Mount Morgan State High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Morgan State High School |
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Technical College Building, corner of Central and Dee Streets, from the south-east, 2015
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| Location | 4 Central Street, Mount Morgan, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900–1914 (Early 20th century) |
| Built | 1908, 1913–1918 |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Mount Morgan State High School; Mount Morgan Technical College | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 4 December 2015 |
| Reference no. | 650005 |
| Type | Education, Research, Scientific Facility: School – state (high); Education, research, scientific facility: College-technical |
| Theme | Educating Queenslanders: Providing secondary education; Educating Queenslanders: Educating adults |
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Mount Morgan State High School is a special school with a rich history. It's located at 4 Central Street in Mount Morgan, Queensland, Australia. The school started building in 1908 and was once known as Mount Morgan Technical College. It's now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical place.
Contents
A Look Back: The School's History
Mount Morgan State High School first opened its doors in 1912. It was one of the very first high schools in Queensland! The school shared its home with the Mount Morgan Technical College until 1964. The old Technical College Building (built in 1908) and the Science Block and Workshop (built in 1913, extended in 1918) are still there. These buildings show how technical colleges grew and how state high schools began in Queensland. They are also great examples of buildings from that time. The school has been open continuously since it started, and it's a very important part of the local community.
Mount Morgan's Mining Beginnings
European settlers first arrived in Mount Morgan in 1882 to mine for gold. By 1888, about 4,000 people lived there, near the Dee River and the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company mine. The town grew, and by 1890, Mount Morgan became its own municipality. A railway line connected the town to Rockhampton in 1898, making it less isolated. In 1901, the area had 8,486 people, with 6,280 living in the town itself.
The Mount Morgan mine was very successful, especially between 1887 and 1897. It produced a lot of gold, and the town's population grew to 10,000 people. Later, the mine started focusing on copper, but prices for copper went down.
How Technical Education Started
In 1900, classes for technical education began in Mount Morgan. This was to help train skilled workers for the gold mining company. The first classes were held in the Mount Morgan School of Arts building. More and more students joined, showing a real need for a dedicated college.
Technical education in Queensland grew from the "Mechanics' Institute" movement. These institutes taught people about science and manufacturing. In 1905, the Queensland government created a special department to look after technical education.
Building the College
By 1906, the Mount Morgan Technical College Committee decided they needed a new, bigger building. They wanted the Queensland Government to help, instead of just relying on the School of Arts. The government agreed to help fund the new college.
The plans for the Technical College Building (now called Block A) were drawn up by the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company. Construction began in November 1907. By 1908, 323 students were enrolled, proving how much the town needed its own college building.
The Technical College Building was finished in late 1908. It was built using materials from Queensland. The bricks came from the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company's own brickworks, and the stone came from a local quarry. All the timber was Australian, and the furniture was made in Rockhampton.
The community was very proud of the new building. They raised money through events and donations. The Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company also donated the land for the college. The Queensland Government helped a lot too, giving £4 for every £1 raised by the community.
Grand Opening and New Features
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The college was officially opened on April 24, 1909, by the Premier of Queensland, William Kidston. The building was praised for its simple, strong design using only brick, stone, and timber. It had seven classrooms, a board-room, a library, and a museum. There was even a special demonstration theatre for physics, chemistry, and cooking classes.
The building was L-shaped and had two floors. It had a verandah and a roof lantern to let in natural light. The words "TECHNICAL COLLEGE" were proudly displayed on the front. At this time, Mount Morgan's population was almost at its peak of 13,000 people.
High School Days Begin
Around 1909, big changes happened in Queensland's education system. A new high school system was introduced. In 1912, Mount Morgan State High School opened in the Technical College Building. It was one of the first six state high schools in Queensland! It started with 87 students, while the Technical College continued to operate in the same building.
To make space for the new high school, the inside of the Technical College Building was changed. New partitions were added to create more classrooms. A timber-framed scullery and ladies' cloakroom were added to the back verandah.
In 1908, a law was passed to allow vocational education in Queensland schools. This meant schools could teach practical skills. The Workshops Building (later called the Science Block and Workshop, now Block B) was built in 1913 for this purpose. It was a single-storey building with a blacksmith's shop and a machine shop.
By 1913, the school site had the Technical College Building, the Workshops Building, a residence, a large shed, and a reservoir.
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In 1918, a second storey was added to the Science Block and Workshop. This new floor had a lecture room, classrooms, and laboratories for physics and chemistry.
In 1923, more changes were made. The domestic science scullery was extended, and the library was moved. A new brick fence and a retaining wall were built around the college in 1924, making the entrance look even grander.
Challenges and Growth
The late 1920s were tough for Mount Morgan. The gold mining company closed down in 1927. However, a new company, Mount Morgan Limited, started in 1929. The Great Depression made things difficult, but the Queensland Government helped the mine reopen in 1932. This brought jobs back to the town.
With the mine active again, there was a need for skilled workers. Technical College classes restarted, and the school became known as the Mount Morgan High and Intermediate School and Technical College. In 1937, the high school celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Over the years, more buildings were added to the school campus. By the 1950s, there was an assay laboratory and a carpenters and trade shop.
In the 1960s, more changes happened. The Intermediate School closed in 1963, and the Technical College closed in 1964. The Mount Morgan High School Past Pupils Association, which had done a lot for the school, also ended in 1968.
In 1972, the school celebrated its 60th anniversary, and a new classroom block was opened. The mine eventually closed its open-cut operations in 1981.
The school grounds have grown over time, with land added for sporting facilities. In 2012, Mount Morgan State High School celebrated its 100th anniversary, showing how important it is to the town.
Today, the old Technical College Building (Block A) is used for administration and teaching. The former Science Block and Workshop (Block B) is now the library and resource centre. Mount Morgan State High School continues to be a central part of the community, educating generations of students and hosting many social events.
What the School Looks Like
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Mount Morgan State High School is located on a large corner block in Mount Morgan. The main part of the school faces east towards Central Street, which is the main road. The site also has Bedsor Street to the north, Carlton Lane to the west, and Dee Street to the south.
The oldest building, the former Technical College Building (Block A), is in the southeastern corner. The former Science Block and Workshop (Block B) is in the middle of the site. The Technical College Building is very noticeable from the street and adds a lot to the look of the town. Other important features include a brick fence, entry steps, retaining walls, and a large fig tree.
The 1908 Former Technical College Building (Block A)
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This building has two floors and is made of brick. It has a corrugated metal roof that you can't see from the street because of tall brick walls called parapets. The building is L-shaped and looks grand and balanced from the outside. A verandah on the ground floor and a balcony on the first floor wrap around the back. A small timber-framed room, once a scullery, is at the end of the verandah.
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The building is made of red bricks and sandstone. The front walls have tall brick pillars that divide them into sections. The words "TECHNICAL COLLEGE" are written on the front parapet. The main entrance has wooden doors with an arched window above, and a stone carving with the date "1908". There's another entrance on the south side.
Most of the original windows have been replaced. The ones on the front are usually casement windows with two-light fanlights. Some central windows have arched fanlights.
The back verandah has square timber posts and a decorative timber railing. The balcony above has similar posts with fancy brackets.
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Inside, the ground floor has a central entrance area. There are long classrooms to the north and administration offices and classrooms to the south. A large classroom in the southwest used to be two rooms and still has an old glass partition.
A central cedar staircase with a decorative railing leads to the first floor. This floor has offices, long classrooms, and other classrooms. Some of these classrooms still have their original half-glass partitions.
Most rooms have plastered walls and timber ceilings. The first-floor lecture room has a curved ceiling, and you can see the roof lantern from there. The entrance area has a special pressed metal ceiling. Many original wooden doors and window frames are still in place.
The 1913 Former Science Block and Workshop (Block B)
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This building also has two floors and is made of brick. It has a corrugated metal roof with a special "Dutch-gable" shape. You can see chimneys on the back and north sides. The color of the bricks changes between the first and second floors, showing that the top floor was added later in 1918. A modern steel ramp is at the back, and the front stairs are also made of steel with a new awning.
Most of the doors and windows are modern, but they are in the original openings. Some old multi-light fanlights still exist.
Inside, both floors are mostly divided into two large spaces by a central brick wall. The walls are painted brick or covered with flat sheeting. The ground floor ceilings are plaster, and the first floor ceilings are timber boards.
School Grounds and Features
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The school grounds are well-kept with many old trees, including a large fig tree north of the Science Block.
A red brick fence, built around 1924, surrounds the Technical College Building on the south and east sides. It has pillars connected by walls and metal bars. This fence frames the main entrance, leading to tapered steps up to the building. Old cast iron lamps are on two pillars next to the stairs.
A rendered masonry retaining wall, also from 1924, runs along the eastern boundary. There are also stone and concrete retaining walls with stairs east of the Science Block.
The Technical College Building stands out because of its location, size, and materials. It's a landmark in the town and adds a lot to the look of Central Street. From the school grounds and buildings, you can see great views of the Mount Morgan Mine Site and the town.
Why This School is Special
Mount Morgan State High School is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's important to Queensland's history.
It shows how education changed:
- The Technical College Building (1908) is a great example of a building designed to train skilled workers for the Mount Morgan mine.
- The Science Block and Workshop (1913, extended 1918) shows how the government thought about education at the time.
- These buildings show the importance of mining in Queensland's early history.
- As one of Queensland's first state high schools, it shows how secondary education developed. It also shows how high school and technical education were linked in the early 1900s.
It shows what a technical college looked like:
- Mount Morgan State High School shows the main features of a Queensland technical college from the early 1900s. These colleges had separate buildings for different subjects.
- The Technical College Building is a great example of a large, strong brick building with a classical style. It has a grand look and is in a prominent spot. The inside was designed for different types of classes.
- The Science Block and Workshop is a good example of a workshop building for a technical college. It was built away from the main building to reduce noise and had chimneys for workshop furnaces.
It looks beautiful:
- The Technical College Building is very well preserved and has a strong, beautiful look.
- Its balanced design, strong brick and stone materials, and large size make it a landmark in the town. It looks like a place of learning and stability.
It's important to the community:
- Schools and technical colleges are always important to communities. They connect former students, parents, and teachers, and are a place for social events.
- Mount Morgan State High School has a strong connection with the Mount Morgan community. The community helped raise money to build it in 1908, and generations of students have learned there. It's a key meeting place for social events and has strong community support.
See also
