Westwood School Site

Statement of Significance

The site is closely associated with the provision of schooling in the district.

Physical Description

The Dowlering School, was originally built on the site reserved on Kojonup Location 1507 in
May 1912 but after a protest by the Perfect and Douglas families, it was shifted to this site. Here
it was officially opened by Eva Sheridan on April 13, 1913. The original application in 1910 for a
school on the Beaufort contained the names of nine families. Of these Cornwall, George Church
and Carder had no children and another two families - Eattes (four children) and Sullivan (1), also
lived west of the Albany Road and it is doubtful if they ever attended the Dowlering School.
However, the Perfects' (two children), Cavanaghs (5), Douglas' (5) and RendelPs (4) provided
enough numbers for a school to be built.
School sites were very flexible and as the children grew too old or families like Rendell left, the
building was quickly shifted to another area of need. By 1918 numbers here had diminished with
two of the former pupils EA (Gus) Cavanagh and Norman Perfect, now grown men at the war
front and the building was shifted first to Westwood and then to Boyerine and currently is at the
Wagin Historical Village.

One of the problems of selecting land in the outer areas was of schooling for children. The
Douglas families were in this situation. Some of the children stayed with relations during the
week so as to attend school, Jean Douglas and her twin brothers, Ken and Keith, and their cousin,
Fred, attended Dowlering School from Harry Douglas' house. This must have been a successful
arrangement as young Fred Douglas received a certificate for regular attendance in 1914. EC
Leggoe's family had lived in Woodanilling to attend the local school. However, in 1917 he
applied to have the Dowlering School shifted to the 14 mile hill on Robinson Road. This
application was approved and when tenders were called to remove the school a protest by parents
of children already going to the Dowlering School succeeded in halting action. They reasoned
that the Leggoe children were already attending Woodanilling School and were not intending to
live at Kunmallup until September 1917 when the alterations to the homestead would be
completed.

History

When numbers dropped at the Dowlering School and the need arose close by in 1918, the
Dowlering School building and its effects were moved by the contractor JH Brown for
124 pounds to Westwood. When the original application was made by the families in the
area for a school the corner of Johnston and Robinson Road was preferred. This was not
approved, but the suggested site at the junction of Douglas Road and Robinson Road was
agreed upon.

Settlers with children making the application were GH Ward, Fred Mader, August
Terlich, Prosser, William Mader, Ralston and August Mader.

The school was ready for the commencement of the 1919 school year under Miss Mary
Foley. However, the building was only to have a short respite before it was on the move
again - this time to Boyerine - after the school at Westwood was closed in March 1928.
The last teacher at Westwood was Dorothy Lavis who had succeeded Marjorie
Wilkinson, Miss Lavis resigned at Easter to get married and with only seven or eight
pupils another teacher was not appointed. These children were transferred to either the
Woodanilling or Kenmare schools.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.