
PERICOE PUBLIC SCHOOL
Pericoe Public School was dedicated in 1883
after many petitions from local farmers.
The school was opened as a Provisional School
in September 1884. A vested site of 2 acres,
with a reserve of 13¼ acres, had been
acquired by Government Grant dated 12th December
1883.
The school was raised to Public School status
on 30th September 1888 but was closed in
October 1889 until a daily average of 12
could be maintained. The school was reopened in May 1896. It was
temporarily closed after being burnt down
in January 1899 but was rebuilt and reopened
in July 1899.
The records are rather obscure but it seems
to have been closed in November 1899 and
only reopened in May 1905 when it was made
a Half-Time school with Lett's Creek.
It was made a Provisional school in August
1910.
The school was made Half-Time with Burragate
in January 1926 and was made Provisional
in May 1926.
The school was closed at the end of 1937.
The reserve was given up on 27th October
1958 and the grant of the site revoked on
4th December 1959.
Compiled by Unknown
Records tell of complaints from teachers,
of children who would not attend classes
and of parents who would not pay fees or
send children to school and of teachers who
took regular sick leave for stress. Parents
complained of child abuse by teachers.
The Pericoe school burnt down in 1899, was
rebuilt and opened on October 2, 1902. The
new teacher being Mr. Austin B. O'Hara, who
later married Veronie Alexander (second youngest
child of John and Elizabeth Alexander. The
school was destroyed again in 1904, reopening
in 1905. At some stage, Mr. Horace Eden Alexander,
known as Eden Alexander, allowed the use
of one of his buildings for the Pericoe School
which was burnt down again in March 1916.
(This above information given by Kathy Airton,
decendent of the Alexander family of Pericoe.)
'Magnet' June 1929.
* Mr. C. P. Brown - school teacher at Towamba
* Mr. McMullan - school teacher at Pericoe
* Mr. Cornford - school teacher at Burragate
'Magnet' November 1929
Teachers: Mr. Luff - Rocky Hall
Mr. Cornford - Burragate
Mr. Browne - Towamba Mr. Tyson - Kiah
Mr. Bissell - Wyndham
'Magnet' December 6, 1930
* Mr. A. R. McMullen - teacher at Pericoe....followed
by Mr. Kenneth Scott?
'Magnet' February 7, 1931
* The teacher and pupils of Pericoe School
have commenced making a large ground map
of Australia. The children are very interested
in the work.
'Magnet' June 6, 1931
* The school picnic held on the 11th instant
proved a great day out for the children while
the large gathering of grown-ups found plenty
of amusement. The following events resulted.
Ladies foot race, Miss M. Arnold.
Stepping distance, Mrs. W. Love.
Nail driving, Miss M. Arnold.
Stepping distance, F. Umback.
Throwing at wicket, A. Sawers, J. Arnold.
The dance at night attracted a fair crowd.
Miss Joan Dickie was at the piano and Mr.
Alexander, M. C. A Monte Carlo was won by
Miss Sidebottom and Mr. Jim Love, while Miss
Eileen Love and Mr. F. Umback were the lucky
couple to win a spot waltz. During the evening
Mrs. O. Love, Mr. M. Payne rendered a duet.
'Magnet' October 3, 1931
* On Monday last the local school held its
annual egg day and thanks to the cooperation
of the parents, citizens and pupils a nice
case of eggs was sent over to the Pambula
District Hospital.
'Magnet' December 26, 1931
* Mr. J. Cook, our teacher, left last weekend
for his home in the Tamworth district where
he intends to spend his vacation. Lionel
Love, a pupil of the Pericoe School was successful
in the recent Primary Final Examination.
'Magnet' July 2, 1932
* Mr. Cook - teacher at Pericoe for the last
eighteen months was farewelled.
Mr. A. E. Alexander was in the chair and
Mr. Allmond and Mr. Morton. During the evening
songs were rendered by Messers Payne, Hanson,
Rixon and excellent music provided by Mrs.
Keys and Mr. Hanson, assisted by Messers
Alexander and Smith.
'Magnet' September 10, 1932
* Pericoe School re opened as a provisional
school.
'Magnet' September 17, 1932
* Mr. J. Williams was appointed teacher on
13th September.
'Magnet' November 17, 1934
* Congratulations to Miss Isobel May, East
Boyd and Miss Amelia Brownlie upon their
success in the recent primary final examination.
'Magnet' August 17, 1935
RIDING TO SCHOOL
Government Subsidy Rates
As mentioned in the 'Magnet' last week children
who travel to school on horseback or by vehicle
are to be granted subsidy in future by the
Department of Education.
The rates of subsidy as specified in the
Education Gazette, the official journal of
the Department, are as follows: - for one
child conveyed to school either by vehicle
or on horseback, 4 pence; for two children
of one family conveyed by vehicle or on two
horses, 8 pence; for three children by vehicle
or using three horses, 9 pence; this is the
maximum daily rate for any one family group.
In cases where more than one child rides
to school on the one horse only the rate
for one child will be paid. The new conditions
will come into operation on September 10th.