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.

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Historic Themes

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