Picton Public School No 2 (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Picton Public School (fmr), has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the school has functioned an educational role since 1896 and continues to do so;
the place is of social value to the people of Picton and is associated with the Forrest family and other well-known settlers in the district;
the place contributes to the streetscape and the community's sense of place.

Physical Description

Picton Public School (fmr) is a red brick and weatherboard building constructed in the Victrorian georgian style of architecture. It has several chimneys, moulded air vents, and long narrow double hung sash windows, some with small panes of glass. Roofs overlap onto the later added section of the building.

History

Picton Primary School No 2 was built in 1896. It was based on a plan prepared for Smith’s Mill School adapted to brick and was built on land donated by William Forrest.

Previous to this the children attended a school also on William Forrest’s property. This school was in an old shed and operated from this site from 1861 to 1868. The first head-teacher was Mr William Frederick Jones, who taught there from 1861 to 1868. The building became unsuitable and dangerous due to white ants and was closed in 1876. However, the school was reopened in 1891 after repairs had been undertaken for a cost of £6. This included the repairing of desks and chairs, whitewashing, plastering, 50 panes of glass, building closets and a door lock and bolt. Mrs M Jeffreys began classes on the 1 July 1891.

In 1893 the building was proving unsound and had a pronounced lean to the north and was still plagued with white ants. During a storm the children were forced to wait outside as it was feared that the wind would blow the walls down. The children also suffered with the extremes of temperature made worse by the lack of a verandah. By 1894 plans were underway to build a new school 10 chains north of the present school.

The original school location is now on land owned by CSBP & Farmers Ltd, who commemorated the site with a wooden arch and plaque erected on the site of the original school. (See B140)

Picton Public School cost £334/6/0 and opened with Mrs M Jeffreys as headmistress in charge of 11 boys and 10 girls. The average attendance was 16. One of the first to enrol was Ethel Forrest, born 29 March 1891. Her father was George Forrest, one of William’s sons. George donated an additional acre of land for the school yard.

A shelter shed was built in 1904 and in 1909, a request for a manual training shed was denied. By this time, there were 75 students at the school and in 1910, an addition was completed. School sports days were held in “Forrest’s Paddock” across the road from the school.

Following World War I, Mr G C Money unveiled an honour board dedicated to all the students who fought in the war.

When Picton Primary School closed in 1996 many of the school records were transferred to the Bunbury Local Studies Collection at the Bunbury Public Library. These include certificates, examples of school work, visitors’ books, admission registers, contact proof photo sheets dating from the early 1900s, a centenary book and taped interviews.

The buildings were subsequently taken over by the Bunbury Community School.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
Medium degree of authenticity - alterations but with much original fabric remaining
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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.