Page 14 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

9.

SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OF GREATER CESSNOCK MUNICIPALITY

The first recognised school within our city was at Mulbring, or
'Sugarloaf' as it was then known. The Annual Report for 1849, prepared for
the Department of Public Instruction, advises that up until the end of 1848
there were only five (5) schools established under the National System of
Education, none of which were in our city. Also, amongst the applications in
1849 for the establishment of a school, 'Sugarloaf' was twelfth in order.
The .1850 Annual Report shows that a teacher, J.H. Oakes, comrnenced teaching
on 1st October 1849, in a school house constructed for £30.0.0 ($60.00) on a
site granted by the Government. The 1851 Annual Report shows the second school
to commence within our city was at Buchanan. This had commenced on 12th May
1850, with teacher Stephen Ryan in a school house erected by Mr. Secombe on
a site provided by the Government.

School sites were requested for Wollombi and Black Creek, (later to
be known as Branxtonl, during 1851. Black Creek is shown as comrnencing a
school in the Annual Report for 1852. The same report shows a request for a
site for a school at Anvil Creek (later Greta). The 1853 Annual Report shows
the following school attendances for that year:-

SCHOOL ON ROLL AVERAGE ATTENDANCES

Black Creek 40 Children 9 Boys 12 Girls
Sugarloaf 50 Children 18 Boys 15 Girls
Wollombi 38 Children 16 Boys 19 Girls

In the same report, whilst it does not give attendance records, under the
Denominational School Board's Accounts, it does record that the following
schools required a teacher's salary to be paid:-

Ellalong School Annual Salary £30.0.0 ($60.00)
Buchanan School Annual Salary £30.0.0 ($60.00)