Early schools in the Barraba area

History Notes

Schools that existed in the early 20^th century

Mayvale School

Situation: near Mayvale Homestead?

The original Mayvale School was built in 1912 by Mr. William Anderson and Mr. Jack Carter.  The building was originally Mr. William Etheridge’s homestead situated south-west of Mayvale homestead on 1280-acre homestead selection block.

It was pulled down at weekends and carted down by horse wagon by Will Anderson who was Teamster there at that time.  It consisted of one long room, two windows and one door with a mud and stone chimney.  It was built of slabs with a tin roof.  The slabs were wide enough for a window to be cut out of them – one each side of the building.

The first teacher at the school was Miss Forster, very strict.  The pupils were Leslie Hill, Jack Hill, Constance Hill, Mona Hill, Jack Anderson, Phyllis Anderson, Betty Anderson, Clifford Curtis, Arthur Curtis, Flora Curtis, Arthur Potter, George Potter, Phyllis Carter and Edna Carter, Fred Drew, Gladys and John Drew.

The school opened and closed for 7 years, eventually closing permanently in 1925.

The teachers were in order:
Miss Forster
Miss Clark
Miss Richardson
Mr. A.A. Kelly who was a first World War Soldier also at the landing of Gallipoli
Mr. Hill of Newcastle
Miss M. O’Regan

Mayvale School was known as Mayvale High School as it was built on the side of a steep hill.

Currangandi Subsidy School 1900 - 1924

Situation: Currangandi – Doorah area.

When Mr Mervyn Foster was 5 years old and his sister 8 years old, their father went to work for a Mr Govett (early 1900) at Currangandi.  They lived in a cottage just opposite Rawdon McDouall’s present home and went to school at a school house on Jack O’Brien’s place (it stood somewhere near Rawdon McDouall’s house) where the children were given some schooling when the governesses would stop for any length of time (as loneliness caused them to go after a short stay).
The school house was a separate building.  Children who went were:
Merv and Mavis Foster                                      
Paddy O’Brien family:                          Jack O’Brien family:
Florence                                                 Lionel
Ernie                                                       Clem
Erbin                                                       Vince
Kevin                                                      Agnes
Rita (82 yrs-1980)                                Madge
( ?  Lee family could have gone also)

“Currangandi” had tutors for the homestead children.