Gladstone Central State School, Block B facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Block B of Gladstone Central State School |
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Block B, 1999
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| Location | 94 Auckland Street, Gladstone, Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s–1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Department of Public Works (Queensland) |
| Official name: Gladstone Central State School, Block B | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 28 July 2000 |
| Reference no. | 602001 |
| Significant period | 1900s (historical) 1900s–1910s (fabric) 1904–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | school/school room |
| Builders | J Connors |
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Block B is an important old school building at Gladstone Central State School in Queensland, Australia. It was designed by the Department of Public Works (Queensland) and built in 1904 by J Connors. This building is special because it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's a significant part of Queensland's history and worth protecting.
History of Gladstone Central State School
Block B was built in 1904. It was the first wooden classroom added to the Gladstone State School. This school itself has a long history, starting way back in the 1860s.
The town of Gladstone began in 1853-1854. At that time, Queensland was still part of New South Wales. After Queensland became its own colony in 1859, the government wanted to help set up schools. The Gladstone Primary School opened around April 1861. It was one of the first seven government-assisted schools in the new colony of Queensland.
The first school building for Gladstone Primary School was finished in 1864. It was made of brick and had a T-shape. The front part, facing Auckland Street, was the school master's home. Behind it was a long classroom for about 70 to 80 students.
In 1875, Queensland changed its education system. Schools became free, compulsory, and non-religious for children aged 6 to 12. At this time, Gladstone Primary School became the Gladstone State School. By 1879, many students were attending, and classes were even held on the verandahs because it was so crowded!
To make more space, a separate house for the teacher was built in 1880-81. The front part of the 1863 school building was then changed into a classroom.
By 1897, the school had nearly 200 students. More classrooms were urgently needed. The government department approved the additions, but the local community needed to help pay for them. It took until 1904 for them to raise the money. That year, a new wooden building, now known as Block B, was built. It was placed in front of the old 1863 building and connected by a covered walkway. J Connors won the building contract, and Block B was finished by late 1904. Even though it has been changed a bit over time, it's still standing today.
In 1913, the school committee decided the old 1863 brick building was too old. They asked for it to be pulled down and replaced with a new wooden building. This new building, called Block A, was built in 1914-15 and opened in February 1915. The old 1863 building was sold and removed in 1917.
Over the years, the school continued to grow. By the mid-1930s, Block A became the High School section. Two more wooden buildings were added: Block C for primary students and Block D for younger children (infants). In 1936-37, Block E was built for subjects like home economics and manual arts. The school didn't expand much more until the second half of the 20th century. On 14 November 1968, Gladstone State School was renamed Gladstone Central State School.
By 1973, the school had even more buildings, including a large teaching block (Block G) and an administration block (Block H). Some older blocks were moved or replaced, but Blocks B, D, and E remained.
What Block B Looks Like
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Block B is a single-storey wooden building. It sits on a sloping part of the school grounds, looking out over Auckland Street. The building has a low-pitched gable roof, which means it has two sloping sides that meet at the top, forming a triangle at each end. The outside walls are covered with painted weatherboards.
Both the north and south sides of the building have many awning windows. These windows open outwards from the bottom, like an awning. They are protected by sunshades. The south side also has a porch entrance leading to the east verandah.
The building originally had one large room, with verandahs (covered walkways) on the sides. Over time, this large room has been divided into three smaller rooms using folding doors. Parts of the verandahs have also been enclosed to create more spaces.
A small, rectangular room extends from the middle of the east verandah. This room also has a gable roof. It has two casement windows (windows that open outwards on hinges) and its inside walls and ceiling are covered with wooden boards that fit together, called tongue-and-groove boarding.
The east verandah is now enclosed. It has many louvres (slanted slats) that let in light and air. Some of these are "clerestorey" louvres, meaning they are high up near the ceiling. Rooms have been added to the corners of this verandah using fibro cement sheeting.
The west verandah can be reached by a central set of wooden stairs. The corners of this verandah have been enclosed. The north corner holds toilets, and the south corner has a small kitchen. The middle part of the verandah is still open, with a wooden handrail and posts. The walls of this verandah show the wooden frame underneath and are covered with chamfer boards (boards with a sloped edge). There are several sets of triple sash windows (windows that slide up and down) and wooden doors leading into the main room. Above all the doors are tilting fanlights, which are small windows that tilt open to let in air.
The main room has a curved ceiling, also lined with tongue-and-groove boarding. You can see the bases of the wooden trusses (support beams) in the ceiling. There are also mechanisms to open and close the tilting fanlights.
Heritage Listing
Block B of Gladstone Central State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 July 2000. This means it is recognized as an important historical place because:
- It shows how Queensland's history has changed. Block B is important because it shows the history of primary school education in Gladstone since the early 1900s.
- It has a special connection to the community. For many generations of Gladstone residents, Block B has been a special place. It holds personal memories for many people who went to school there.
