Page 68 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

75.

B UC HANAN S C H0 0 L

owned a 'boiling-down works' at Buttai, wanted this new National school
to be established and situated near his homestead at Buttai to cater
and provide for schooling for the children of his employees. But this
location was generally considered to be inconvenient to the other
residents of the Buchanan district. The Inspector of the time declined
to make a recommendation. Meanwhile, whilst the deadlock continued,
Mr. James Price opened a small private school at Buttai. He had engaged
a young girl as tutor and she had about twenty (20) pupils.

In January 1878, Mr. William Steinbech took up as headmaster
of the Church of England school at Buchanan. He is thought to have
replaced Mr. George Molster. In May 1880, the Public Instruction Act
was passed. One of its important features was 'compulsory education'.
Perhaps it was the prominent character of this Act which influenced
the Rev. Loverick Tyrell, Rector of East Maitland and in whose Parish
the Buchanan Church of England School was situated, to suggest in 1880
that the Department of Public Instruction should take-over the Church
school. One condition that the Rev. Tyrell stipulated was that the
Church school building could still be used for church services on Sundays.
The Department agreed to pay £20.0.0 ($40.00) a year rent and to purchase
all the school furniture for £12.0.0 ($24.00). Mr. ·William Steinbech
was retained as the National School teacher which is shown as being
established in August 1880.

The old school building was found to be badly 'white ant
eaten'. The Department of Public Instruction sought a site on which
to build a new school. The most suitable area was on the Mulbring
to East Maitland Road on Brooks Estate. However, this land was owned
by Mr. James Price of Buttai and he refused to sell. The Maitland
Mercury newspaper, in the issue dated 17th September 1881, on page
number 1 column number 2, advised that the Department of Public Instruction
had resumed for a school site two (2) acres of the Brooks Estate, being
part of Portion No. 91, Parish of Stockrington and being seventy-eight
(781 chains from the eastern exiremity of the southern boundary line
of J.H. Garvan's 640 acres and bounded on the east by George Brooks
2000 acres.