Page 254 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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277.

NEAT H S CH0 0 L

The school opened on 30th January 1912, with Miss Edith B. Long as
School Mistress. On the first day sixty three (63) infant pupils attended.

With the establishment of the Infants School in rented premises at
Neath, the Department of Public Instruction took the necessary steps to acquire
land for a permanent school. On 11th July 1912, two (2) acres, Part of Portion
No. 86, Parish of Stanford, situated facing the main road through to Cessnock,
were acquired as a new school site. In its consideration for the construction
of a larger school at Abermain in November 1909, the Department of Public
Instruction had decided to reserve this first old Abermain School for a future
transfer to Neath. During the latter part of 1912, tenders were called to
transfer this structure, which was forty four (44) feet long, twenty two (22)
feet wide and fifteen (15) feet high. It was a weatherboard building with
an iron roof, and had a brick chimney. The successful contractors were Thomas
and Sattler of Aberdare Street, Weston . Their tender was £145.0.0. ($290.00)
and was accepted in November 1912. The first nine (9) trees on the new school
site had to be "grubbed and removed" at 10/- ($1.00) per tree.

The transfer work was completed and was ready for occupancy with the
new 1913 school year. This new school remained an "Infants" school. The
enrolment for December 1913 shows eighty two (82) infant pupils, with a daily
average attendance of sixty eight (68). Pupils for the higher primary classes,
3rd to 6th, had still to travel to the Abermain School.

The fence from the old original Abermain site was removed and re-
erected at the new Neath school grounds by John Taylor of William Street,

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Abermain on 21st July 1914. In his contract, Mr. Taylor was also required
to remove the old lavatories from the Abermain site and to re-erect at Neath
school. The entire work was completed on 11th November 1914. Taylor's
contract price had been £56.0.0. ($112.00). Herbert C. Robinson, Contractor
for Cessnock Shire Council, provided a pan service at 6d. ($0.06) per pan.
Meanwhile, on 21st March 1914, water service from the Hunter District Water
Board mains had been connected to Neath School by J.C. Martin, Plumber of
Maitland Road, Cessnock. His contract price had been £6.0.0. ($12.00).