Site Opening 1881.

South Bourke and Mornington Journal
9 March 1881

There is not a prettier situated school, or one so elaborately finished outside in the whole of Victoria than the one opened at Dandenong by the Minister of Education on Friday last, and of which the residents ought to be justly proud.

The ground plan shows first a school room 38ft 4in by 25ft by 20ft, lighted at each end with large Gothic windows, and on the side by another three-light Gothic window and two squares; the infant's room is 33ft by 20ft by 10ft, and it is lit on the ends by two large Gothic windows, and on the side by a four-light Gothic window; the class room is 18ft by 20ft by13fit and is ventilated by two of Tobin's patent ventilators; the entrance hall is a noble one, 30ft by 1Lit by 7ft. The school is built in the Gothic style of architecture in ornamental brick work, and the building has been finished off with red, white, and black brick bands and cornices. The roof is pointed and highly pitched with cut barge boards on the corner, supported by brackets resting on freestone corbels. The back and front windows are Gothic, with freestone transoms of Warree Ponds stone. The Gothic point is carried out in Omaru stone from New Zealand. The arches and white brick mullions, the portico at the entrance, and all the Gothic windows are finished with freestone. The foundations are blue stone, and the ceiling of lined boards stained and varnished. At the intersection of the roof, a molded cornice runs rounds the building. It is extremely well provided with Tobin's ventilators. A large circular tank, 14ift by 9ft, capable of holding 10,000 gallons, which has been built of brick and cement with pump attached, catches all the rain water from the roof, and will keep the scholars always well supplied with good water.

The school building has been built at a cost of £1450 and has about two acres of ground attached to it. The former school held 120 scholars; this one will seat 250, and yet is not half large enough, but will soon need to be greatly enlarged. The contractor was Mr Thomas Corley, of Drummond street, Carlton, who deserves a meed of praise, and must be congratulated on the honest and faithful manner in which he has completed the handsomest school as yet erected by the Department. The only drawback to the whole tout ensemble is that the old school furniture has been utilised, and has a depressing effect after the grand outside look of this noble schoolhouse, and seems as if old wine had been put in a new bottle.

The scholars were got together in the show yards adjoining the old school-house about twelve o'clock by Mr MacPherson, their head teacher, and contingents continually arrived from Mr Kerr's Springvale school, and Mr Allen's Keysborough one, till about 350 scholars had massed together by about one o'clock. Mr J. B. Patterson, the Minister of Railways, arrived by train about this time, accompanied by Messrs Keys and Harris MP and special reporters from the Argos, Telegraph and Age, but Major Smith the Minister of Education along with Monsieur de Montmahou, Inspector General of schools in France, and Mr Bolacu of the Victorian Education Department did not arrive for some time afterwards, having decided to drive up by the road in order to show Monsieur de Montmahou more of the country than could be seen from a railway carriage. The old school-house is situated close to the railway station, and quite half a mile away on the other side of the township from the present new one in Foster street.

Between one and two o'clock, the children were marched from one to the other, through the principal streets of Dandenong, with a new banner carried before them, which had been artistically painted by Mr Thom Walkley, a local resident, and presented to the new school as his contribution towards the entertainment of the scholars, and it is a present of such a handsome description, that lie certainly deserves a warm note of thanks from the Board of Advice when it again meets.

The children were repeatedly cheered during their progress, and the marching was done with almost military precision under the supervision of "brevet" General Rodd, Messrs Smith, Minister of Education; Patterson, Commissioner of Railways; and Harris, MP; Bolan of the Education Department, and Monsieur de Montmahou, the Commissioner for public instruction and numerous other gentlemen having arrived at the new school, were warmly received by the local Board of Advice consisting of Messrs Keys, MLA., Powis, Hemmings, and Greaves, and A. W. Rodd, correspondent.

The children sang "God Save the Queen" and then being marshalled in two rows by the head teacher, Mr MacPherson, the visitors passed between them and entered the school-house. After a thorough inspection, nothing could be heard but well deserved praises on the style and manner in which the school had been built. The children having been marched in and seated, sung Dew Drops, Moonrise and Billy and Me in a most confident manner under the leadership of Mr MacPherson. Mr A. W. Rodd in a few well-chosen words introduced Major Smith, and left it to him to open the school. 

THE SCHOOL DECLARED OPEN

Mr Smith was received with loud cheers, and said he was glad to say he was accompanied by Monsieur do Montmahou, who presided over a country that had over forty million inhabitants, while he in Victoria had little more than half a million.  He was always proud to open new schools, as he knew it was a red letter day in the minds of scholars, and would be remembered in them in after years. He hoped the present system of free education would never be interfered with. He was told at Epsom that the youths educated at the State schools not only turned out the best pottery ware, but that they did a quarter more work than the best imported hands from Staffordshire. He congratulated them on the handsome building they were now in and stated he would speak at some length in the evening not only for this locality, but that the whole colony might also hear his educational views. He then formally declared State school 1403 opened for public instruction. (Tumultuous cheering.)

Mr Patterson, Minister of Railways, being called on, felt grateful at being present. (Cheers.) He thanked them again and again for this pleasant trip. He wished the boys to be careful, as from the manner in which the girls were taking the best prizes, it seemed the girls would yet rule the country, and the boys would, need to take a back seat. Even in the singing that day, they left the boys all behind. The school just opened seemed to him to be more in the nature of a college than a school, it seemed so grand. He might tell them as a secret that he intended soon to put on special trains to take the scholars of the district cheaply to the exhibition. (Cheers.) He knew all boys liked to go fast. He therefore thought it would be a great and useful addition if practical engineers and other trades were taught in schools. He felt sure Dandenong would yet be a prosperous place when he looked round and saw such an intelligent and energetic rising race around him. He thanked them for their attentive hearing. (Great cheering)

Mr John Keys, M.P., proposed a vote of thanks to Major Smith for having freely and willingly come to open their Dandenong school, he included in this his colleague, Mr Patterson, and de Montmahou, and he assured the Minister of Railways that at no distant date this Board of Advice would avail itself of the cheap trip to the Exhibition promised by him to the scholars of the Dandenong district. Mr A.W. Rodd seconded, and it was carried unanimously amidst loud cheering and clapping of hands. The singing by the children again of "God Save the Queen" brought the opening ceremony to a most satisfactory close.

CHILDREN’S PICNIC

The seniors having withdrawn, the children were again marshalled under the command of Mr MacPherson and with the banner flying at their head, returned to the show yards, where everything had been arranged to give them a treat on a great scale on strictly tee-total principles - buns, tarts, and sandwiches, apples, lollies, and many other comestibles being there in profusion, and of the sober liquids there was no lack. It took a long time for the hungry youngsters to feel that they had been thoroughly fed, considering that they had such an heterogenous collection of good things to pick and choose from. The races were at however commenced at last, and an extremely long programme was got through by about five o'clock.   The greatest number of prize takers hailing from Keysborough, both of the handsome books given by Montsieur de Montmahou as special prizes falling to a boy and girl from there. Kiss in the ring and othe juvenile sports were well patronised, and all the children were dismissed, preparatory to the bequest to their elders, just before 5 o'clock apparently well pleased with their day’s success.