Quindanning School Site

Statement of Significance

Site is significant for it's association with early settlements and education.

Physical Description

Situated close to the Williams/Quindanning Road some 400 metres east of the Quindanning Hall. The building had a residence attached and W.G. Clayer was the first teacher. This structure cost £517, was roofed with corrugated iron with outer walls of timber but without ceiling or lining. The school was situated between the two Cape Lilac trees on this site.

History

The second school in the Quindanning area replacing the Daylerking school some 5kms to the east, it opened on 15 July 1901 and operated spasmodically until 1907. The first closure was in 1903 due to lack of attendance. Parents of children living on the north side of the Williams River moved to have the school shifted to a site more conveniently situated to serve the majority of children of school age. The proposed site was about a mile north of the existing building and Henry Sherry offered to give free of charge sufficient land to enable this transfer to take place. In order that their children should have schooling while the above negotiations were taking place, the parents asked the Education Department to open a part-time school in an old corrugated iron structure belonging to the Church of England. This was clevoid of ceiling and lining and had an earthen floor. By means of voluntary effort, the parents did their best to make this old building suitable for the desired purpose. Early in 1904 W.H. O'Meara was sent to open the school but, not having been given specific instructions as to the building to be used, he naturally tried to occupy the school and residence but found it occupied by a man named Millen. Later, when he realised he was supposed to use the old corrugated iron Church building, he wrote the Department in condemnation of this building's suitability. School as a result was conducted in the building originally intended for that purpose. Then in November 1905, Mrs Edith McLean was sent as teacher and continued to teach in the same building until May 1907, when the school was closed, dismantled and re-erected, on the new site of one acre donated by Henry Sherry. J.S. Brown, of Narrogin, obtained the contract to dismantle and re-erect the building on the new site for £ 193 17s. (1)

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