Maryborough Central State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maryborough Central State School |
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Block C, Maryborough Central State School, 1994
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| Location | 471 Kent Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Founded | 1862 |
| Built | 1875–1953 |
| Built for | Department of Public Instruction |
| Official name: Maryborough Central State School, Central State School for Boys, Central State School for Girls, Central State School for Infants | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 31 October 1994 |
| Reference no. | 601264 |
| Significant period | 1870s (historical immigration) 1870s–1920s (historical school) 1875–1920s (fabric) 1870s ongoing |
| Significant components | play shed, residential accommodation – headmaster's house, depot, school/school room, infants' school, memorial – honour board/ roll of honour, workshop |
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Maryborough Central State School is a special school in Maryborough, Australia. It is located at 471 Kent Street. This school was built between 1875 and 1953. It is also known by its older names: Central State School for Boys, Central State School for Girls, and Central State School for Infants.
This school was the very first state school in Maryborough. It started with separate sections for boys and girls. It is also the oldest public school in Queensland. Because of its history, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 31, 1994.
Contents
A Look Back: School's History
The first state school in Maryborough opened in 1862. It was in a small building at the corner of Kent and Lennox Streets. On the first day, 35 students attended. The school quickly grew, and soon it became a well-known place for learning.
In 1865, the school moved to a new building. This building was specially made for the school. It was located at the corner of Alice and Lennox Streets. Even with an extra part added in 1872, the Alice Street school became too small. Maryborough's population was growing fast. So, the school moved again in 1877 to its current spot on Kent Street.
Maryborough Central State School has several important old buildings. Block C is a two-story brick building. It was built in 1875–1876. It was first used as a place for immigrants to stay. Then, in mid-1877, it was changed into a school building.
The single-story timber infants' school, called Block A, was built nearby. It was finished in 1881–1882. The teacher's house, on the other side of the school grounds, was also built around this time. Two of the three timber playsheds were built in 1879. The third playshed was added in 1909. Block B, a two-story brick building behind the infants' school, was built in 1923–24. It was first used as a workshop for a technical college.
Block C: From Immigrants to Students
The land where Maryborough Central State School stands was first set aside for immigrants. The first building on the site, now called Block C, was built as an immigration depot. In 1874, the Queensland Colonial Architect's office planned a new immigration building. This was because more immigrants were arriving directly at the Port of Maryborough.
The building was designed to house single men, married couples, and single women. It had rooms for sleeping, storage, and visitors. It also had kitchens and bathrooms. Construction began in March 1875 and was finished by April 1876. However, the building could not be used right away. It did not have enough water storage. The local newspaper, the Maryborough Chronicle, mentioned this problem in 1876. They said the building was "perfectly useless" without water tanks.
Money was later approved for fences and gates. But the large brick water tanks were not built until March 1877. Meanwhile, a new idea came up for using the building.
By late 1876, the Department of Public Instruction wanted to swap school buildings. They suggested exchanging the Maryborough primary school on Alice Street for the new immigration building. They wanted to turn the immigration building into state schools for boys, girls, and infants. The old school buildings would then become an immigration depot.
Even though a new school area was planned in October 1876, the Alice Street school was very crowded. Especially the infant classes. So, in February 1877, the government approved the swap. The Department of Public Instruction would pay to change the old school buildings into an immigration depot.
Most parents liked the idea of the swap. But the wider community in Maryborough did not. In June 1876, residents protested. They wanted the immigration building to be used only for immigrants. They tried to raise money to build a new school instead. However, their protest was too late. The swap went ahead.
Plans to change the immigration building into a school were made in March 1877. The work was finished by mid-July. The ground floor was set up for boys. The first floor was for girls and infants. The Alice Street school closed for a few days to move furniture. It reopened at the former immigration building on July 23, 1877.
From January 1878, Maryborough Central School had three separate sections. These were for boys, girls, and infants. The total number of students in the girls' and infants' schools reached over 600. The school population grew very quickly in the first few years. More changes were made to the main building in 1880–1881. But there still wasn't enough classroom space. This problem was solved when a separate infants' building (Block A) was built in 1881–1882.
In 1910, the school grounds were paved, fenced, and repaired. Between 1914 and 1916, a second staircase was added to the main building. In 1917, the school decided to create an Honour Board. This board would remember past students who served in the armed forces during World War I. It was unveiled on April 19, 1917.
On August 15, 1932, the Central State School for Girls and the Central State School for Boys joined together. They became the Maryborough Central State School, with one principal. They had shared buildings and a committee since 1877. It was decided that combining them would make the school run better. The Maryborough Central Infants' School remained separate.
By the 1930s, the main school building needed a lot of repairs. In 1932-1933, plans were made to remodel it. This included dividing each floor into seven classrooms and teachers' rooms. Walls were changed to let in more light and air. Two concrete staircases were built at the back of the building. Work started in late 1933 and finished in May 1934. Students had to attend classes at the Maryborough showgrounds while the renovations were happening. The remodeled school officially opened on July 13, 1934.
From 1941, the office for school health services in Maryborough was located in the main school building. During World War II, from August 1942, the Royal Australian Air Force used the main building. They held training classes there for their 65th Squadron, outside of school hours. In 1943, the Air Force enclosed one of the verandahs to use as an office.
Block A: The Infants' School
The old Immigration Barracks (Block C) quickly became too crowded for the students who moved there in 1877. By early 1879, it was a big problem. Some parents even stopped sending their children to school. In 1880, the Department of Public Instruction agreed that a new building was needed.
Plans for a new infants' school building were made in March 1881. Construction began in June and was finished in August 1882. This building, Block A, had one large central classroom. It also had a smaller classroom at each end.
In 1910, dormer windows were added to the roof on the southern side. In 1920, two more dormer windows were put on the northern side.
In late 1934, the infants' school was remodeled. The southern verandah was removed. The main room's floor was made level, and it was divided into three classrooms. All classrooms were lined with pine, and windows were made larger.
After World War II, the number of infant students grew a lot. A new classroom was added to the northwest end of the building around 1947. Around 1953, this part was extended with a two-classroom wing. Another wing was added to the southeast end of the building.
Teacher's Residence
In October 1881, a contract was also given to build a teacher's house. This house was built in the grounds of Maryborough Central State School. It was finished in 1882.
The house has had a few small changes since it was built. In 1909, the northwest end of the building was extended. A new bedroom, bathroom, and front verandah were added. In 1935, a flush toilet was added to the back. This room, the bathroom, and the back verandah were remodeled in 1939 to how they look today.
Playsheds
Two playsheds with shingle roofs were built in 1879. One was for boys, and the other was for girls and infants. These buildings are still there today, though their roofs have been replaced. The playshed for girls and infants has also been moved to a different spot on the school grounds.
An infants' playshed was built in late 1909. This one had a galvanised iron roof, not shingles.
Technical College Workshop
In 1923, work began on a Technical College workshop at the school. The first brick of this two-story building was laid on April 20, 1923. This was done by Queensland Premier Ted Theodore. The building was ready for use in 1924.
From 1924, attending technical classes became required for apprentices. Apprentices would attend the new Maryborough workshop at night. A newspaper report from 1926 said the workshop had modern equipment, including turning lathes.
Maryborough Technical College started in 1889. It was part of the Maryborough School of Arts. By 1900, it was one of the biggest in Queensland. In 1908, it became a separate institution. A wooden building was built for it in 1910. The Department of Education slowly took control of country technical colleges. But the Maryborough college stayed independent until about 1937. The government did provide some funding. The workshop built in 1924 was the second building for the Maryborough Technical College. It was built by the Department of Public Works with government help. The nearby High School took over the building in 1943. Today, Maryborough Central State School uses it as a resource centre.
Recent Times
In 2011, there were 330 students at the school, from years 1 to 7. In 2016, there were 324 students, from Prep to year 6. The school had 27 teachers and 22 non-teaching staff.
School Buildings and Features
The important old buildings at Maryborough Central School are located between Kent, John, and Sussex Streets. They include:
- Teaching Block A (the infants' school)
- Education Centre Block B (the technical college workshop)
- Teaching and Administration Block C (the central school)
- Three playsheds
- The principal's residence
Teaching Block A: Infants' School
Teaching Block A is the infants' school. It faces Kent Street. This building has many rooms that open onto a verandah. The middle part of the building is the original structure. Later additions were made to the northern end.
The building is single-story and made of timber. It has concrete supports and corrugated iron gable roofs. There are large dormer windows and a small spire in the middle. The gables have pretty timber decorations. The verandahs have timber posts and railings. Most windows are casement windows.
Inside, the central part has wooden walls and hardboard ceilings. Some staff areas have wooden walls up to sill height. The attached school building has enclosed verandahs. The newer parts have ceilings that go up to the roof beams.
Education Centre Block B: Technical Workshop
Education Centre Block B, the old technical college workshop, is behind Block A. It is a two-story brick building with a hipped corrugated iron roof. The building has large windows with many small panes of glass. The windows have angled tops and rendered sills. The ground floor windows have decorative keystones.
There are entrances on the southwest and northeast sides. The southwest entrance has a deep cornice above the door. The northeast entrance has two-story doors with an arched window above. An outside timber staircase leads to the first floor. An incinerator chimney is on the southeast wall.
Inside, there is no direct access between the two floors. Both levels have suspended ceilings and some timber walls. But they are mostly open spaces. A steep timber stair on the first floor leads to the roof space.
Teaching and Administration Block C: Central School
Teaching and Administration Block C is the central school building. It is next to Block A and also faces Kent Street. This is a two-story brick building. Its outside is covered in a rendered finish that looks like stone. It has a hipped corrugated iron roof with gables sticking out.
The front of the building on Kent Street is symmetrical. It has a central gable section. This part has an entrance porch on the ground floor with double timber doors. There is a window on each side. On the first floor, there is a triple sash window. The porch has timber posts and arched brackets.
On either side of the central gable are two-story verandahs. These verandahs wrap around the ends of the building. They have timber posts and railings. Parts of the verandahs have glass panels. The southeast verandah has been enclosed on both levels. The back of the building has two-story wings at each end and similar verandahs in between.
Each wing has an internal staircase. The northern wing has a ground floor toilet block added. The southern wing has a ground floor entrance verandah. Most windows are casements, but some original sash windows remain.
Inside, people move around using the northeast verandah. The stairs are made of concrete with timber handrails. An Honour Board is located in the ground floor entrance. Only a few rooms have French doors that open onto the southwest verandahs.
Playsheds
The three playsheds have corrugated iron gable roofs. Their ends are boarded, and they are supported by timber posts. The playsheds have bench seating and no ceilings. One is behind Block C, and two are behind Block A.
Principal's Residence
The principal's residence is in the northern corner of the school site. It faces Sussex Street. It is a single-story timber building with concrete supports and a corrugated iron gable roof.
The building was originally symmetrical from Sussex Street. It had a central gable with a triple sash window and verandahs on either side. Later, the building was extended to the northwest. The verandahs have timber posts and railings. They are enclosed above with a metal grille. The gables have decorative timber brackets. Most windows have hoods. An addition has been made to the back of the kitchen. Small verandah spaces on the southeast and northwest have been enclosed.
Inside, the building has a central fireplace. The walls are made of vertical timber boards. The ceilings are also boarded. French doors open onto the verandahs. The kitchen fireplace has been removed, and its walls are now covered with hardboard.
Awards and Recognition
Students from Maryborough Central State School have won the Lilley Medal several times. These awards were given in 1910 (Eric B. Freeman), 1911 (Idrisyn F. Jones), 1933 (Patricia Enid Fairlie), and 1935 (Oscar A. Kindervater).
Why This School is Special
Maryborough Central State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 31, 1994. This means it is an important historical site.
It shows how Queensland's history has changed. The school is important because it has been a primary school in Maryborough since 1862. The buildings show how ideas about education changed from the 1870s onwards. The 1875–1876 building, even though it was only briefly used for immigrants, shows how immigration grew in Queensland ports beyond Brisbane in the 1870s. Block B is especially important because it shows the growth of technical education in Maryborough between the two World Wars.
It shows what a typical school looks like. The infants' school (1881–1882) and the teacher's house are good examples of timber school buildings in Queensland. The teacher's house is one of the oldest and most complete buildings of its kind in the state.
It is beautiful and important to the area. Maryborough Central State School is part of a historic area of schools. This area includes the old Maryborough Boys Grammar School Building and the current Maryborough State High School. The school adds to the look of Kent Street, which has many important public buildings. The school has different types of buildings. These buildings show how education and school architecture changed over time. They form an attractive group that makes Maryborough look special.
Because of its long history in Maryborough and its important location on a main road, Maryborough Central State School is a landmark. Especially the two-story building from 1875–1876.
It is important to the community. The school has a strong connection with the people of Maryborough. Its long history and important location make it a landmark in the community.
See also
- List of schools in Wide Bay-Burnett
- History of state education in Queensland
