Sawyers Valley School Quarters

Statement of Significance

The Sawyer's Valley Headmaster's house has very high social and historic significance as possibly one of the oldest school quarters remaining in the Shire and as a typical example of a headmaster's house at the turn of the century.

Physical Description

The old weatherboard Headmaster's House at Sawyers Valley School appears to have been built in two stages with a presumably older two room cottage with rear lean-to at the back to which another two rooms and verandah have been added to the front (south). The two adjoining structures are expressed in the parallel pitched corrugated iron roof ridges running across the rooms (east-west) and which results in two gable ends on each side of a box gutter between the two, There is a brick chimney on the centre of the east end gable of the rear element, The timber windows are tall, double hung, with four or eight pane configuration and a panelled front door opening onto the verandah. The verandah is an extension of the main roof with timber floor set up on stumps half a metre or so above ground level and surrounded by a "Criss-cross" balustrade.

History

In the 1880's, with the advent of the Eastern Railway and Edmund Lacey's Enterprise Steam Sawmill, population increases in the Sawyer Valley area, warranted a school for local children. In 1884, Lacey erected a timber building on 4 acres of land halfway between his mill and White's Mill. White's Mill was later Lion Mill, and then from March 1924, became Mt Helena. By 1887, there was 29 fee paying students at Sawyers Valley School. In 1890, the school operated part-time, sharing a teacher with Lion Mill. This situation continued until May 1893, when following numerous complaints from teacher Miss Alice Dewar about the state of the room and equipment, the Sawyers Valley School closed and children from there attended Lion Mill School. In 1895, the Sawyers Valley School resumed in temporary accommodation. By November 1897, when surveyor JTH Goodwin completed his survey of the Sawyers Valley townsite, Loy 43 was shown ro contain a timber weatherboard and iron-roofed schoolroom, 29 ft x 35 ft, and nearby, a similarly constructed teacher's house, 37 ft x 39 ft. The first headmaster to occupy the house was Alfred Hatfield. As was often the case, school teachers took an active role in the local community. AC Armstrong, Headmaster 1904-1913, was involved with the local Progress Association, sporting groups and the Horticultural and Industrial Society. Today, the only original building at the Sawyers Valley Primary School site is the former headmaster's House, now used as a pre-school, and which is thought to be one of the oldest surviving school buildings in the Shire.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High- however, alterations to pre-school have modified it's form although these would be reversible. Modifications: Alterations to convert the Headmaster's House to pre-school centre.

Condition

Very Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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