EDUCATION

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education

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Education has always played an important role in the development of Katanning and the surrounding districts.

The site of the first school in Katanning was at the railway station and was the first official attempt to give the children of Katanning an education. The success of the classes and the continued growth in population, particularly due to the railway line, eventually led to more formal and permanent educational services being established.

With many families now settling in the new town, the children were in need of some local educational facility. As a result, school classes opened in 1890 under the supervision of Mary Bell. The classes were held in the former kitchen for the railway station, which was one of the first buildings constructed by the WA Land Company for the Beverly to Albany line. The classes did move from there to Piesse’s Hall for a brief period, until 1894 when the first purpose build government school was erected.

A cairn, marking the site, was erected during the centenary of Katanning in 1989 and a time capsule placed inside. This time capsule was made up from some of the items in the time capsule originally placed under the Piesse Memorial in 1914, with some additional items added.

Katanning School Students – 1901

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FURTHER READING

This book by John A McKenzie gives a fascinating insight of the one-teacher schools in Western Australia. There were many such schools in Katanning and the surrounding districts. Some were in early small townships and some were simply situated in a bush block.

It must have been a lonely existence for the mainly women teachers. The rules for their conditions of employment were harsh and they often had any opportunity to socialise, especially with the opposite sex.

The isolated small schools of Western Australia were always referred to in the official reports of the 1890s as ‘Bush Schools’ and they retained this descriptive title in popular speech long after the official world had dropped it. (Old Bush Schools – John A McKenzie)

Click on image to visit the
Edith Cowan University website
and download a copy

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KATANNING SCHOOLS

• First Government School
• Katanning Primary School
• Katanning Senior High School
• Braeside Primary School
• St Patrick’s Primary School
• St Rita’s Boarding School
• Kobeelya School for Girls [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
• Katanning Boys Grammar School
• Kartanup Working Boys Hostel
• Alta-1 Great Southern

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DISTRICT SCHOOLS

Below is a list of local schools that have come and gone over the years since European settlement of the Great Southern region. The information has been collected from a number of sources. It may not be complete, so if you have any information that can be added please complete the form below.

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COOMELBERRUP SCHOOL

By Dorothy G. Austin (July 1982)
From Gwen Gath (nee Austin) (Cuballing)

My transfer to Coomelberrup School was a very interesting move. It was twelve miles from Dumbleyung and close to Coomelberrup Lake, which provided us with interesting Nature Study excursions.

This School was well equipped and fourteen pupils were on the roll. Transport for children and teacher was by horse and sulky or on horseback. The farms were very scattered and the families of Day’s, Butterworth, McLean’s, Kelly and Pelling supplied the pupils.

The kindness and co-operation of the parents there made my term at Coomelberrup a very happy one. After recovering from her illness, the permanent teacher returned. I was then transferred elsewhere.

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CORACKINE SCHOOL

By Dorothy G. Austin (July 1982)
From Gwen Gath (nee Austin) (Cuballing)

It was in 1934 that the necessity arose for a school in our district. Most of the children living around Corackine were 10 to 15 miles away from the nearest school – Katanning. We established an “Assisted School” by renting from my husband’s parents a small cottage for five shillings weekly. All necessary furniture and materials were provided by the Education Department.

I was appointed as Head Teacher and my salary was subsidised by the parents. In a few months we proved that an average attendance of eight could be maintained. The Department then transferred another building to Corackine, which then became a Government School.

Another teacher was sent down, so that I returned to “home duties”. Many teachers succeeded me over the years; I returned to “fill in” for a few months later on. In 1946 the school was closed, and pupils were taken by school bus to Katanning School.

During my time at Corackine School I appreciated the help and co-operation of the parents. The pupils, on the whole, were a nicely mannered and keen lot of youngsters. Especially I admired the Aboriginal family – the Hills. These four children – Clarice, Eli, Jim and Mervyn, were very well behaved and always very clean, even though they lived in a bough shed and tents near Corackine dam.

In February 1985, I was honoured to be invited, with one of my colleagues (Miss Amy Turner), to unveil a memorial plaque to commemorate Corackine School. It was pleasing to see at this gathering over thirty of the former pupils, who of course were now busy men and women – many over the age of 60.

The families represented at Corackine were – Hanna, Badger, Nunan, Hill, Harrison, Grayson, Austin, Wallis, Player, Keeley and Matthews.

1933-1946
Education records state that this school was opened on 23rd April 1934; however, it should be noted that the first twelve months of schooling began in 1933. Because parents encountered great difficulties in convincing the Department that a school was required, for the year of 1933

Mrs Dorothy Austin taught children in a cottage on land owned by her husband, Mr Abel Austin, and her salary was paid by the parents. The average number of children in attendance was ten. The Government then provided a building on land which Mr Austin had given for this purpose.

It wasn’t until 1937 that a full salary was paid by the Education Department to the teachers. Up until then their pay was classified as Regulation 4. Reg. 4 indicated that the number of children attending did not meet the required minimum for full employment of a teacher. In these instances, the Government paid the first part of the salary and the remainder had to be supplied by parents.

Throughout the history of this school, the highest number of pupils attending at any one time was 23.

LIST OF  TEACHERS.         

1933 – Dorothy Austin (on private basis)
23rd April 1934 – Dorothy Austin
February 1935 – Enid Hannaby
February 1936 – Dorothy Austin
Mrs Flower Carter (later become Mrs H. Bladder)
Feb. 1937 to June 1941 – Eleanor Tupper 
June to Dec. 1941 – Daphne Davis (later became Mrs Richard Filmer)
Feb. 1942 to Feb 1945 – Amy Turner  
Feb. 1946 – Clair Gartland (later became Mrs. M. Keley)

LIST OF PUPILS KNOWN TO HAVE ATTENDED.

AUSTIN Gwen, Doreen, Melville and Marion
BADGER Frank, George, Les, Iris (Sue), Margaret and Brian
CARTER Russell
HANNA Molly, Colin and Hazel
HARRISON Hilda
HILL Jim, Eli, Clarice and Mervyn
KELEY Neville
KOWALD Albert, Dawn, Greta and Beryl
LANGLEY Ruth
MATTHEWS Maurice and Russell
NUNAN Jack, Campbell, Peter and Nancy
PLAYER Ron, Henry and Peggy
SAUNDERS Alan
TEE Keith
WALLIS Muriel and Jeff

On Saturday, 16th February 1985, many of the former pupils returned to CORACKINE to witness the unveiling of a plaque which has been placed near the old school site. As at 1990, this site is on the property renamed “Bundaleer” now owned by Peter and Daphne Kerin and can be seen from the Warren Road. It was a great privilege to have Mrs Dorothy Austin perform the unveiling.

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EWLYAMARTUP SCHOOL

Before one achieves anything in this world one must work for it, and so the settlers of Ewlyamartup commenced working towards a school for the children of this district in 1903.

Ewlyamartup school first opened 21st February 1905, and closed 30th September,1908. It reopened in 1912 and closed again in December 1943. Continue reading

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GLENCOE SCHOOL

By Dorothy G. Austin (July 1982)
From Gwen Gath (nee Austin) (Cuballing)

Glencoe School was in a well-established farming area and very different from Wilgoyne. My fifteen pupils came from the families of McDougal, Johnson, E. Cronin, W. Cronin, H. Cornelius, E. Cornelius, Haddleton and Harris. The children varied from 1st Infants to Post-primary, eight of these being boys of twelve and over. No wonder I felt daunted! However, they were a happy and contented lot of youngsters, but always into mischief.

Inspector Rockliffe, on one of his visits, criticised my lack of entries in the Punishment Book. He was an ex-military man! I assured him that these boys were very amenable to discipline. The boys agreed that they would prefer a caning to a lecture from Miss!

One source of-worry was the small “cubby house” which they built high up on the top of a burnt-out trunk of a white gum tree. The parents were not a bit concerned, so I accepted it too.

One of the many pranks (quite good-natured) occurred when we were having hot cocoa in the wintertime. I boiled the billycan for them each day. These boys were keen nature students and all country bred. During my lunch they came in with a fat “Bardi” which they got out of a “Blackboy” trunk; it was toasted on a slice of bread, and I was expected to eat it. Needless to say, I did so with reluctance, but grilled “Bardi” tasted very like cobbler!

In recent years it has been, pleasant to meet again some of my former pupils of the various schools. From the Glen Lyon, the Russ’s and Kiddies – Alan Kiddie, I believe, lives not far away from me as a Town Councillor in Albany. Dorrie Russ (now Radford) is also over there, and her brother George I see occasionally in Augusta. It was a great pleasure a year or so ago to meet again Phyllis Cronin, a delightful girl from Glencoe. She had become Mother Marion at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Convent in Highgate, where my granddaughter Sandra was a student. On several occasions I have had a pleasant surprise when I have met with McDougall’s and Harris’s. Many of my Glencoe pupils have passed away.

Glencoe School closed about 1926 when the attendance fell on account of the senior pupils leaving. My next appointment was to Westwood School twelve miles West of Woodanilling on Robinson Road.

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GLEN LYON SCHOOL

By Dorothy G. Austin (July 1982)
From Gwen Gath (nee Austin) (Cuballing)

It was February 1922 when I opened “Glen Lyon”, a small school situated in the heart of the bush halfway between Badgebup and Gnowangerup. It was a small timber structure with two windows, a fireplace and right opposite – the doorway This building had been built by the settlers and was on land given by Mr. Woollett of “Mortvale”.

This was an Assisted School which meant that the parents had to provide a building, help to subsidise the teacher’s salary, and provide accommodation for her. I was boarding with Mr. & Mrs. Russ, a mile or so from the school. Twenty-five shillings a week was the fee charged.

All necessary school equipment and furniture was provided by the Education Department, including very old desks stretching the full width of our room, and very hard to sit at. Before it could be declared a Government School, the average attendance of eight had to be maintained for six months. This was achieved from the families of Russ (Dorrie, George, and later with Mabel), Kiddies (Hazel, Leslie, and Alan), and from Hodgins (George, Bill and Cissie). Bill Woollett was also a pupil.

Because of their isolation, the children made their own sport with improvised bats for cricket, etc. Hopscotch and Rounders were also favourites. The children were a very happy and contented bunch.

In the cottage school, windy days were hard to take – each gust of wind brought showers of fine ash from the fireplace which was opposite the doorway. Such was the case during the first Inspector’s tour of inspection. He rubbed his finger along the mantel shelf and gave me a very “meaningful” look. “Sorry Sir” I said “that will be cleaned again soon”. Suddenly a fierce gust of wind blew in – the result, our Inspector (McLintock) in his meticulous black suit, looked like a “pepper and salt” model. All he said was “Hm, I see what you mean”. Nevertheless, he gave us a good report.

A Hygiene lesson was in progress, the children having been instilled with the necessity for a good wash on rising each day, teeth cleaning etc. etc. Mr. McLintock put the question, “What is the first most important thing that you do, when you get up in the morning?”. A bright little lad of six (who incidentally became a Shire Councillor) shot up his hand. Promptly he replied “Please Sir, catch the fleas” The lesson ended right there, but I’m sure that “fleas” was not a subject on our Curriculum.

All stationery, pencils and the basic reading books, were supplied and the children who travelled far to get to school received 6d. per day travelling allowance.

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MEAN MAHN SCHOOLS

First Site – 1899-1909
Second Site – 1910-1930

From Sue McDougall
Badgebup Rockwell CWA

The Mean Mahn School sites are situated on the Warren Road. The first site is seven kilometres from Katanning on the junction of the Warren and Withers Roads. The second site is 4.2 kilometres further along the Warren Road to the Newton Road and .5 km up the Newton Road. Both of these sites have been marked by cairns erected by former students in October 1983 and sign-posted from the Warren Road.

The history of these two schools was taken from records at the Battye Library Perth by Flora O’Donnell (nee Cheetham) for the unveiling of the cairns on the 23rd of October 1983. So, the information will be accurate but if there is any other information available, it will be gratefully accepted. Throughout this compiling there will be some information that has been gathered by the author from other sources. These have been checked and should also be reasonably accurate. Continue reading

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SHILOH FARM SCHOOL

Shiloh, in Broomehill, south of Katanning, was a farm school for up to 16 boys who were wards of the State, referred by the Child Welfare Department. It was run independently by Mr and Mrs Beck on their farm, ‘Langwell’. Boys went to school on the property. Shiloh’s aim was to reform ‘delinquent’ boys through long-term placements and the development of farm skills. Shiloh closed in 1963. Continue reading

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WESTWOOD SCHOOL

By Dorothy G. Austin (July 1982)
From Gwen Gath (nee Austin) (Cuballing)

Westwood was my final appointment. This School was about twelve miles West of Woodanilling. It was only a small weatherboard building which had been transferred from Dowlering. It was shifted on several more occasions.

There were only ten pupils at this time. They came from the families of A. Prosser, B. Ralston, G. Ward, F. Mader, A. Terlich and G. Mader. My only means of transport was on horseback or in a sulky. This applied to most of the children, too. They were a happy bunch of youngsters and very keen on their work.

Recently, after sixty years, I have met again some of my Westwood pupils. Sadly, for only a short time, I could reminisce with Norm Prosser. He died in Albany last year. Clem lives not far from here in my street. Kath has a home in Hopetoun.

In March 1928 I resigned, to get married, and as the attendance had fallen away, the school closed. Westwood and Kenmare pupils were conveyed each day by school bus to Woodanilling.

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WOODANILLING

Schooling first commenced in the Agricultural Hall on September 15th 1902 with an enrolment of 13 children. A new timber schoolhouse was built and classes commenced in it in 1906. As student numbers were increasing, a second classroom was built in 1912. Student numbers had built up to a peak in 1914 when approximately 80 pupils attended the school.

On Friday night, July 2nd 1949, the school was burnt down. Schooling was held in the Hall until the new school was completed in 1951. The new school was now a one room, one teacher school as it was decided to send the older children to Katanning to complete their education.

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ALTA-1 GREAT SOUTHERN
Katanning Campus

ALTA-1 KATANNING CAMPUS

The work and mission of Alta-1 is now in the Great Southern Region. Situated in a classroom block at the rear of the former Kobeelya Ladies College its Katanning team is now serving local students, families, schools and agencies into the future.

Alta-1 Great Southern established its first school campus in Albany in 2011. It now supports hundreds of students and offers multiple programs across the region including its Katanning Campus.

Alta-1 exists to empower the lives of youth who struggle to engage in mainstream schooling by providing a unique model of alternative education. Alta-1 is a vibrant and passionate community of professionals of executives, principals teachers, chaplains, education assistants, counsellors, youth workers, administrators, psychologists all making a difference.

Alta-1 first began its journey in early 2000 when the co-founders and visionary leaders Dr Peter Havel, Garfield Thompson and Paul Trinder, came together to make a difference in the lives of disengaged young people and their families.

The founders believed that the best way to support disengaged students was to offer a safe and holistic approach to education that helps them on their journey of self-transformation.
This is the heart of ‘The Alta-1 Way’.
This approach created a partnership between a school and local Perth church “The Place” which hosted the first educational site in 2002. Visit the Facebook Page

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CAN YOU HELP?

Do you have Historic information or photographs that can be added to the history of our schools?
The school locations, the teachers, the children, how they came about? Any information can help fill in the various school stories so if you can help I would love to hear from you at admin@lostkatanning.au or complete and submit the form below:

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