Purga State School

Purga Creek State School opened 11th September 1871 on a government reserve near the home of James Lucas. The contractor was the Ipswich firm, Messrs. Jeffcoat and Sons.

The District Inspector reported on 2nd June 1876:

"This site was originally a water reserve adjoining Portion 102, Parish of Purga, Country of Churchill. It comprises 7ac 1 rd of level ground, no timber on it, soil light, sandy, rather "hungry". The teacher has fenced about three-fourths of an acre with a close paling fence, and cultivates this very successfully as a flower and kitchen garden. Two sides of the site are fenced with a substantial two rail fence (split rail). The creek forms a sort of boundary but in ordinary seasons cattle and horses can cross the creek anywhere almost. The site is too low, and the approaches are very bad. The foot bridge on the road down which most of the children come is in a dangerous state, too planks were carried off by flood just before I visited the school.

 

School room: 30ft by 16ft, no verandahs, no class-room, floor hardwood, walls hardwood weatherboard, wall-plates, rafters, battens pine, shingles hardwood, spouted water not used. No lining or ceiling, no white-ant.

 

The dwelling is a four-room cottage 20 x 20 with four-feet verandahs front and back. A kitchen and servants' bed-room has been built 22ft by 12ft with a platform connecting with the back verandah. Floor hardwood (boards closed recently), walls hardwood weatherboard, wall-plates, rafters battens pine, shingles hardwood, white-ant is in roof, got up by chimney some where spouted, no tank. Wants painting.

 

The closets are sound and substantial but placed in a hollow (comparatively) and much too near school, dwelling and each other. The boys' closet, farthest away is only 16 yards from the kitchen and the same distance from the school. The stench is very bad after rain, on the day I was there it was unbearable at the house. I have indicated on the plan of the site where I consider they should be moved to.

 

The water from the roofs is not stored, it is much discolored but does not taste badly. The Creek water in dry seasons is bad.

In 1879 the school role consisted of just 5 students: Margaret Spelman, Janet Lucas, Robert Baines, John Myers and Ada Norman. 

In 1944 the name of the school was changed to Purga State School.

School Principals were:

• Mrs. Sarah Robson from 1 September 1871 to 31 December 1871
• William Berry from 1 January 1872 to 15 July 1873
• F. K. Milne from 16 July 1873 to 31 December 1876
• James Patrick Sydes from 1 January 1877 to 30 March 1879
• Thomas Baines from 27 May 1879 to 15 March 1882
• Samuel Clark from 1 April 1882 to 30 September 1886
• Joshua Taylor from 25 October 1886 to 1 January 1900
• Stephen O'Donoghue from 1 January 1900 to 27 February 1907
• Theador Bernhart Julius Wenck from 11 March 1907 to 19 March 1909
• Arthur Mallett from 18 March 1909 to 1 July 1927
• Arthur Clifford Schneider from 1 July 1927 to 28 February 1929
• Richard Robert Jacobi from 1 March 1929 to 1 January 1947
• Edward Darcy Cullen from 1 January 1947 to 7 July 1947
• Irdwin Cedric Litzow from 7 July 1947 to 9 March 1953
• George William Marks from 25 May 1953 to 1 January 1959
• Edgar Graham Jeffs from 1 January 1959 to 27 August 1962
• Selwny Lloyd Steinhardt from 27 August 1962 to 1 January 1964
• 31 December 1963 - the school closed
• 1 January 1964 - the school reopened
• Donald Sidney Wyatt from 25 May 1964 to 1 January 1966
• Henry George Riis from 1 January 1966 to 31 December 1967
• 31 December 1967 the school closed because of low attendance