Page 88 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

95.

CES S N0 C K SCH0 0 L

At the start of the 1906 school year Mr. Ernest Cameron
was appointed headmaster. He had the qualifications to be headmaster
at a much larger school.

The school inspector during May 1906 was seeking temporary
premises. The Cessnock School of Arts was ruled to be unsuitable
on the grounds that it was a very small site opposite a hotel. The
inspector recommended that a school to accommodate one hundred and
fifty (150) pupils should be built.

In March 1907, a two-roomed timber structure, costing just
over £500.0.0 ($1 ,000.00), was occupied by one hundred and eight (108)
pupils, but was immediately overcrowded. Mr. E. Cameron moved to
this school but continued to live in the old school residence. Headmaster,
E. Cameron, reported to the school ir.spector on the large enrolment
and recommended that the old school should be kept open and children
allowed to attend the school which suited them best. This recommendation
was accepted. Mr. C. Walker took charge of the old school, which
was re-named 'Cessnock Branch School'.

A new school building at Aberdare was completed in April
1908. The new building faced Quorrobolong Street. It was constructed
of wood on a brick foundation and was said to be after the "bungalow
style". The building was one hundred and twenty (120) feet long and
sixty (60) feet wide, opening at eac~ end into hat rooms or lobbies.
A seven (7) feet wide corridor ran the full length of the building.
It consisted of eight (8) classrooms, four on each side of the corridor.
The contractor was Mr. G. Taylor of Hamilton and the cost of the building
had been £2,402.0.0 ($4,804.00). The new school was officially opened
by Mr. J.A; Hogue, the Minister for ?ublic Instruction on Satu~day
9th May 1908.

The enrolment in this new school building was three hundred
and ninety six (3961 pupils and stea~ily increasing. The 1907 two-room