Page 322 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

353.

ROTHBURY NORTH SCHOOL

There were sixty seven (67) children of school age and of these twenty four
(24) attended Branxton School. Inspecto r J. Finney also found that of the
67 children only six (6) were over ten (10) years of age. This factor
impressed him to forward to his Department a recommendation for the establish-
ment of a school.

The Education Department, on 14th August 1916, rented the working-
Men's Institution Hall as a temporary school at a weekly rental of £1 .5.0
($2.50). This hall had been built from assistance given by Messrs. Edward
and William Merewether. Mr. Reg. Young, the Secretary of the Workingmens'
Institution, recommended to his organisation that this rental should be
reduced to ten shillings ($1 .00). The hall was a structure forty (40) feet
by twenty eight (28) feet and fourteen (14) feet high. It had two (2)
se~arate lavatories. A one thousand (1 ,000) gallon tank provided drinking
wa~er storage.

Mr. T.A. Mitchell, a teache r with twenty (20) years experience,
was appointed on 16th September 1916 to be in charge of the new school. He
lived in Maitland, because of difficulty in finding accommodation in Rothbury
North. For the balance of the 1916 school year, he rode a bicycle daily from
Maitland to school to carry out his teaching duties. Early in 1917, he was
able to rent a house in Rothbury North.

An assistant, a female teacher, was appointed in August 1917.
She found accommodation with Mrs. J. Bretnell.

A school site of one (1) acre, three (3) roods, twenty nine (29)
perches, was donated on 25th October 1918 by Messrs. Edward A.M. Merewether
and William D.M. Merewether, in accordance with their earlier promise. This
land is part of Portion No. 32, Parish of Branxton. The Certificate of Title
is dated 7th February 1921 and can be found in Volume 3280 Folio 211.

The hall rental was increased to £1 .0.0 ($2.00) on and from 1st
July 1922.