Gawler Primary School Nixon Terrace

**Fast Facts**
Type of organisation:	Government
Street name:	Nixon
Street suffix:	Terrace
Town or locality:	Gawler
Date established:	1878
Business or purpose:	School

Gawler Primary School is a state school in South Australia that opened in January 1878. It was one of the first eight model schools in South Australia. The school was designed by South Australia's Colonial Architect, Edward Woods. It is located on the edge of the historic Church Hill State Heritage Area of Gawler. The Gothic-styled bluestone main building and the original headmaster's residence (added in 1881) .

On February 18th, 1876, it was announced that a Model School would be built in Gawler [Gawler Model School]. This announcement followed a visit to Gawler by the Hon. E. Ward, Minister of Education at the time, and Mr. J. A. Hartley the Director of Education. On December 8th of the same year, the tender of Mr William Tardif for the building of the new school was accepted. the contract price being £4,695. Nowadays this school would cost in the vicinity of a million dollars.

On April 12th, 1877 the Foundation Stone of the School was laid by the Mayor, the Hon. James Martin, in the presence of the Governor of South Australia, Sir W. W. Cairns. lt is obvious that Mr. Martin was held in very high esteem for although the Governor was present, Mr. Martin was chosen to perform this ceremony. He had opened his foundry in 1848 and had been a Member of Parliament as well as Mayor. The eventual cost of the building was £4,93 1.18.0 and accommodation was provided for 600 children.

The school was eventually opened on January 24th,1878, in the presence of the Minister of Education Sir Arthur Blyth and the President of the Council of Education, Mr. J. A. Hartley.

An official luncheon was held at one of the local hotels, and we can be sure that the new building was toasted by those present, for it was a real red-letter day for Gawler.

Click here to read 'One Hundred Years of Gawler Primary School' by J.S. Clark

Click here to view photos of Gawler Primary School.

Memories of Gawler Primary School

In her 'Gawler Memories 1901 to 2001', Beatrice 'Trix' McConnell, recalls her time at the 'Public School' (probably c1915), "under the care of such dedicated teachers as the Misses Ada and Daisy Finch" and states “The hero of our school days was Mr Bruin, [sic] who was killed in the first world war.” ^[1] Ernest Otto Alfred Bruns was a teacher at the Gawler Public School for two years (c1912-1914) before resigning to enter the defence service.^[2] (see ANZACs and other WWI Personnel)
To read "Memories of life in Gawler with special reference to school years 1944-1954" by Terry Krieg please click here

Travelling to School

Whilst many children would have walked to school, in the past horses also played an important role:

c1909 - Clethra Payne and her sisters (daughters of William Gilbert Payne), lived about a mile [1.6 km] from the school at their family's home Orange Grove Evanston, a horse cart would be sent to meet them at the Duck Flat Swing Bridge at lunchtime, take them home for hot dinner and then return them to school!^[3]
c1937-1940s - Dawn Lehmann (later Dawn Schultz) used to ride her horse about 6 miles [9.7 km] from her family's farm Para Glen at Kalbeeba, leave it at the Exchange Hotel stables and then carry on to the school on foot.

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References

↑ Beatrice E McConnell (2001) "Gawler Memories 1901 to 2001", pg 8.
↑ LIEUTENANT BRUNS (Daily Herald 17 May 1915) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/134409254
↑ Clethra Spilsbury nee Payne (1987) Family History & Recollections – Unpublished (from the collection of Miriam Smith nee Cheek – Clethra’s niece)(Gratitude from GHT for access to this resource & to the late Clethra Spilsbury for recording her recollections, aged 84)