AUS-NSW-NORCO-L Archives

From: Kathy Pearson <>
Subject: MYOCUM PUBLIC SCHOOL
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 19:36:08 +1100 (EST)

STATUS QUOMCMLIX


MYOCUM PUBLIC SCHOOL

The earliest school in Myocum was situated on Mr. William's property at the
foot of Coorabell about 1895. Mr. E. J. Blanch was the first teacher, teaching
there one week, then at the school at the head of the Main Arm during the
alternate week. Later Mr. Blanch married one of his pupils, Miss Florence
Williams. At this time the children had to walk through the Big Scrub and brave
its perils.

Gradually from 1895 the scrub was cleared and the land was sown to soft
grasses. In 1899 the newly discovered paspalum was sown, and the prosperity of
the district increased so that many dairy herds became established and have
flourished ever since.

In 1903 the present 36 pupil capacity timber school building was erected on a
hill overlooking Myocum with a wonderful view of the fertile grassland valleys
as far as Mt. Warning on the Tweed. The school is built on part of the
Byron-Bay-Mullumbimby road, and the road was deviated around it to meet the
Tyagarah-Myocum Road. When the school was opened the grounds were surrounded
with gardens, a tennis court and included in its equipment was a microscope,
telescope and a typewriter. At first there was no residence for the teacher,
until several years later Mr. Shearer built one nearby. He removed it when
single teachers were appointed and made no use of it. In 1922 the Department
built the present residence.

TREES PLANTED

The boundary of the school Is lined with many native trees, most of which were
planted by the Junior Foresters League in 1938 In 1952 a Poinciana tree was
planted to honour the present Queen's Coronation, and another planted in 1954
in memory of her visit to the North Coast.

The pupils have always held their own when proceeding on to secondary education
and acquitted themselves with credit.

Handicrafts such as carpentry, painting, weaving, felt work, embroidery, mosaic
and stained glass window designing, raffia and leather work are enjoyed and
performed by the pupils. Each year on Empire Day and during Education Week,
the parents inspect the pupils' handicrafts and school work, showing a very
good sense of co-operation with the teacher.

Several pupils volunteered and served in both the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 Great
Wars.

In 1930 in conjunction with Ewingsdale school pupils, the Myocum pupils
assisted in planting trees and erecting a monument to the memory of three
pioneer aviators, whose plane crashed nearby. Messrs. Virtue, Holden and Dr.
Hamilton.

In 1924 the first Parents and Citizens' Association was formed, and has
functioned vigorously ever since, giving full support to all the teachers and
their requirements. Mr. S. H. Lee was the first Secretary and served in that
post for 10 years. At this stage it is worthy to mention Councillor Raymond W.
James, the youngest original Pupil in 1903, who has served the P. & C. as
Treasurer for 28 years and has always been a keen supporter of all school
activities. The P. & C. have kept the school well supplied with supplementary
text books, a small reference library and subscribes to the supply of library
books from the Byron District p. & c. circulating library. In 1946 it supplied
the school with a wireless set. In 1948 a strip film projector and films as
required, and in 1953 replaced the wireless with a radiogram, which greatly
assists in teaching the children folk dancing. The Myocum school was the first
school on the North Coast to be equipped with the new posture-grooved seats.
It was also the first school to practice hoop spinning on limbs and body. This
innovation in physical training has now spread to many countries around the
world. Since 1945 when the district combined athletic sports have been held
annually in Mullumbimby, the pupils have fared very well. At present the school
holds 4 cups, R. E. Budd (schools under 50 Pupils), A. H. Bartlett (small
schools under 30 pupils) and
J. B. Cartner Memorial cup.

In 1955 a weather shed was erected by voluntary labour of P. & C. members from
materials supplied by the Department and has proved a boon to the children as
the school grounds are exposed to the prevailing winds.

The Parents of the pupils are mostly dairy farmers. Many of the children having
to walk 2 to 3 miles each day from and to their homes, in all sorts of weather,
as this is a district which experiences many tropical storms.

Children from the following families attended the school on the opening day in
1903: Flitcroft, James, King, Shearer, Wallis and White.

The teachers from 1903-1959 were: Messrs. E. Jones, M. Munro, J. English, H.
McKerhan, M. Dennis, G. Hicks, A.Woods, R. Patterson, J. Donnelly, G. Colditz,
E. Baker, S.Chad, A. Jordan and T. Smith.




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• MYOCUM PUBLIC SCHOOL by Kathy Pearson <>