Page 44 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

39.

BE L LB I RD S C H 0 0 L

Finally, early in 1913, tenders were called for the erection
of a school at Bellbird. The successful contractor was W.L. Morris
of Sargeant Street, Cessnock and his quote was £654.3.2 ($1 ,308.32).
The school was completed and first occupied on 3rd November 1913.
The original building had two (2) rooms, each twenty-two (22) feet
by twenty-two (22) feet and a verandah forty-four (44) feet by eight
(8) feet. Amongst the school's first furniture were twenty-four (24)
dual desks, three (3) feet six (6) inches wide. The first teacher
was William Gray.

A pan sanitary service was extended to the Bellbird School
on 19th January 1914. The contractor was J. Johnstone.

Water supply from the Hunter District Water Boar~ mains
was connected on 1st February 1919.

In June 1918, as enrolments kept increasing, the need for
additional accommodation was evident. The Education Department called
tenders for additions to be built. Again, the successful contractor
was W.L. Morris of Sargeant Street, Cessnock. His quote was £302.0.0
($604.00). On 9th February, 1919 this work was completed and ready
for occupancy. This new work had provided an additional classroom,
twenty-two (22) feet by twenty-two (22) feet, a hatroom fifteen (15)
feet by eight (8) feet and a storeroom, eight (8) feet by seven (7)
feet. The verandah was enlarged to be sixty-six feet (66) long by
eight (8) feet wide. In the first quarter of 1919, the headmaster
and his two (2) assistants had an enrolment of 204 pupils, with an
average daily attendance of 176.

During 1923, the Education Dep3rtment found that the growth
of pupil numbers required further additions. Tenders were called.
The successful contractor was F. and R. Compton of Maitland. Their
price was £922.0.0 ($1 ,844.00). The work required the construction
of two (21 additional classrooms, each twenty-four (24) feet by twenty-
two (22) feet, a hatroom eighteen (18) r~et by eight (8) feet, and