Page 75 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

82.

B UT T AI S C H0 0 L
(ORIGINAL NAME - STOCKRINGTON SCHOOL)

Enrolments steadily increased and as a result, on 1st July
1904, the Buttai, or Stockrington, School was raised to the status
of a Public School. With these increased enrolments, classroom accomm-
ada tion and the school gounds became too small. The Department of
Public Instruction decided to acquire a larger site and to remove,
enlarge and re-erect the school building on a new site.

This site was located on the old Buchanan-Buttai-Black Hill
Road, on Portion No. 120 Parish of Stockrington. The area of one
(1) acre was resumed on 15th November 1904. During 1905, a tender
from Mr. Harold Pullen was accepted. On 15th December 1905, he commenced
the work and it was completed on 20th January 1906. The project was
achieved during the school's Christmas vacation.

The school was closed for several days in June 1914, to
allow for interior painting and also some small improvements.

As residents moved to more lucrative employment, particularly
in coal mining, and too~ their families to other areas, school enrolments
gradually declined. In February 1920, the then teacher, Miss Eva
Warner, was transferred and the school closed. Despite the local
residents arguments and resentment, the Minister for Education Mr.
Mutch, stood firm, pointing out that the school during the 1919 year
had not maintained a minimum of ten (10) pupils.

Mr. C. Newman rented the old school building in 1924 at
a rental of five (51 shillings ($0.50¢1 per month. In 1925, he purchased
the old building for £20.0.0 ($40.001 and removed it from the site.

The school re-opened on 31st March 1938 in a portable classroom.
The school name was char:ged from 'S toc:·:t'ington' to 'But tai'. Th.:: re
were twenty-eight (28) pupils. The to::ache~r was Jar:i~s O'Brien. The
old school grounds had been neglect~d and undergrowth was rw1pant.