Page 216 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

239.

MOUNT VIEW SCHOOL
STATE ARCHIVES FILE NO. - 5/16974

Mr. James McGann, who wrote to the Council of Education on 21st April
1876, gave his address as being Mount View, Cedar Creek Via Millfield. Mr.
McGann spelled Cedar Creek as "Seedar Creek". On behalf of the local residents
of the Mount View area, Mr. McGann had requested the establishment of a school
in that area. The Council directed Mr. James Lappan, the Cessnock School
Teacher to forward his comments. Mr. Lappan supplied his Department with
a hand drawn map of that area and also nearby Pokolbin. On his map Mr. Lappan
drew scaled circles of a two, three, four and five miles radius with the sug-
gested Mount View School site as the centre. The map showed that the Pokolbin
area, which was also seeking a school, was almost on the circumference of the
five mile circle. The map showed within the four miles radius of the suggested
Mount View site, that there were 34 children of school age; the residents
of Mount View were not successful with their application for a school.

Further letters from Mr. McGann also appeared to have fallen on deaf
ears. However, on 20th August 1878, Mr. McGann again wrote to the Council
of Education. This time the Council requested further information. Inspector
J.D. Bradley visited the Mount View area and supplied details of families and
distances that had to be travelled by children to attend the nearest school.
His report dated 2nd April 1879, was set out thus:-

FAMILY NAME NO. OF DISTANCE DISTANCE DISTANCE
SCHOOLAGE POKOLBIN MILLFIELD PROPOSED
John Bridge CHILDREN MOUNT VIEW
James Hollingshed SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SITE
William Hollingshed 6
Richard King l J miles 5 miles 3 miles
Joseph Fogg 2 5 miles ]~ miles
James McGann ]~ miles 3 miles
William King J 5 miles 3 miles J miles
James Craft 5 5 miles 4ij miles
4~ miles 3 miles
3 Jt miles 4 miles
2 Jt miles
3 3~ miles s; miles
4 miles 31~ mil.es
2~ miles 4 miles

2~ miles