Miss Grace Adams

My Dad's first cousin, Grace Adams was attending the Flemington training school in 1922.

She was one of the "5 best spellers" at the school at that time.

Grace is the girl on the far right of the photo.
Read more information about the Old Flemington Training School at Lenore's website Time Travellers in Essendon, Flemington and the Keilor Plains

Grace's contributed a composition to the Victorian Education Department's Jubilee exhibition in 1922 which is still in the possession of her sons Warren and Geoff Delbridge.

What amazing handwriting for a 6 year old!

"May and Annie are going to the country and May is taking her grandmother a bunch of flowers.  When they get to the country they will have lunch."

Education Department, Victoria

Jubilee Exhibition 1922

Exhibitor Grace Adams

Age 6

School 250 Flemington.

In July 1923 on hearing that she was unwell  Grace's teacher wrote her the following letter.

Essendon July 29th

Dear Grace,

I was very sorry to hear that you were unable to come to school but I hope you will be well again before long.

Your little brothers were quite excited as they told me that you had left school forever, but I hope it will not be long before I see you back.  

You would like to be back when we go over to the new school, wouldn't you?

Perhaps you will be put into a higher grade as you do such nice work.

Good-bye, now, dear Grace.  I hope you will soon be quite better.

Your loving teacher

B McFarlane

Grace's teacher 'B McFarlane' would most likely have been Helen Valetta "Blanche" McFarlane (1881- 1974) daughter of John McFarlane, an engineer and Emily Amelia McFarlane, nee Gray.

Warren tells me that both the envelope and note paper are bamboo paper.

The images on the writing paper and envelope are of the pagoda near the Sarusawa pond at Nara in Japan.  

The pond was created in 749. (see - https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-parks-gardens/sarusawa )

Marungi Primary School

I recently joined the Shepparton Family History Group

It was something I have been going to do for a long while but could never find the spare time.

At the meeting I met Jan and Garry who run the Katandra and District History Group

My paternal grandparents moved to the Goulburn Valley around the early 1940s and continued to move around to different districts in the area nearly every 12 months as my grandfather bought run down farms to fix up and sell.

Around 1951 they were living at Marungi.

Dad thinks he only attended the school there for about a year when he was 12 or 13 years old.  He remembers the names of many fellow pupils and also the teacher then, Mr. Smith.

Marungi S S  photo taken 1933

Unfortunately the records for the school were apparently destroyed by the last teacher so, from the memories of past pupils and teachers, Jan and Garry have been compiling a list of attendees.  They think there could be another 100 or so past students

The photos above and the information below are courtesy of Jan and Garry Wallden of the
Marungi State School page 

School History (taken from "Vision and Realisation")
 

Opened 6th of April 1880, S S 2236 was established in a one-room weatherboard building sited on the Yarrawonga Rd, 12 miles S/E of Numurkah township to serve the families of selectors in the area. Initial enrolment was 60 pupils under John West with his wife acting as S M (sewing mistress), the West family residing in a log cabin nearby. Closer settlement, irrigation and motor transport combined to close the school in 1957, the pupils being transported to Katandra West . See also Katandra West No 4401.

Further information and some photos can be found there as well.

Jan and Garry are hoping to add to the data  they have and would love to hear from any other person who attended the school or who may have further information or even photos.

Please contact them through the link on the Katandra and District History Group page.