Page 262 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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NUL KABA S C H 0 0 L

The agitation for a new school received support from the 'Press'.
In its issue of 11th August 1923, Sydney's "Daily Mail" was most caustic and
critical. The following is part of their contribution:-

"An ant-eaten hovel, not a school".

"Cessnock's scene of desolation".

"Overcrowded within and tombstones without".

"Nulkaba School, on the northern outskirts of Cessnock,
is one of the worst examples of the general state of
dilapidation and overcrowding amongst the smaller
schools of New South Wales.

Nulkaba has room for 63 and its average attendance
is 90. At present there are 121 on the roll.

The school is a mean, battered-looking building,
about 40 ft. long by 16 ft. wide. The crumbling shingles
of which it is built are everywhere showing patches where
the white ants have eaten through. Some of the windows
won't go up and some won't come down. Even with the
children sitting so closely jammed together that they find
it difficult to write, it is impossible to find room for
them on the forms provided. The expedient of improvising
forms has to be re3orted to by placing hardwood slabs on
packing cases. The mites who have to occupy these hard
benches have to do their writing on their knees.

The school stands in the curve of an arc-shaped
cemetery, not more than 20 yards away at the nearest p c ~nt ~
The idea of placing the school was presumably that the
children might have little walks in the cemetery to cheer
them when they are sad".