Page 375 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

406.

YANGO CREEK SCHOOL

Whether there was some confusion or conflict with the Council of
Education is not known, but the Yango Creek School and teacher were not
recognised by this body. The Annual Reports of the Department of Public
Instruction do not show any reference to this school.

The Yango Creek 'unrecognised' school house was destroyed by fire
on 26th May 1883. The teacher, Allan Simmons, put up notices advising of
this circumstance at Laguna, at the junction of the Yango Creek track with
the Great North Road. Mr. J.A. Garrick, local member of the Legislative
Assembly, wrote to the Department of Public Instruction indicating the
position. The Department of Public Instruction appointed Agnes A. Lynch to
take-up as the Department's official teacher on 9th June 1883. A room in
the dwelling of George Beven was rented at six shillings ($0.60¢) per week
to act as a temporary classroom.

The Department of Public Instruc:ion arranged for ·.-:5..iliarn Goodwin
of Yango Creek to build a schoolroom, for a price of £60.0.0 ($120.00). This
was completed on 20th May 1884. It was furnished with four (4) desks, each
seven (7) feet six (6) inches long and four (4) forms the s:::.::e length. In
addition, a book press, a small cupboard, c teacher's table t~ree (3) feet
long by two (2) feet wide and a chair for the teacher, completed the furnishing:

The school site of two (2) acres and its adjoining school horse
paddock of 3t acres, both being part of Pcrtion 88, Parish c: Blaxland and
situated between E. Redding's selections, ·,;ere dedicated anc !10tified in the
Government Gazette dated 26th July 1888.

When attendances during 1890 rea~hed the required saily average
level, the Yango Creek School was raised in status from a Prcvisional School
to a Public School on 1st October 1890. Ecwever, numbers c~:~dled and for
the year 1895 and part of 1896, Yango Cre;::I'. became a 1 h2lt-:::::e' school with
Murrays Run. Charles Matthews became the :r2velling te2c~er, being week-about
at each school. The Yango Creel< School ag2 i n reached Pr0vi5:~nal School status
in August 1896, when Arthur Buttsworth was appointed teacher.