Page 154 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

177.

HEDDON GRETA SCHOOL

individual parents, attracted the attention of Departmental School Inspectors,
Dwyer and Mc Clelland. The need for schools was very evident to cope with
an ever-increasing population from the rapidly growing work force.

As an inducement to the Department of Public Instruction, on
19th February 1904, a local resident offered to lease a house for use as
a teacher's residence, but it was not until the latter part of that year
the Department finally decided to establish a school. Champion's Hall,
in Cessnock Street, Heddon Greta, was leased at fifteen (15) shillings
($1 .50) per week to act as a school house. The first teacher was Johan
P. Salling, who opened the school on 1st October 1904. The enrolment on
the first day was thirty five (35) boys and thirty eight (38) girls, a
total of seventy three (73) pupils, which within four (4) weeks, grew to
a ninety three (93) enrolment.

The Department of Public Instruction must have anticipated a
very bright future for the Hedden Greta Colliery. On 12th December 1904,
the Department purchased two (2) acres at a cost of £80.0.0 ($160.00) from
the Hedden Greta Coal Company Limited. The Company's secretary is shown
as being Mr. Alfred Beckett, who was also the secretary of the East Greta
Coal Company at that time. Hedden Greta Coal Company's registered office
is shown as Bond Street, Newcastle.

Water for school use was carried by bucket from Mr. Champion's
home, as it had not been laid on at the Hall.

When the Stanford Merthyr school was closed an 1st October 1904,
it was planned to remove the school house and re-erect it at Hedden Greta.
The Stanford Merthyr mining village residents complained strongly about
this suggestion. Whilst they accepted the Department's move of the school
at Kurri, the residents considered that at sometime in the future, they
would require either another independent school at Stanford Merthyr, or
alternatively, an adjunct to the Kurri School. Public meetings were held
but despite the resident's objections and pressures, the Department of
Public Instruction considered that the need for a school at Heddon Greta