Page 334 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

365.

STANFORD MERTHYR SCHOOL

of a school, the Secretary of the Stanford Merthyr Progress Association,
Mr. J.J. Hudson of Wallsend Street, Stanford Merthyr, indicated that there
were sixty one (61) children between the ages of six (6) and fourteen (14)
years, within the Stanford Merthyr area. The request and petition was refused.

Yet another petition was despatched on 23rd May 1921, in which
the then Secretary, William Thornhill, advised that there were now eighty
six (86) children within the school age group. Once more the request was
refused. On 11th December 1922, still another petition from the Stanford
Merthyr Progress Association was declined. Another new secretary, James
Butler, had forwarded the correspondence.

The Education Department finally agreed on 27th January 1926 to
open an infants school at Stanford Merthyr. The local School of Arts, an
unlined building, was leased at a fee of £1 .0.0 ($2.00) per week. Mrs. May
Fitzpatric~ ;,as appointed the first Mistress at this infants school.

Ar:hur Pott s, Secretary of Stanford Merthyr Progress Association,
on 14th Ma y 1926 wrote to the Department of Education advising that his
Association considered the School of Arts building to be totally inadequate
and also requested the erection of a new school. On 11th October 1926,
this Association in an effort to strengthen the case of its request, made
an offer t~at the local residents would voluntarily clear any new site selected.

It was not until 30th September 1927, that the Department of
Education re-purchased the original school site, Portion No. 74, Parish
of Stanford, being two (2) acres, from the East Greta Coal Mining Company,
for £30.0.0 !$60.00). Transfer of the land is recorded ~ith the Registrar
General in ~olume 2342, Folio No. 41.

~enders were called for the erection of a two classroom school
with a ~era~1ah. Seven (7) tend e rs were received, rangi~g from £990.0.0
($1 ,980.0 01 to £1 ,339.0.0 ($2,678.00). Ernest and Edwar::: B.agnall Brothers
and Son, cc~s t ructors of Hopetoun Street Kurri, by Contract No. 3680 dated