Gnowangerup History

Schools

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JACKITUP SCHOOL

Situated at the corner of Jackitup and Moores Dam Roads. the Jackitup school was opened by Miss Minnie Connolly on the 19th September 1913. Classes were conducted in a hall built by the settlers on a small reserve. It was constructed of corrugated iron with a brick chimney at the north end. The only furniture was long desks and forms, a table and chair for the teacher, a cupboard and some books. The hall was also used for Church meetings, Sunday School and dances.

The first teacher, Miss Connelly boarded with the Stutleys then came Mrs. Collins who lived in a home about a quarter of a mile away. In September 1919 Miss Mabel Wallace arrived in Gnowangerup by train from Perth and was met by Mrs. Stutley, with whom she boarded at first then in 1920 moved to John Beecks, from this home she walked one mile to school.

Miss Wallace would take the children to Beecks to use their piano for singing lessons and conduct a nature study lesson on the way. Dances and Euchre parties were held in the hall and sufficient money was raised to buy a piano. Miss Wallace was dismayed when a lady arrived from Perth to inspect the sewing, yet there were no sewing materials supplied. In February 1921 Miss Fox came and she boarded with the Stutleys and then the Baxters.

A new school was built and opened on 19th June 1924. This school was alongside the hall. This was much more cosy and could accommodate 24 pupils. Other teachers during the years were Stella O'Keefe, Bill O'Callaghan, Hilda Paisley, Eva Black and Mr. Langoulant. Some teachers batched in an empty farm house on the Bennett property. Miss O'Keefe boarded at Baxters, Mr. O'Callaghan boarded at the Austins then Mrs. Dolleys four miles from the school, but he had a car. Mrs. Eva Black lived at home and Mrs. Paisley boarded at the Austins.

The children reached school by various means, most of them walked, Stutley's drove a horse and cart as did the Bassinelli's. Mrs Dolley drove her brood in a horse and sulky and later they road bikes.

Concerts and dance nights were held when the children acted out 1 act plays, and this was followed by a dance. When the children were sleepy, they were rolled in a blanket and slept soundly underneath the seats.

Pupils during the years in the hall were:
3 Beecks, 4 Pennys, 3 Stutlets, 2 Taylors, 2 Tusslers, 3 Wises
And from the following families in the new school:
2 Atkins, Bateman, Bassenelli, Baxter, Beeck, 4 Dolley, 4 Hesse, 4 Hill, Hinkley, Jones, McDonald, 6 Stutley

1913 Teacher CONNOLLY Minnie Head Teacher (Taught in the Hall)

1914 Teacher CONNOLLY Minnie Head Teacher (Taught in the Hall)

1915 Teacher CONNOLLY Minnie Head Teacher (Taught in the Hall)

1916 Teacher CONNOLLY Minnie Head Teacher (Taught in the Hall)

1917 Teacher COLLINS Carrie Head Teacher

1918 Teacher COLLINS Carrie Head Teacher

1919 Teacher WALLACE Mabel Head Teacher

JACKITUP SCHOOL 1919
WALTER, DORA & ESTER HINKLEY, JEAN, HILDA & PHEOBE STUTLEY, MARTHA & JOHN BAXTER, NEA & JOE BASSINELLI, THREE TUSSLER CHILDREN

JACKITUP SCHOOL

1920 Teacher WALLACE Mabel Head Teacher

1921 Teacher FOX Elizabeth Head Teacher

1922 Teacher FOX Elizabeth Head Teacher

1923 Teacher FOX Elizabeth Head Teacher

1924 Teacher FOX Elizabeth Head Teacher (Taught in the New School)

NEW JACKITUP SCHOOLROOM 1924

1925 Teacher FOX Elizabeth Head Teacher (Taught in the New School)

1926 Teacher FOX Elizabeth Head Teacher (Taught in the New School)

1927 Teacher O'KEEFE Stella Head Teacher
VENUS E. Head Teacher

1928 Teacher O'KEEFE Stella Head Teacher
VENUS E. Head Teacher

1929 Teacher JOHNSON Nora Head Teacher

1930 Teacher PARKER Evelyn Head Teacher

1931 Teacher COOK Raymond Head Teacher

1932 Teacher LANGOULANT Arthur Head Teacher
BAXTER Amelia Sewing Mistress

1933 Teacher LANGOULANT Arthur Head Teacher
BAXTER Amelia Sewing Mistress

1934 Teacher MERCER Eileen Head Teacher

1935 Teacher RODD Rita Head Teacher

1936 Teacher TORMEY James Head Teacher

1937 Teacher TORMEY James Head Teacher

1938 Teacher O'CALLLAGHAN William Head Teacher
BEECK Phobe Sewing Mistress

JACKITUP SCHOOL  TAKEN NEAR GNOWANGERUP POST OFFICE    Approx 1938
4th from left back row BILL McDONALD carrying flag, LEN KINKLEY, LUCY McDONALD, KATH HESSE, MARGE HILL, DAPHNE BASSENELLI.
14th from left LENA BASSENELLI. Second Row: 6th from left NANCY HILL, 8th PEGGY STUTLEY, 9th DOT HINKLEY.
Front Row the first 8 from left: ENID McDONALD, ROBERT BAXTER, CHRIS KENNAUGH, NEIL MARSHALL, MAY FLANAGAN, HERBIE STUTLEY, BETH FLANAGAN & a PARKER child:

1939 Teacher O'CALLLAGHAN William Head Teacher

1940 Teacher O'CALLLAGHAN William Head Teacher

1941 Teacher O'CALLLAGHAN William Head Teacher

1942 Teacher HENDRIE Ivy Head Teacher

1943 Teacher HENDRIE Ivy Head Teacher

1944 Teacher BLACK Eva Head Teacher

1945 Teacher PAISLEY Hilda Head Teacher

1946 Teacher

1947 Teacher

MURILL SWEETSER & LESLEY HINKLEY

1947 SPORTS DAY WIN
Teacher HILDA PAISLEY on the extreme left

THE FIRST SCHOOL BUS 1947

The school closed 3rd April 1947 and the children were bussed to Gnowangerup. The school was re-stited and used as a classroom at Gnowangerup School for many years. A plaque has been erected to mark the site.

None of the early pupils had any further education after they left this little school, but later Herb Stutley attended Narrogin Agricultural School and the Dolley children went to Bunbury High School.

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

References: Article: Research by Gordon Freegard

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