket of water strategically
place above the door, to douse him when he opened the door, was the last straw,
and this ended our escapades. We were not bad kids, it was just lack of
discipline, and we took the opportunity to vent our fun at the old mans expense.
An 18 year old Miss Wells, straight from training college took over on 1st
October, and with a visible bundle of canes in her hand as she walked into the
class, and asked certain boys to come out and explain themselves. On refusing
to move, she just took a cane and broke it over this boy until he cringed in
terror. There was no more trouble and no more caning. She was boss, and rightly
so. What a difference this girl made, She really put us through our paces in
sport, reading and all subjects, and regained our faith in teachers and the
education system generally. It was a classical example of what children will do
when they loose respect for a teacher and will go as far as they are able, but
it was no credit to the Department that this state of affairs was ever allowed
to deteriorate as it did. No inspector ever came to check up or support that
poor old teacher, or even see how the young teacher coped in her first
assignment with such an unruly school. There are men who live in Karragullen
today who remember these events, and recall the pain of the cane. (From an article by James "Pal" Smailes) Children known to have attended: Bernard Cooper, Bill Hanbury, Jack O'Meagher, Tom O'Meagher, Lloyd Simpson, James Smailes, Ken Smailes, Venie Smailes Below is an extract from an Oral History that Ken Smailes did for the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library. When Cecil Johnson went, he went to New Zealand,
I'm not sure if it was for three months or if it was for six months, anyway
while he was away they sent a fellow called Brookhouse up there. And he used to
ride a push bike from Maida Vale which is a long way, it is all up hill but,
then later on he had a "T" (model) Ford motor car and the only way to
start it was to crank it, the crank handle, was permanently in it and it was
foolish to press down on the handle because they used to kick, it would kick
back and it did and broke his wrist, hit him on the back of the hand , the
handle flew around belted him on the back of the hand and broke it. Anyway, of
course the kids could see that they - we could take advantage of him and we
did. We would give him until nine o'clock and if he wasn't there then we would
leave and we'd go up on this big rock outcrop. I never realised in those days
that I would own it one day. But the whole school would go up there and just
play and just do nothing and I remember one day - all our dinner - all our
school bags were still at the school. I went back with Willy Hanbury, went back
to get the dinner, get our school bags and this fellow, we used to call him
"chook", instead of Brookhouse, it was "chookhouse", and he
was always known as "chook", anyway he was there, he was looking for
us, anyway we waited until he had gone, he used to walk up to Brookton Highway,
you know he used to go up there everyday for a walk, anyway this day he was up
there looking for us and Willy went in and rang the bell, he rang the bell for
the teacher. Anyway, then we went, we took the lunches and went and we never
came at all that day. He was very, very upset about it. Anyway things
got from bad to worse. Another day, we used to do everything, everything we could
think of to upset him. How it ended up, we really took advantage of everything.
One day when he had gone up the road for a walk we had this big skeleton of a
horse, we brought it along and put it near the door so the skull would fall
down when he opened the door. Now we broke his cane up into match wood and
stuck it on his table and there was all these old vegetables in the school
garden or in the schoolhouse garden and we put them all on the table. These
great big beetroots and turnips that had all gone to seed. We put them all on
the table and we put glue on the door knob and put drums on the roof, (we)
really played havoc anyway when he came home - came to school, he didn't know
what to say. He called on the two biggest to go and get Mr. Simpson and Mr.
Hodson and they went got them to come along and anyway that was the end of it,
our father wouldn't let us go back. He said that you are not going back 'til
you get a proper teacher there because we would have done serious damage so we
had better things to do at home. We got the message that there was somebody
coming on a certain date to take over, anyway when we got back, we'd heard in
advance that there was a young girl, she was straight out of college and she
was going to board at Simpson's and the day she arrived all the kids were
sitting on the fence there, all laughing and playing around and as she walked
down the road she had a bundle of canes, four foot canes under her arm and as
she walked in the gate she said, "Are you fit?" and we laughed and it
was funny, we thought well, we are all right and we'll fix her. Anyway, we - as
soon as we went in the school and she was getting things , she lined us up
outside, before we would just do as we liked, but this day we had to march in
and sit down and anyway the first one to speak out of turn was Tommy O'Meagher
and she called him out to - she was going to give him the cane anyway he was -
as he walked out he looking back grinning all over his face. Anyway she told
him to hold out his hand and, he just laughed at her and she just belted him.
She got this cane and she thrashed him, 'round his behind and around his legs
and everywhere and half the cane flew across the room and within minutes he was
screaming and he went back to his seat and he never - there was no more trouble
from him. Anyway a few minutes later she had me out there, I don't know what
for, I can't remember what I did anyway my fingers were blue, you know she had
me - I had all I wanted and after that she turned out to be not only a good
teacher but also a good friend, she did a good job but she was only there a
short while and the real teacher came back after that. Johnson came back. It
was really terrible the advantage we took of poor old "chook". We
used to just do what we liked. |
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1929 Teacher
Cecil JOHNSTON Mr. Johnston returned to the school teaching for
the opening of the 1929 school year, and was full of his trip and experiences
since leaving us in the previous June. He told us about the geysers and hot
springs of New Zealand, the snow capped ranges and the lakes and fiords
throughout the country. He had also visited Melbourne and Sydney and Adelaide.
He described the cable trams of Melbourne, the beginnings of the Sydney
Harbour Bridge, and the wonders of the Nullabour Plain and Transcontinental
trains. He had taken many pictures of his travels, and had many books and
pamphlets to give us a better idea of what he had seen. Most children were very
interested, and his way of showing us all this was better than geography or
history lessons. He also took up his reference to the daily papers, and drew
our attention to any event of interest or importance which was happening.
Aviation was always a must with him, and when Smithy and his crew on the
Southern Cross were reported missing in our far North at the end of March, he
kept us fully informed. Simpsons had a wireless set, and one of the boys would
go home during the lunch hour to get the latest news, or lack of it. The days dragged on into a week and no news of
where they had come down. Not a sign or trace of men or plane. Every available
aircraft was engaged to search likely areas, and Kieth Anderson, a great friend
of Smithy's set out with a mechanic named Hitchcock to join in the search. They
in turn became missing near Wave Hill Station, and died of thirst twelve days
later. It seemed impossible for a plane of this size to completely disappear
without trace. At long last on the 13th April the Southern Cross was located
300 miles from Whyndam on a mud flat almost hidden by scrub. The crew had lived
on grubs, fish and wild berries, and had made every effort to get in touch by
radio, but to no avail because of flat batteries and lack of general equipment.
A small plane flew in some fuel and Smithy flew the Southern Cross out on his
own to save weight. They then returned to Sydney without honour amid much
criticism and bad feeling because of the deaths of Anderson and Hitchcock.
After a public enquiry, the crew were absolved of all blame and allowed to
proceed on their attempt to fly to London in record time. This was accomplished
in 12 days and 18 hours which put Smithy back in public favour again. Another first for our school occurred in 1929
concerning foreign born children. An Italian wood cutter named Rocco Macri,
went back to Italy late in 1928 and returned with his wife and two children to
live near the school on Hanbury's orchard. These two children, Dominica and
Joe, aged 10 and 7, could not speak a word of English, and I am afraid we
children gave them a rough time and showed little sympathy. Mr. Johnston just
did not have the time to give them any special attention either, and could not
help with the language problem. They would go home at lunch time and return at
1.00p.m. with their lunch and eat it in class, much to our amusement. As they
learned a few words of English, (not always the right words) they were absorbed
into our games and lessons. The next few years, particularly during the
depression, brought many children to the school, but these two were the first and
must have had an awful time with our ridicule. The schools in the hills districts were to
combine in an inter-school sports contest to compete for a shield donated by
Mr. R. S. Sampson, our Member for the Swan seat in the State Legislative
Assembly. This gathering was held at the Carilla Hall and sports ground near
Pickering Brook early in October of 1929. The schools competing were Barton's
Mill, Pickering Brook, Canning Mills, Karragullen and Carmel. Mr. Johnston had
got us all trained in the various sports, and trained well in advance. There
were some big children at school, well above average in strength and ability,
so Karragullen were favourites to take out the shield. Would you believe that
the whole school came down with measles over the preceding few weeks, and some
of our best athletes were scarcely out of bed when the sports were held. Some
could not even compete, but even so we came second, runners up to Barton's Mill
with Pickering Brook third in points. I actually left school three weeks before my 14th birthday because of the measles in a way. I was one of the last to get the measles, and was to stay home for the usual 3 weeks. When this time was up, the school had had exams, and there was no point in going back. There was no certificate to be issued, and further schooling was not on. (Article by James "Pal" Smailes Children known to have attended: Dominica Macri, Joe Macri, Jack O'Meagher, Lloyd Simpson, James Smailes, Ken Smailes, Venie Smailes
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1930 Teacher Cecil JOHNSTON The second annual U.D.R.Inter-schools' sports
competition for the Sampson Shield was held at Carmel on November 1st. The
competing schools were Karragullen, Barton's Mill, Pickering Brook, Carmel,
Piesse Brook and Lesmurdie. Carmel school again won the shirld with 3? 1/2
points, followed by Karragullen with 26 points and Barton's Mill with 22
points. Stanley Wallis (Carmel) was Champion Boy, and A. Weyman (Karragullen)
Champion Girl. The chief events resulted as follows:- Boys' Junior Championship
- V. Hawkins (Pickering Brook). Girls' Junior Championship - L. Jackson
(Carmel). Boys' Championship - Stanley Wallis (Carmel). Girls' Championship - A.
Weyman (Karragullen). Schools' Relay Race - Carmel 1; Barton's Mill 2;
Karragullen 3: Boys' High Jump - Stanley Wallis (Carmel). Girls' High Jump - B.
Leeder (Pickering Brook), tied with H. Walker (Piesse Brook). Boys' Long Jump -
Stanley Wallis (Carmel). Girls' Long Jump - A. Weyman (Karragullen). Boys' Hop, Step
and Jump - Stanley Wallis (Carmel): distance 31ft. 10in. Girls' Hop, Step and Jump -
Mary Wallis (Carmel). Children known to have attended: Jack O'Meagher, Lloyd Simpson, Ken Smailes, Venie Smailes, Alice Weyman,
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"THE OLD BUSH SCHOOL 1920 - 1930" By JAMES "PAL" SMAILES There's a place called Karragullen, in the Upper Darling Range, The trucks and buses service, have replaced the daily train, Removed in nineteen twenty, from the Illawarra gate, The shrill of voices filled the yard, the cricket bat and ball The Laveracks and Prices, the Thompsetts from the east, Then there were the Saunders, the Lantzkes and the Mahers, Then as the years rolled slowly by, the teachers came and went, The twenty's closed with a few at school, new names replaced the old,
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1931 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVERr Below is an extract from an Oral History that Ken Smailes did for the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library. Richard Oliver was good. He came in - I was with
him for two years 1930 and '31 and he had a wife and two girls and a boy -
that's right. He took up land in Karragullen. He started an orchard and built a
house and he was around Karragullen for - I don't know, I can't remember, it
could have been twenty years. So, he was a nice chap and he was a good teacher
too. He used to teach the piano, he taught Venie, my sister, music on the
piano. So yes that was the extent of my education. Children known to have attended: Jack O'Meagher, Lloyd Simpson, Ken Smailes, Venie Smailes  KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL 1931 #21
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1932 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER Children known to have attended: Lloyd Simpson
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1933 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER Children known to have attended: Lloyd Simpson
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1934 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER Children known to have attended: Lloyd Simpson
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1935 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER Children known to have attended: Lloyd Simpson
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1935 VERY POOR QUALITY PHOTOGRAPH PUBLISHED IN THE "WESTERN MAIL" THURSDAY 12th DECEMBER 1935
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1936 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER Children known to have attended: Lloyd Simpson
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1937 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER
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1937 Back Row L- R: RON OLIVER, ? , MARCO SCARI, ERIC BETTENAY. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1938 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER
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1938c Back Row L- R: DOROTHY BETTENAY, EDNA BETTENAY, HILDA BUCKINGHAM, ELEANOR BETTENAY
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1939 Teacher
Mr. Ronald OLIVER There were less than 20 pupils attending the school. Margaret Price and Malcolm O'Meagher were the only children to commence school this year. All the Bettenay's had left except Philip Children known to have attended: Philip Bettenay, Edna Buckingham, Hilda Bockingham, Renato Cassotti, Angelo Macri, Fortunato Macri, Kathleen Macri, Margaret McVittie, Doreen O'Meagher, Les O'Meagher, Malcolm O'Meagher, Margaret Price, Bill Scari, Marco Scari, Margaret Scari, Tony Scari, Fred Smith, Joy Smith
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1940 Teacher Mr. John HALSE Children known to have attended: Renato Cassotti
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1941 Teacher Mr. John HALSE
1941 VERY POOR QUALITY PHOTOGRAPH PUBLISHED IN THE "WESTERN MAIL" THURSDAY 20th NOVEMBER 1941 Children known to have attended: Renato Cassotti
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1942 Teacher Mr. John HALSE Over 50 children attending
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1943 Teacher John HALSE (On War Service) Over 50 children attending
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1944 Teacher Mr. Ted ROBINSON Over 50 children attending
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1945 Teacher Mr. Ted ROBINSON Over 50 children attending
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1946 Teacher Mr. Ted ROBINSON
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1947 Teacher Mr. Charles HILSON
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1947? Back Row L - R: RAY LITTLELY, EDWARD MACRI, Teacher Mr. VALLI, BRUNO SONEGO, RON HALSE, LES SMITH, DAVID LEWIS.
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1948 Teacher: Mr. Joseph SHIMMINGS Children known to have attended: Elizabeth Fretwell, Angelo Ghilarducci, Carlo Ghilarducci, Ada Italiano, Rosa Italiano, Stella Italiano, Ray Littlely, Shirley Littlely, Valmar Littlely, Edward Macri, Richard Nicholls, Ross Nicholls, Anna Plozza, Danita Plozza, Bob Scari, Janice Scari, Bruno Sonego, Jimmy Sonego, Viola Sonego
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1948 RARE PHOTO OF THE INTERIOR OF SCHOOL ROOM AT "ROCK INNE" SITE #13 This Photo was taken before the second Classroom was added. The three Junior Classes children faced the back of the room and the seats on the right were those of the bigger children, Grade 3 - 7 and they sat facing the front of the schoolroom where the Headmaster sat in front of the fireplace. The pictures on the blackboard were drawn by the lady teacher who had some wonderful drawing talent. The one of the horse (it looks like it had wings) was the white horse from the Poem:
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1949 Teacher Mr. William MUIR Children known to have attended: Elizabeth Fretwell, Angelo Ghilarducci, Carlo Ghilarducci, Ada Italiano, Rosa Italiano, Stella Italiano, Ray Littlely, Shirley Littlely, Valmar Littlely, Edward Macri, Richard Nicholls, Ross Nicholls, Anna Plozza, Danita Plozza, Bob Scari, Janice Scari, Bruno Sonego, Jimmy Sonego, Viola Sonego
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1950 Teacher Mr. Thomas MOORE Twentyseven children attending Children known to have attended: Elizabeth Fretwell, Angelo Ghilarducci, Carlo Ghilarducci, Ada Italiano, Rosa Italiano, Stella Italiano, Brian Lewis, Ray Littlely, Shirley Littlely, Valmar Littlely, Edward Macri, Richard Nicholls, Ross Nicholls, Anna Plozza, Danita Plozza, Bob Scari, Janice Scari., Jimmy Sonego, Bruno Sonego, Viola Sonego
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1950 Back Row (L-R): ANTHONY FRETWELL, TOM PRICE, CARLO GHILARDUCCI, JIM SONEGO, BRIAN LEWIS, DICK NICHOLS.
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1951 Teacher Mr. Thomas MOORE (Long Service Leave 31st July 1950 - 12th March 1951) Children known to have attended: Anthony Fretwell, Elizabeth Fretwell, Marcia Fretwell, Angelo Ghilarducci, Carlo Ghilarducci, Teresa Ghilarducci, Ada Italiano, Lina Italiano, Rosa Italiano, Stella Italiano, Brian Lewis, Ray Littlely, Shirley Littlely, Valmar Littlely, Bill Nicholls, Richard Nicholls, Anna Plozza, Danita Plozza, Tom Price, Bob Scari, Janice Scari, Jimmy Sonego, Viola Sonego
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1952 Teachers: Mr. Bert FORREST Second Classroom opened at Rock Inne
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Mr. BERT FORREST
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THE IMAGE THAT WAS IN THIS SPACE HAS BEEN REMOVED BY DEMAND OF STEPHANIE O'MEAGHER 15th February 2021
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1952 OPENING OF NEW "LITTLE ROOM" CLASSROOM Back Row L - R: ANTHONY FRETWELL?, BILL NICHOLLS, SHIRLEY LITTLELY, STELLA ITALIANO, NOLA FORREST middle (white cardigan), ROSA ITALIANO, ADA ITALIANO. #20 |
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1952 Back Row L - R: ? NICHOLLS, TONY HITCHENS, NEIL CASOTTI, TOM PRICE, ANGELO GHILARDUCCI, ? , ANNA PLOZZA, BRIAN LEWIS, VIOLA SONEGO, ? ,
1952 Back Row L - R: MARCIA FRETWELL, ANGELINA DI DIO, ELIZABETH FRETWELL, ELIZABETH THOMPSON, ANNA PLOZZA, LINA CODA, DANITA PLOZZA.
CE.
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1952 Back Row L - R: ANGELINA DI DIO, ELIZABETH THOMPSON, TERESA GHILARDUCCI, LINA CODA, ANNA PLOZZA. |
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1953 Teachers: Mr. Bert FORREST
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1953 Class Infants Photo supplied by Gerrard Putland |
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1953 Classes 3, 4, 5 & 6 Girls Back Row L - R: DANITA PLOZZA, ADA ITALIANO, LINA CODA.
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1953 Classes 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 Boys Back Row L - R: LOUI DELLA FRANCA, BRIAN LEWIS, NEIL CASOTTI, CARLO GHILARDUCCI
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1953 CHAMPION SCHOOL AT THE INTER SCHOOL SPORTS DAY AT PICKERING BROOK 13th NOVEMBER
1953 Back Row L - R: VIOLA SONEGO, STELLA ITALIANO, LINA CODA, ANGELO GHILARDUCCI, VALMA LITTLELY, ? , TERESA GHILARDUCCI, JIMMY SONEGO, Teacher BERT FORREST, ? , DANITA PLOZZA.
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1954
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1954 Infants, Class 1 & 2 #23 |
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1954 Back Row (L - R): LOUI DELLA FRANCA, ANGELO GHILARDUCCI, NEIL CASOTTI. |
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1955 |
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Children known to have attended: John O'Meagher
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1956 Teachers: Mr. Bernie GILES Headmaster Children known to have attended: John O'Meagher
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1957 Teachers: Mr. Bernie GILES Headmaster Children known to have attended: John O'Meagher
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1958 Teachers: Mr. Bernie GILES Headmaster Children known to have attended: John O'Meagher
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1959 Teachers: Mr. Bernie GILES Headmaster Children known to have attended: John O'Meagher
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1960 Teacher: Mr. Bernie GILES Headmaster
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1960c Back Row L - R; JOAN SIMPSON, LESLIE LITTLELY, SUSAN ROBINSON, MERYLE GILES, MARY FRETWELL, MAUREEN O'MEAGHER. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library) |
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1961 Teacher: Mr. George HEATLEY Headmaster Children known to have attended: Leslie Littlely, Michael O'Meagher
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1962 Teacher: Mr. George HEATLEY Headmaster
THE IMAGE THAT WAS IN THIS SPACE HAS BEEN REMOVED BY DEMAND OF STEPHANIE O'MEAGHER 15th February 2021
THE IMAGE THAT WAS IN THIS SPACE HAS BEEN REMOVED BY DEMAND OF STEPHANIE O'MEAGHER 15th February 2021
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1963 Teacher: Mr. George HEATLEY Headmaster
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1964 Teacher: Mr. George HEATLEY Headmaster
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1965 Teacher: Mr. George HEATLEY Headmaster
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1965c TAKEN BY BILL BETTENAY, VISITING FROM VICTORIA. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library) |
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1966 Principal Cornelis J. VERMEY
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1967 Principal Cornelis J. VERMEY New
School built in Karragullen Townsite. Opened November
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1968 Principal Mr. Roger SMITH
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KARRAGULLEN PRIMARY SCHOOL 1968 Back Row L - R: LOTUS JOHANSSEN, possibly O'MEAGHER, CHERYL BATES, MURRAY O'MEAGHER, LINDA BOVANNI. Teacher ROGER SMITH Image supplied by Jo Agostinelli
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KARRAGULLEN PRIMARY SCHOOL 1969 YEAR 2 Back Row L - R: JOHN (Giovanni) AGOSTINELLI, CARLO CACCETTA, STEVEN GHILARDUCCI, THOMAS O'MEAGHER Image supplied by Jo Agostinelli
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In 1969 Gretchen Forrest returned the old Karragullen School near Rock Inne where as a teacher in 1953 she met her future husband Bert Forrest who was the Headmaster at the time. The old School had been closed for some time and was showing signs of neglect. She is pictured with their three children Kim, Lyn and Judith.
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Left - Right: KIM, LYN, GRETCHEN & JUDITH FORREST IN THE OLD KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL GROUND NEAR THE ROCK INNE #31
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1970 33 Children
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1971 Extra Classroom added
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1972
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1973
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1974
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1975
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1976
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1977
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1978
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1979 |
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1979 Back Row (L - R): ERIC GHILARDUCCI, IVAN TENHAVE, KYLIE CUNNINGHAM?, SARINA FIOLO, RAELENE LITTLELY, TONY ZINO, MARK JOHNSON. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1980
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1981 Principal Murray Granville TRAINOR
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1981 Pre-Primary & Years 1, 2, 3 Back Row (L-R):
RODNEY ROSS, MARIO CASOTTI, ERIC GHILARDUCCI, GULLIVER ERICSON, MARK
JOHNSON, SONIA MACRI, ISAAC HOWE. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1981 Years 4, 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
ROSS ZIINO, PAUL LITTLELY, JOHN VETTA. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1982 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1982 Whole School Back Row (L-R): ARDIAN O'MEAGHER, BRADLEY ROSS, PAUL GHILARDUCCI, JOE ROGERS, KIM ROSS, GULLIVER ERICKSON, SEBASTIAN FIOLO, JACOB HENRY, DAVID DELLA FRANCA, ZACHARI MARSHALL. (Photo supplied by Meranda Bothwell)
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1983 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1983 Pre-Primary & Years 1, 2 Back Row (L-R):
REBECCA GREEN, SHARON LITTLELY, CAROLYN GHILARDUCCI, ROSANNA FERARO. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1983 Years 3 & 4 Back Row (L-R): JASON TEARNE, CHRISTINA PUTLAND,
LUCINDA GHILARDUCCI, RAYMOND PUTLAND. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1984 Principal: Mr John HENRY |
(Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library) |
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1984 Pre-Primary & Years1, 2 Back Row (L-R):
ADRIAN O'MEAGHER, PHILIP DELLA (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1984 Years 3 & 4 Back Row (L-R):
PAUL FARANDA, PAUL GHILARDUCCI, MARIO CASOTTI, DAVID DELLA (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1984 Years 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
JASON TEARNE, JACOB HENRY, JEREMY PRICE, GULLIVER ERICKSON, KIM ROSS,
SEBASTIAN FIOLO, MARK JOHNSON. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1984 Year 7 Back Row: (L-R):
KIM ROSS. SEBASTIAN FIOLO. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1985 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1985 Years 3 & 4 Back Row (L-R):
ROSANNA FERRARO, TONY FERRARO, CAROLYN GHILARDUCCI, PAUL GHILARDUCCI. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1985 Years 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
SETH HARKNESS, JUAN TENHAVE, FIONA GHILARDUCCI, GULLIVER ERICKSON, ERIC
GHILARDUCCI. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1986
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1987 Below is a picture published in Comment News on December 22nd, 1987. It does not reproduce very well but it is the best we have at the moment. The attached caption reads:
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1987 Pre-Primary, Years 1,2,3,4,5,6 & 7
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1988
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1988 #11
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1989 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1989 PICTURE OF SCHOOL GROUND SHOWING BASKKETBALL COURT AND TANK STAND (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library) |
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1989 Pre-Primary Back Row (L-R):
CARMEN LAMMERS, BRADLEY O'MEAGHER, CLINT MARTIN, CHRIS GHILARDUCCI,
JULIAN CHADBOURNE, KAREN HARRIS, GINA FERRARO. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1989 Years 1 & 2 Back Row (L-R):
ERIKA DOETSCH, EBONY SMAILES, ASHA GREENWAY, EMILY CHAPMAN. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1989 Years 3 & 4 Back Row (L-R):
BELINDA O'MEAGHER, MARGARET GHILARDUCCI, RACHAEL BRYDEN, GAYNOR OWEN,
SARAH CACCETTA, BROOKE VICKERS. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1989 Years 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
JASON WAUCHOPE, ADRIAN O'MEAGHER, REBECCA GREEN, ROSANNA FERRARO, PHILIP DELLA_FRANCA, SAM MARSHALL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1990 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1991 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1991 Pre-Primary & year 1 Back Row (L-R): 4 DANIEL CHAPMAN, 6 ADAM BELL Front Row (L-R0: 6 FRANCESCA FERRARO (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1991 Years 1 & 2. Middle Row (L-R): 3 SARAH CASSETA, 8 LUKE OLIVER Front Row (L-R): 1 LISA ARMSTRONG, 5 ASHER ERICKSON, 6 STACEY FULLER (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1991 Years 4 & 5. Middle Row (L-R): 5 MARGARET GHILARDUCCI Front Row (L-R): 1 REBECCA GREEN , 3 MATTHEW SMAILES (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1991 Years 6 & 7. Back Row (L-R): Principal JOHN HENRY, 4 ANTHONY ARENA, 6 JASON WAUCHOPE, 8 ALBERT FERRARO (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1992 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1992 Pre-Primary & Year1 Back Row (L-R):
FRANCESCA FERRARO, SANDEE O'MEAGHER, REBEKA DOETSCH, KATE ARMSTRONG,
MICHELLE KAIN, ESTHER BROCKWAY. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1992 Years 2 & 3 Back Row (L-R):
BRADLEY O'MEAGHER, CHRISTOPHER GHILARDUCCI, BENJAMIN DI MARCO. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1992 Years 4 & 5 Back Row (L-R):
EMMA CHAPMAN, ASHA GREENWAY, DAVID ARMSTRONG, EBONY SMAILES, ERIKA
DOETSCH. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1992 Years 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
RACHAEL DELLA (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1993 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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1993 Pre-Primary & Year 1 Back Row (L-R):
HEIDI DOETSCH, CHLOE MORTIMER, KELLY (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1993 Years 2 & 3 Back Row (L-R):
WAYNE GHILARDUCCI, ROBERT TOMEO, RODNEY POOL, ADAM BELL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1993 Years 4 & 5 Back Row (L-R):
ASHER ERIKSON, EMMA CHAPMAN, KATHLEEN PUTLAND, ERIKA DOETSCH, ANTHONY
CACETTA, DANIEL ENGEL, CORY LEWIS, EMILY CHAPMAN. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1993 Years 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
MARGARET GHILARDUCCI, JOHANNA PERRY, SHANNON CHAPMAN, YVETTE ASHLIN. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1994 Principal Mr. John HENRY
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EDUCATION WEEK 1994 Ladies from St. Louis Retirement Village (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library) |
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1994 Pre-Primary & Year 1 Back Row (L-R):
MATTHEW COLLETT, MICHAEL FARANDA, JESSICA FARANDA, TESSA BETTENAY, EMMA
WINCHCOMBE, SCOTT CAMPBELL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1994 Years 2 & 3 Back Row (L-R):
ASHLEY McCORMACK, KATIE BRYDEN, MICHELLE KAIN, RODNEY POOL, REBEKA
DEOTSCH, SANDEE O'MEAGHER, PAUL McGOVERN, MICHAEL CAMPBELL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1994 Years 4 & 5 Back Row (L-R):
LUKE OLIVER, ANDREW WHITTINGTON, CORY LEWIS, CHRISTOPHER GHILARDUCCI,
DANIEL CHAPMAN. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1994 Years 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
EBONY SMAILES, BEN OLIVER, ASHA GREENWAY, DAVID ARMSTRONG, ERIKA
DOETSCH, BRIAN STAFFORD. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1995 Principal Mr. Colin BROWN
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1995 Pre-Primary & Year 1 Back Row (L-R):
MATTHEW MORTIMER, SCOTT BELL, JAIMEE LEE COTTRELL, ALEXANDRA SMITH,
SCOTT CAMPBELL, PETER GHILARDUCCI. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1995 Years 2 & 3 Back Row (L-R):
HEIDI DOETSCH, ASHLEY RUCK, ASHLEY McCORMACK, AMY CACCETTA. TESSA
BETTENAY, MICHAEL CAMPBELL, DANIEL SPRY, CHLOE MORTIMER. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1995 Years 4 & 5 Back Row (L-R):
REBEKA DOETSCH, RODNEY POOL, DANIEL CHAPMAN, KATHRYN ARMSTRONG. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1995 Years 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
EMMA CHAPMAN, KATHLEEN PUTLAND,
ANTHONY CACCETTA, ERIKA DOETSCH, ASHER ERICKSON. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1996 Principal Mr. Colin BROWN
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1996 Pre-Primary & Years 1 & 2 Back Row (L-R):
ALEX THATCHER, DANIEL AGOSTINELLI, JACINTA BERNARDI, SCOTT CAMPBELL,
ALEXANDRA SMITH, SCOTT BELL, NATALIE SMAILES. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1996 Years 3 & 4 Back Row (L-R):
ASHLEY McCORMACK, CHLOE MORTIMER, MICHAEL CAMPBELL, TESSA BETTENAY,
ASHLEY RUCK. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1996 Years 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
RODNEY POOL, LUKE OLIVER, DANIEL CHAPMAN, GINA FERRARO, ANDREW
WHITTINGTON, BERNARD McCORMACK. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1996 STAFF Back Row (L-R):
Miss HELEN ATHERTON, Mrs. NONI TENHAVE, Mrs. PENNY ROGAN, PAMELA
BUNTON. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1997 Principal Mr. Colin BROWN
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1997 Pre-Primary & 1, 2 Back Row (L-R):
EMMA MORTIMER, CELESTE ZAVATTERI, MATTHEW FARANDA, NATALIE SMAILES,
VICTORIA SMITH, SHELDON RUCK. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1997 Years 3 & 4 Back Row (L-R):
CAMERON RUCK, SCOTT BELL, GRANT MORAS, TESSA BETTENAY, NATHAN SQUIRE,
SCOTT CAMPBELL, MICHAEL FARANDA. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1997 Years 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
SEAN BLAKELEY, ANTHONY FARANDA, ADAM BELL, BERNARD McCORMACK, JOSHUA
CACCETTA, ADAM EMMANUEL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1997 STAFF Back Row (L-R):
Miss HELEN ATHERTON, Mrs. PENNY ROGAN, Mrs. NONI TENHAVE, PAMELA BUNTON. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1998 Principal Mr. Bryce EASTON
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1998 Pre-Primary & Years 1, 2 Back Row (L-R):
TANIA GHILARDUCCI, ANTONIA FARANDA, MATHEW AGOSTINELLI, TIMOTHY SQUIRE. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1998 Years 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 Back Row (L-R):
EMMA WINCHCOMBE, FRANCESCA FERRARO, REBEKA DOETSCH, HEIDI DOETSCH,
JESSICA FARANDA, ASHLEY RUCK. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1998 STAFF (L-R):
Mrs. HELEN COTTER, Miss ALISON FAIRBROTHER, Mr BRYCE EASTON (Principal),
Mrs. NONI TENHAVE, Mrs. ELIABETH BELL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1999 Principal Mr. Bryce EASTON
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1999 JUNIOR Back Row (L-R):
TANIA GHILARDUCCI, CLAYTON RAWLES, ANTONIA FARANDA, LUKE ORAMS, MELISSA
O'KEEFFE. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1999 SENIOR Back Row (L-R):
NATHAN SQUIRE, JESSICA FARANDA, HEIDI
DOETSCH, ASHLEY RUCK. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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1999 STAFF Back Row (L-R):
Miss RACHAEL DELLA FRANCA, Mrs. NONI TENHAVE, Miss ALISON FAIRBROTHER,
Mrs. ELIZABETH BELL. (Photo used with permission of the City of Armadale Birtwistle Local Studies Library)
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BACK TO KARRAGULLEN DAY 1999 "OLD SCHOOL BOYS" TAKEN OUTSIDE KARRAGULLEN HALL L - R: JACK O'MEAGHER, WILFRED PRICE, KEN SMAILES, |
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"OLD SCHOOL BOYS" TAKEN OUTSIDE KARRAGULLEN HALL L - R: JACK O'MEAGHER, WILFRED PRICE, KEN SMAILES, JOHN HANBURY, VERN BETTENAY. #26
#32
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BELOW ARE TWO ARTICLES PRINTED IN THE "ROLEYSTONE COURIER" ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE KARRAGULLEN PRIMARY SCHOOL IN 1999.
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KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL CLOSES
A PERSONAL VIEW
N. Tenhave, Karragullen
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#30 |
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ON BEING A KARRA KID |
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Taken from the memories of Vern Bettenay. Born on October 29th 1922 and educated at Karragullen school (until he left school to work on the farm at the end of year 7). Vern has lived all of his life in Karragullen and still lives and works on the family orchard at ‘Irymple’ on Irymple road.
The Karragullen School Mutiny I first toddled off to school in June 1928. My big Brother Bill had already been there for two years and I suppose I had all of the same fears and excitement that any other kid has when first starting school. It was a 2 and a half mile walk (over 5 kilometre) along a windy gravel road and there were no houses in between. For a little boy who was yet to turn 6 this was a long and frightening walk. It took over an hour before we would get to the ‘little school on the rise’, the old KarragullenPrimary school. If we were extremely lucky there was a chance of a ride from one of the timber men – Mr Wayman, Saunders, Smith or Sid Hudson. If so we would clamber up on top of the logs and bounce along the road feeling very proud of ourselves. The Kalumunda butcher would sometimes stop in the afternoon but he would only ever take the girls! The school was just one large room with a half covered porch leading to the front door. On the south side there were three large windows and there was one on the north side. There was a raised teacher’s desk on the western wall with the teachers table with a picture on the wall entitled ‘Stag at Bay’ and in the south western corner there was a fireplace. It’s funny how you remember so clearly a scene from so long ago. For the first two and a half years we had rows of benches with no back rests and a shelf in the desk with ink wells sunk into the wood. For my first year I used a slate and I recall being intrigued that this could so easily be written on and so easily obliterated. I started school with Mr Johnson however he went on leave after only three weeks and he was replaced by My Brookhouse. This is when the fun began. Mr Brookhouse quickly lost control of the school. The big boys soon took control of the class (they were in primary school but were tipping 14 years old). They cut the cane up in three pieces and there was absolute chaos. The next morning the big boys decided that we would all ‘go on a picnic’. The whole school traipsed off to Millstone rock. This was far more fun than lessons! The next day we went off to Slippery Rocks (now known as Stinton Cascades.) I knew this was wrong but I was far more worried about the big boys’ (acka Jackie O’Mahar and Ken Smailes) than I was of the weak teacher! The parents go to hear of it on the third day and the school was closed. After a few days we heard that a new teacher was coming. There was great boasting by the big boys that we would soon have the new teacher beaten. The great day arrived and the school bell went. The younger ones (including yours truly) lined up very fast but the older boys were very unruly. Mr Oliver looked at the rabble sternly. He was over six foot tall and had flaming red hair and a pipe stuck out of the corner of his mouth. His opening words, delivered in a bellow, were “I BELIEVE THE LAST TEACHER HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE”. This was delivered while smacking his cane on the leg of his trousers. One of the ‘Big Boys’ let out a badly timed remark and he was dealt a smack around the backside that would have felled an ox! Karragullen school was under total control again. We all received the cane over the next few days and order was restored. And so ended the great revolt of Karragullen school. Perhaps the only time the whole school population has chosen to mutiny and go on a picnic rather than go to school.
The Long Walk Home Karragullen School had a mountain tribe and a valley tribe. You were ascribed a grouping based on whether you left school and went down the hill then you were a ‘valley’ and if you went up, you were a ‘mountain’. Bettenays were ‘Valley’ as were the Mahers, Hanburys, Laveracks, Saunders, Weymans and Scaris. The Mountain group consisted of the Hudsons, Smailes, Stintons and Simpsons. At 3.15 the long walk home begun and we all went off up hill or down valley yelling final comments to each other as we went. We had nearly 5 kilometres to walk – and that is if we went straight home. And we never did……. If we were not lucky enough to get a ride on top of the log truck a detour at the bottom of Gardiner’s Hill was common especially on hot days. This meant turning down to the creek (on what is now the Civas property). Here the local kids had built the wonderful ‘Mahers-hanbury’ pool. Sandbags had been placed across the creek and had pooled about 20 feet of water. I guess that is where I learnt to swim. Tommy Maher had constructed a canoe from galvanized iron, a dump end at the stern and a rivet at the bow. It leaked a lot and was more often on the bottom. Swimming was much easier when it sank. Barring a detour to this magical pool, Jobby’s Creek was also a favourite stopping off point. The creek ran very well at this stage. There were no pumps taking out volumes of water to water the orchard trees then. The gilgies in the creek were often red – as though they had been cooked. This is thought to be the origin of the term Red Gulley (Karra Gullen in the local Noonga language). From Jobby’s creek the next stopping off point was the big red gum tree that had fallen over in a bad storm taking with it a ton or so of rich clay. As a school boy I would often gouge my initials in it and they were still there when I left school. The tree’s remnants are still there nearly 80 years on but the clay and my initials have long gone… From there it was on to ‘The Mill’ – Bettenay’s Spot Mill to play highjinks on the mill sawdust heap. Often we would go from there to Death Adder Stump. This was named after we found a death adder there and being very brave boys we decided to stone it to death! With rocks. Now our aim wasn’t too good, snake skin is tough and the rocks were just not up to scratch. The result was a very ferocious snake. Our terrified shrieks attracted my dad who was luckily working in the mill nearby. He raced over fearing a disaster and killed the poor snake – putting it out of its misery and saving us in the process. This was where the Mahars turned off onto their home track. The long walk home was often through the bush where we were often able to sample all types of bush treats. The prized dogberry bushes, snotty gobble, Quandongs and wild plum all had fruit worth sampling. Our sense of direction was canny and we could always find our way home through the bush. But perhaps the orientation wasn’t as accurate as we thought. I always remember my big brother Bill pointing to a big pole on the horizon to the south of the property and saying to me ‘See that big pole – that’s the South Pole. ….. But don’t tell mum!’
Never Tell a Lie Our teacher Mr Oliver was very stern and he used the cane regularly for breaking any of his rules. His rules were simple: * No swearing, * No climbing trees, * No being outside the school fence without permission * No carelessness.
About six months after starting school I got the cane for the first time – I would have just turned 6. Four little snowy haired boys were playing chasey: Billy Maher, John Hudson Len Simpson and myself. To take the turn a little bit faster I rolled over a limb of a tree and of course it snapped. Little boys went everywhere! Of course this was one of the main rules and we all knew there would be trouble! The bell went and Mr Olver asked sternly: ‘Who did it’ – while menacingly tapping his leg with the cane. There was absolute silence. I was petrified. One of the older girls piped up and said she saw it and it was Johnny Hudson. Johnny was brought to the front protesting his innocence but to no avail. ‘Hold out your hand son’ was the stern command as the teacher lifted his cane. And then guilt overcame and I stuttered ‘Please sir it wasn’t him, it was me.’ The truth didn’t save me and I received two strokes of the cane. At playtime Mr Oliver said ‘Vernon stay behind’. This rocked me as I felt that I had already had my punishment but thought there was more to come. The teacher then said to me: ‘That was the punishment for climbing trees but you can be very proud of yourself, you told the truth’. I can’t say I felt very good about it all but perhaps my reward came some years later……. One morning on my second last year Mrs Smith came to the school very angry and accused me of stealing her watermelons. I knew I was completely innocent because it was my turn to ride the bike to school (there was only one, shared between the family of five). I had been nowhere near her house. Mr Oliver asked me and I strongly protested that I had not touched her melons. Mr Oliver listened to her and then he said:‘if Vernon said he didn’t steal your melons then he did not. Vernon tells the truth’. Mrs Smith was furious but I felt very proud. I suppose from this time onwards I have known that the truth works. But this didn’t mean I was the teacher’s pet – far from it. One day we were doing Copy Book Writing. The day’s text was ‘Canberra the Capital of the Commonwealth’. I put a lot of effort into my work. I seriously expected to get a Good or a Very Good. Instead I got a whack with the cane and told to do it again. I did not have a clue what was wrong until Mr Oliver told me to check my spelling. I had spelt Commonwealth six times with only one ‘m’. This was an automatic one stroke of the cane for carelessness. Mr Oliver was the only teacher I had over my years at Karragullen school and it wasn’t all bad. He was a very educated man and really tried to get us to value education. He had a great influence on me and I look back at how hard his job was, an isolated teacher in a very remote school with a mass of headstrong country kids who didn’t care much for being in school. He put on some excellent school concerts and was very innovative with the Manual Arts classes. He taught us to use local bush trees to make items of furniture, rustic chairs and benches. He was very important in my school life and I thank him for what he did for us.
A Few Lasting Memories A clear memory of my early school days was when we were all taken outside to see the first aeroplane fly over. It looked amazing to us. Very little work was achieved that day! On another day we were out at play when suddenly there was a tremendous noise of whips cracking. We then saw the Hanbury boys and a few other local riders bringing in a mob of Brumbies. They were coming in from the Beverley Roaduntil they reached the school and then they raced them across the rocks outside the school fence to turn them south towards the stockyard. This was real ‘Man from Snowy River’ stuff. We were allowed to stay outside to watch but had very strict orders to stay inside the fence. Karragullen school had many characters. One big boy, who I was intimidated by as a young lad but whom I grew up to have immense respect for as a gentleman, was Ken Smailes. He told me when we were both octogenarians that he: ‘had plotted to burn the school down once and that the scorch marks had been there for all to see until the school was demolished in 2002’. He also admitted that he often used to take his rifle to school so that he could hunt kangaroos on the way home. ‘I didn’t think at the time that I was a delinquent’ he said thoughtfully ‘but I suppose by today’s standards this is just what I was. The times were just different I suppose.’ Karragullen from very early times attracted a range of nationalities and in the 1930’s Italians and Slavs started to appear in greater numbers. Their kids often came to school speaking little or no English. Mr Oliver helped many of the Italian immigrants (children and their parents) to speak English and many owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his helping hand in their new land. They must have had a very difficult time of it at first but I always remember that they learnt to swear very quickly! I remember when one new arrival was having a fight with my brother Bill. He was overpowered and lost his temper completely as he ran from the school yard. He ran all the way home yelling: ‘You just wait ‘til Mussolini comes. Just you wait. He’ll get you.’ One of our successful enterprises was to carry a fire with us on the many frosty mornings when we traveled to school. It was Tommy Maher’s idea and it consisted of a fire lit in a bucket which we stoked well with honkey nuts and blackboys. This was strung on a pole with two kids carrying the pole and the rest of the mob running along side enjoying the warmth (and the smoke)! A second generation of our own children used to light a fire on frosty mornings at the school bus stop (in the old Pee Tree on Brookton Hwy). Our parents had a practical solution to fire safety in those days. Each spring when our dads agreed the bush was overgrown, they would choose a day and would give us each a box of matches. Our instructions were simple ‘light up every blackboy you see on the way home from school’. This was the best fun and the undergrowth was very successfully managed. Of course the rules were very plain. On any other day no matches were allowed if the grass was dry. We were very aware of the dangers of bush fire. Slippery Rocks – now named Stinton Park Cascades, was a much loved spot for all the Karra kids. We often detoured to this magic spot. The water flows down the rocks over about 30 metres ending in a steep decline. A black algae grows on the rock making it amazingly slippery and going down it you can reach great speeds. We blocked off the bottom to make sure we had a soft watery landing. Many a pair of trousers were totally ruined from sliding down the slopes. We also admired the beautiful wild bush orchids and flowers and it is great to see that this is now a protected nature reserve. Now I look back on my days at the little bush school and I feel it was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t have missed it for quids.
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TANIA AND HER DAD ERIC GHILARDUCCI PICTURED IN THE PLAYGROUND OF THE FINAL KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL MAY 2010
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FAMILY REMEMBERS Another family with strong links to the school are the Ghilarducci's of Karragullen. Tania was in Year 2 when the school finally closed and she recalls how devastated she was "It was a really good school, small but really caring. I really didn't want to move to Roleystone". she recalls. Tania's dad Eric Ghilarducci went to the Karragullen School at the Rock Inne site and recalled that he only really liked the sports, He remembered some great pranks like burning plasticine in the fireplace. All 5 of Tania's brothers and sisters went to the school and her grandmother Millie Travacich went to the Pickering Brook School in the 1930's. |
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KARRAGULLEN SCHOOL DAYS By David Laverack The name is of aboriginal origin and means Red Gully (karra - red, gullen - gully). The school was originally situated near the Illawarra Orchard gate but in 1920 was moved to Brookton Highway adjacent to where the Rock Inn now stands. A school house was also erected. The buildings were weatherboard and iron and had fireplaces for winter fires. A tennis court was put nearby and was made of white ant nests which made a good surface. As my birthday is on 5th February I would have been just 6 years old when I started school in 1923. My sister Clare would have accompanied me and I would have been well dressed with a shady hat and black leather boots. The distance to the school was nearly 2 miles along gravel roads and bush tracks. We may have walked with Lionel and Roma Stinton who lived nearby. My teacher in infants was a young Doris Bettenay, a local girl from Roleystone who rode to school on a horse. She only taught for 2 years as she was retrenched owing to the lack of numbers of pupils. The headmistress was Mrs. Agnes Ethel Pine, a lady of nearly 60 years whose posting was her last before retirement. She taught in 1923 - 24 - 25. She was a very patriotic person and the school had a flagpole and the flag was raised each morning and lowered when school finished. We all saluted it and afterwards, in class, repeated the Lord's Prayer just before starting lessons. Mrs. Pine was a very hard working, conscientious teacher and controlled the class well and used the cane when necessary. She was replaced by Cecil J. Johnston who taught for the remaining years apart from sometime in 1928. He was transferred from Walkaway and he went on long service leave from June 1923 and was replaced by a relieving teacher, a Mr. Brookhouse. This elderly gentleman rode his pushbike all the way (15 miles) from Maida Vale but later bought a "T" Model Ford, which gave him no end of trouble. Unfortunately he had no control whatsoever over the class and the boys gave him absolute hell. If he arrived late all the boys would ring the bell and a stack of books would fall on his head as he walked in the door. That would be one of the milder pranks played on him. We called him "chooky" and we never learnt too much during his reign. I remember riding my bike into Karragullen one day to buy him a couple of Lodge Spark Plugs for his car. He later broke his wrist trying to crank his car so he resigned from his teaching role. So from 1st October until the end of the year we had an 18 year old Miss Wells, straight from Training College. She arrived with a bundle of canes (so we thought) and soon had every class well and truly under her control. Then from the beginning of 1929 Mr. Johnston who had returned from long service leave, took over for the rest of my school days at Karragullen. He was a fairly strict but good teacher. One day he tried to teach us singing but eventually gave it up. He held a tuning fork on the piano (yes, the school had its own piano) and tried to get a harmonious note from everyone. I can remember looking around the class at a lot of bare-footed, some raggedly dressed, kids, with the teacher trying to get a note of music out of them (and this included me). He was not in the race! However, he did have a manual class and as young as I was he did teach me a bit about tin-smithing and soldering. This was right up my ally. One Arbor Day we had a ceremony and planted some trees and one of the large pine trees now growing near the school grounds would have been planted by me. The boy’s toilet was at the end of the yard and some bamboos were growing by the entrance. One day when I was walking (probably running!) towards it, a lad in front of me pushed a bamboo away from in front of him and it switched back and hit me on the temple. Apart from hurting it caused a big bump to form immediately and it never went away. It was not sore and eventually my father took me to a doctor in Perth and had it removed. At the end of the school year in 1926 I was awarded the R. S. Sampson prize for the year's best performance. It was a leather bound copy of Dickens’s "Martin Chuzzlewit" which I still have. Mr. Sampson was the local Member of Parliament for the Darling Range Electorate. I thought he was a great fellow. Sometime during the year we were driven to King's Park and I remember sitting on the kerbstone waiting to see the visiting Duke and Duchess of York drive past. They had arrived on the battleship H. M. S. Hood, escorted by H. M. S. Renown and Repulse. A lot of country schoolchildren were given the same opportunity and the outing would have been arranged by the Education Department. I have a photo of all the school children taken at the school in 1926 with everybody’s name attached. There were 32 students in the photo but unfortunately the teacher was not included. It is only an enlarged black and white Brownie snap but to me it is quite historic. The Kalamunda and Armadale Historical Societies both have a copy. Several Karragullen lads are worthy of mention. Lionel Stinton won a scholarship to Modern School where he later became head boy and also went on to get the highest aggregate for his Leaving Exam result and so win him a cadetship become a dentist. This was given by Mr. Ambrose Cummins, himself an old Modern School boy - the school had just had its 21st Birthday - hence the cadetships offered. There was no dental school in W. A. in these days. Another boy was Pal Smailes who left school as soon as he could to help his father on the orchard. He eventually joined the army and suffered terribly when he was a commando in Timor. After he was discharged and regained his health he attended the School of Mines in Kalgoorlie and became a mining engineer. A case of dormant talent eventually coming to the fore. Ken Smailes joined the Navy and Monty, the air force and all three boys returned. Ken practiced as a Ferrier on Brookton Highway, Karragullen and Monty was in the mining industry in Canada, where he married. During the last couple of years at the Karragullen School there were only 2 boys in my class - Bob Abbott and me. We were good friends. I think Mr. Johnston taught me well as I eventually made the grade at Fremantle Boys School. By the way Mr. Johnston's annual salary was 350 pounds less 26 pounds for rent! A Mr. Oliver, a married teacher, replaced Mr. Johnston in 1930.
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Articles: James "Pal" Smailes Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 Tom Price
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Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2008 - 2022
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