Banjo Patterson wrote, ‘I think Australian boys who have never been at school in the bush have lost something for which town life can never compensate.’ This quote could apply to the girls as well as the boys who attended “Tareela” School on “Campo Santo” or “Plumthorpe” two or three miles away.
Just a mention of school to someone who attended either “Tareela” or “Plumthorpe” gives rise to reminiscences and lots of laughter, but not much about what was actually learnt! But according to reports given by some teachers, with whom contact has been renewed, pupils should have learnt something.
School lessons prior to 1927 were taken in a temporary building adjacent to one of the outbuildings on “Campo Santo” until “Tareela” school building was built and operated as a subsidised school. Although Vida Peters (nee Matthews) recalls –
‘Some of the Simshausers and Gwen and I had our first school lessons in the loungeroom. That would have been “Old Tareela” house as the Matthews were living there at the time. “Old Tarcela” was of wide slabs – the interior was covered with a rose-patterned wallpaper.’
Dorothy Kiernan was the teacher at “Tareela” in 1927 followed by her sister Beryl Kiernan – both from Deepwater, then Miss Williamson and Miss Westerweller. Miss Westerweller (from Gunnedah) died many years ago. Beryl Kiernan, now Mrs Meredith, lives at Willow Tree. Dorothy Kiernan (married Harold Mann in 1931) lived at Manilla until she died on 12 August 1991.
In May 1991, Herc, Isabel and I (Winifred) visited Dorothy Mann in Manilla. Though a rather frail 90 year old, she was a pleasure to visit and obviously very thrilled to have communication with the Simshauser family again. She said that she had seen Clive often over the years. Dorothy Mann had taught Herc, Clive, Enid, Eunice and Gordon. Her husband Harold, who had managed “Mt. Lindsay Station”, was 92 in July 1991. He is a patient in the retirement wing of Manilla Hospital and their son James (53) is in Richardson House at Barraba Hospital – he is handicapped but being well cared for. Jim goes to Sydney each year to take part in the “City to Surf” race – in 1991 he came 365th.
Miss May Northy was a governess at “Campo Santo” pre Dorothy Mann . Dorothy Mann recalls.
‘When at “Campo Santo” I stayed three months at the Matthews and then three months at the Simshausers. Gran (ie. Rosie) was very good to me. When I had finished the day’s teaching, Gran would have the washing brought in, folded and ironed – a bowl of fruit, strawberries or melon, waiting for afternoon tea. She was so good to me.’
“Tareela” School closed in 1931, after which the children went to “Plumthorpe” School. “Plumthorpe” School was 10 miles from Barraba, just a mile or so from the previous school at “Tareela”. From 1912-1917 and 1920-1929, “Plumthorpe” was conducted as a subsidised school. In 1929 it became a fully-fledged public school and Minnie Connelly was appointed as teacher, where she stayed until 1932. Warren Jarratt followed until 1939 when he was transferred to Muscle Creek. His yearly wage at the time was 350 pounds. During the war he enlisted in the RAAF and was reported missing, presumed dead. Herc remembers Warren Jarratt as a good tennis player – they won a tennis tournament together at Barraba once.
After Warren Jarratt came Peter Sweency (1939-1941), who married Evelyn Hottes in 1940 at Glen Innes, he died of cancer. In 1941 Allan Cook was appointed,
but after a short period of time, he enlisted in the army and soon afterwards, Mervyn Pryer took up the appointment for the remainder of the year. From “Plumthorpe”, Mervyn Pryer went to Terry-Hie-Hie and at a later stage to Baan Baa. (Incidentally, Mervyn Pryer was best man at Enid Joan Simshauser’s wedding to John Millett.) John Nicholson taught at the school from September 1942 until January 1945 when he was appointed to Tingha. He married Edna Brett, a local girl, at Barraba in 1945. He was followed in 1945 by Ian Leslie Wilson and various other teachers until the school was closed in 1965.
Beryl Currell and Marj McCusker (nee Johnson, and sisters of Kitty Simshauser), recall their days at “Plumthorpe” School.
‘Ruth always looked pretty in her pink jumper. Maurice rode this big fat horse, with his little legs stretched out almost straight. Lex was always jovial and liked jokes. Lex’s nickname was “Pickles” and Maurice was called “Pug”. Behind the Simshauser children, coming to school, was their cousin Peggy Matthews on her bicycle.’
Beryl and Marj also referred to concerts being held at “Plumthorpe” School, when pupils from “Plumthorpe” Brigalow, Hawkin’s Creek and “Tareela” schools took part. One particular memory of these concerts was when “Tareela” pupils came dressed and painted all in black, performing “With A Banjo on my Knee”. It must have been entertaining because Clive remembers it, saying with a laugh, ‘I must have been good!!’
For his early education Clive attended “Tareela” School and he lists Ray, Marjorie and Muriel Baldwin; Vida, Gwen, Nita and Peggy Matthews; and members of the Simshauser family – Herc, Enid Joan, Eunice, Gordon and maybe Ruth as fellow students.
Clive recollects his school days.
‘I think I could have been a bit of a rogue at “Tarcela” School because one year I only missed half a day and I got the cane that day as well as every other day.
I remember one time when Miss Westerweller was teaching, I put a slit in the chair seat and stuffed it with stinging nettles. I could never understand how the teacher always knew that I was the culprit.’