Page 158 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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KEARSLEY SCHOOL
STATE ARCHIVES FILE NOS. - 5/16431-4

- 5/16432-1

The Abermain No. 2 Shaft School has been described in a previous
article. This school, with Mr. H. Rolfe as teacher, had been conducted in
'Colton's Hall' from 22nd February 1912.

William Evans, Secretary of Abermain No. 2 Progress Association on
24th May 1915, wrote to the Education Department seeking a new school. In
his letter Mr. Evans described the roughly built bag hut in the Abermain No.
2 Colliery Village, locally known as 'Bagtown'. It would appear the Education
Department was cognizant of the urgency and need of a new school and had started
appropriate action.

The new village had been re-named 'Kearsley'. On 27th May 1915,
to meet future education needs, at a Real Estate Sale, the Education Depart-
ment purchased three (3) acres 0 roods twenty-nine (29) perches, part of Section
No. 14, Village of Kearsley. This is the present school site, and this was
dedicated and gazetted on 28th July 1915.

The new school site was cleared by J. McGrorey of 'Mayfield',
Abermain. The contract price was £13.0 . 0. ($26.00).

Tenders were called by the Education Department for the construction
of two (2) classrooms, each twenty-one (21) feet by twenty (20) feet six (6)
inches. The accommodation was to house at least 100 pupils . The Department's
plans did not provide for a weathershed. Three quot~s were received ranging
from £643.0.0. ($1,286.00) to £954.0 . 0 . ($1,908.00). The successful contractors
were Messrs. Partridge-Wall and Wall of East Maitland . By the . authority of
Departmental Contract No. 659, on 7th August 1915, the contractors commenced
work. This work was completed on 29th January 1916.

An opening function had been held at the school on Saturday 22nd
January 1916. The Minister for Works Mr . . Arthur Griffiths, M.L.A., accompanied
by Mr. W. Kearsley, the local Member of the Legislative Assembly, carried out