Page 81 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

88.

C E S S N 0 C K S C H0 0 L

he remained until the end of 1867. Mr. K~nny found that only thirty (30)
children enrolled.

At the end of January 1868, Mr. John Picton, Secretary of the
Local School Board, wrote to the Inspector, Mr. Dwyer, at Maitland applying
for a teacher. Mr. James Lappan commenced duties in April 1868. During this
period a committee of local residents supervised the conduct of the school
and fixed the rate of the school fees. As the Cessnock Committee was not
fulfilling its purpose adequately, Inspector Dwyer recommended the appointment
of three (3) additional members to the Cessnock Board, namely, John Melville,
Robert Elliott and Patrick Love.

James Lappan was married on 5th January 1870. In July he requested
a transfer to a school with a residence. He said he was having difficulty
paying £4.0.0 ($8.00) a month for his lodgings, as a consequence of the parents
of his pupils declining to pay school fees. At this time the school was being
housed in a building owned by the Secretary of the Local School Board, Mr.
John Picton. In July 1871, Mr. Picton wrote to the School Council of Education,
offering to lease the school house for a further period of five (5) years at
an annual rental of £10.0.0 ($20.00).

In February 1872, Mr. Lappan was succeeded by Mr. Charles Howard
who had previously been teaching at Mangrove Creek. He was to receive a
salary of £72.0.0 ($144.00) per annum. Mr. Howard wrote to his inspector,
complaining that he was compelled to crush forty two (42) children into a
space scarcely capable of accommodating twenty two (22) children. Further,
that the ventilation was bad because the windows were·fixtures and there
were no door fastenings. In addition, he had to lodge two (2) miles away
from the school. "As well", , he complained, "the only water was nearly a
mile distant".