Page 199 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

222.

MI L L F I E L D S C H0 0 L

give up to the new 'Public School' the Council of Education's furniture
and material.

The local residents of Millfield endeavoured to find finance
to erect a new school building. The group requested the Council of Edu-
cation to apply to the Department of Lands for a Government Land Grant.
This was done and on 10th October 1871, the Council of Education acquired
Portion No. 96, Parish of Ellalong - an area of one acre, one rood, five
perches, facing the -Cessnock to Wollombi Road. This was never used.
A permissive occupancy was granted on 12th July 1920, on Application No.
20/24731. The Department of Education revoked its grant on 3rd October
1952, on Portion No. 96.

Having acquired this land (Portion No. 96), the Council of
Education sanctioned the erection of a new school. It advised the local
Millfield School ~ard that it estimated this school building would cost
£120.0.0. ($240.00); that the ground would need to be cleared and fenced
and also, in the early future, a teacher's residence would be required to
be erected on the sa~e land. The Council advised the local Board that it
expected this Board to contribute one-third of the cost. Early in 1874,
Joseph Woodland, Secretary of the Millfield local School Board, informed
the Council that the Committee was having difficulty in raising such a
large sum of money to meet their one-third share. As an alternative the
local Board suggested that it might be more convenient for it if the timber
required to build the school could be bought and paid for first - perhaps
an early example of 'time payment'. The Council acceded to the Millfield
Board's suggestion. On 31st May 1874, George Mitchell 'of Millfield
contracted to supply sawn timber for the new school at 13/- ($1.30} per
100 super feet. By the end of July the total requirement of 4,575 feet
was placed on Portion No. 96, at a cost of $29.14.9. ($59.49).

In Septe~~er 1874, the Council of Education called tenders for
the erection of a school building. On 12th October 1874, G. Anderson and
W. Norcott submitted a quote of £90.0.0. ($180.00) to build the school
using the timber already supplied.