Page 361 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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WOLLOMBI PUBLIC SCHOOL

STATE ARCHIVES FILE NOS. 5/18155-8
5/18156-1

The first mention of a Public School at Wollombi appears in the
Department of Public Instruction 1851 Annual Report under Appendix "H"
'School Sites'. This entry appears:-

"Wollombi Business of the school is proposed to be conducted
in temporary premises until the permanent school-
house is erected on Government land. Local
subscription is paid up".

A local School Board appears to have been elected during 1851, and
the following people seem to have held office:-

George Elliott
Michael Byrne
James Du Moulin
George Bridge
David Dunlop

On 15th November 1851, David Dunlop, Secretary of the local school, wrote to
the State Board of the National Schools advising that £14.0.0. ($28.00) had
been collected locally, but that even with the assistance of the National Schcols
Board, the total amount of £102.0.0. ($204.00) was still not sufficient to build
a school.

A notice dated 17th January 1852, and displayed at the Post Office
and the Police Station at Wollombi, drew the attention of the local residents
to a public meeting to be held at Wollombi Police Station Office on 28th January
1852. The meeting sought to have David Dunlop resign as secretary because
some people thought that as he had no family, he had little interest in the
establishment of a National School, and he was lacking in energy in the
collection of subscriptions.

Despite such local petty squabbles, a National School did open in