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Shire of Victoria Plains
6
1
st
August 1917
Dear Diary,
Yay! The ribbon has just been cut to officially announce Calingiri
Primary School open/. I am the first student through the gates.
When I walked through the gates I saw a metal playground and
wooden buildings. I heard someone calling my name.
“Margaret, Margaret!”
I turned around, it was mum. She was waving goodbye in the
carriage. Our old Horse Barney pulls us everywhere.
As I walked into the classroom, the teacher was writing many
words on the board. She had short, brown, curly hair. She is
dressed in a lacy white shirt, a short black jacket, a long brown
skirt, stockings and pointy black shoes. I also noticed long
fingernails. I suppose she uses those for scratching the
blackboard. I found my desk, it was long and wooden. Each desk
had a slate and a pencil.
The bell rang and kids came rushing in with excitement but that
soon ended with a deafening shush by the teacher. She held the
cane up and told us to sit up straight, use our manners and be
perfect! Her voice echoes around the room. I was beginning to
feel frightened. I quickly sat down and copied what she had
written on the board. What a great day!
From Margaret
By Cameron (Year 6)
1
st
August 1917
Dear Diary,
I am really excited that Calingiri Primary School has finally opened.
We all have slate boards and wooden desks. I walked to school and
I was the first student there. I was the first student to try our new
slate pencils. My teachers are Miss Longford and Miss Brennan. The
school is really big and so is the classroom. When we learn, Miss
Longford writes first then we have to copy it. She walks around and
looks at our work. If you write with your left hand, you will get the
cane across your knuckles. When you get asked a question you
have to politely stand up and answer what the teacher asks.
From Sophie (Year 5)
1
st
August 1917
Dear Diary,
Today I am excited that I am finally going to
school. I can’t believe it is finally open – yay!!
When I walked into the classroom I saw on
desks and ink wells in them. That is what I
have to use to write. Because it is my first day
of school I was not really neat so I got
whacked on my knuckles by the cane.
From Sidney (Year 3)
1
st
August 1917
Dear Diary,
The school just opened. The classroom is old. They have wooden desks. I feel nervous because it’s my first day of
school. My classroom is full of students waiting anxiously for the teacher to arrive. I have heard if you’re naughty you
will get the cane.
From Zac (Year 3)
1
st
August 1917
Dear Diary,
It’s my first day of Calingiri Primary School. The
school has just opened! We have wooded desks
with ink wells in them. We have to copy the
teacher; so far I haven’t got the cane. I got to
school by horse and cart. There are a lot of
desks. They are very long and fit a lot of people
on them. The first person I saw to be hit with
the cane was a person who was writing with his
left hand. The teacher had a big chalk board
and she kept going around the room inspecting
peoples work. Tomorrow I think we are making
envelopes.
From Louis (Year 4)
Calingiri Primary School, Student Stories.