Early Schools in Athelstone
Athelstone, known formerly as ‘Studley’ or ‘Pinkerton’s Sections’, was a smaller and more isolated district than Campbelltown or Magill and hence had fewer children. While Campbelltown and Magill both had government-funded State schools by 1876, Athelstone did not have a State school until 1897. Schools and teachers were almost completely unregulated prior to the Education Act of 1851. Most schools “came and went unrecorded, disappearing with the marriage or departure of the teacher”. Therefore, it is impossible to be certain exactly how many early schools there were and which one was first.
Athelstone Licensed School
Although the historian Elizabeth Warburton dismisses the suggestion that Coulls’ Cottage, a small cottage to the east of Coulls Road, Athelstone, was the location of the first school in Athelstone, there may in fact be some truth to the legend.
According to John T. Leaney, in his book “Campbelltown 1868 – 1968”:
“It was in the year 1858 that the Board of Education sanctioned a school for Athelstone. This school is reported to have been conducted in a small four-roomed dwelling near the Torrens River, east of Coulls Road. It is believed that a private school may have been carried on in this building before the advent of the Departmental one. The first teacher was Elizabeth Rogers with twenty-nine pupils.”
Indeed, the first mention in the newspapers of a teacher appointed to Athelstone by the Board of Education is Mrs Rogers in August 1858. A report on the schoolroom in Athelstone in January 1859, states that it is “small and incommodious” and recommends a temporary licence from 1st October 1859.
After this date, the school was referred to as the ‘Athelstone Licensed School’ and an account of its public examination was published in the newspapers in September 1861:
“ATHELSTONE LICENSED SCHOOL. — A public examination of this school, which is conducted by Mrs. Rogers, was held on the 13th instant, the Rev. E. K. Miller acting as examiner. There are about 40 children connected with the school, and 33 of them were present. Though the majority of the pupils were very young, they readily answered a variety of questions in the elementary branches to which their studies had been necessarily limited—the elder ones reciting poetry, &c., very nicely. The needlework was inspected by the ladies present, and much admired, and the general order and neatness of the children also called forth deserved commendation. The examination was followed by games, tea, and prizes, a profitable and pleasant day being concluded by the little ones selecting articles from a prolific Christmas-tree.”
Mrs Elizabeth Rogers (nee Tolley) resigned to marry Joseph Martin Doke at Magill in July 1862 and they both went on to teach at the Cob Schoolhouse at St Martin’s Anglican Church, Campbelltown. In October 1864, newspaper advertisements seeking a married couple to teach at the Athelstone Licensed School ask for applications submitted to the Board of Education or to J. G. Coulls, Athelstone, linking the school to the Coulls family.
Early Teachers
Other early teachers of note included Miss Emily Congreve in 1862, followed by Miss Marion Lynch in 1868, and Miss Ellen Bollen in 1872.
Little is known about Miss Emily Congreve, other than she probably took over the Athelstone Licensed School from Mrs Rogers. However, her obituary in 1896 paints a vivid picture of a sensitive and literate woman, who published under the nom de plume ‘Little Jacob’:
“But little before the public, she yet wielded a gifted pen, and although her only published volume was ‘[Colonial] Pen-Scratchings,’ she was known as the writer of several serial and various fugitive pieces of poetry.”
Miss Marion Lynch rented a room in the house of Mrs Hersey senior and likely taught some of the Hersey children. She married twice and died in Springvale, Victoria, in 1904.
Meanwhile, Ellen Bollen was teaching in the ‘schoolroom’ of her aunt, Mrs Chapman, on Maryvale Road. Miss Bollen also taught some members of the early pioneer family of Henry Hersey, but she was young and shortly became engaged, so that in March 1873 she was introducing a new schoolmaster named Gunn to the Herseys.
In December 1866, a public meeting at Athelstone failed to gain financial support for a new schoolhouse.
Athelstone Institute School
The Athelstone Institute built in 1870 and used as a schoolroom from 1872 to 1897.
In 1872, a dispute arose between the Misses Bollen and Lynch, which ended in the former receiving the teaching licence as well as the right to use the Institute room. The dispute between Misses Bollen and Lynch revolved around school inspections. The Chief Inspector visited both schools on Friday the 30th August 1872 and reported as follows:
"Miss Bollen's school, Athelstone, was inspected by me on Friday last. It is held in an excellent building, the new Institute. The condition of the school was very favourable; all the classes were well employed and orderly; several of the first class read and spelt well in English history; most of them doing the compound rules in arithmetic; and one girl proportion, with which she was thoroughly acquainted. The same class did tolerably well in the elements of grammar and geography. The school is fairly supplied with furniture and materials. Pupils attending the school, 43; when inspected, 30.
Miss Lynch's school was inspected immediately afterwards. The building is tolerably commodious, and the school is conducted in two rooms, the principal one in charge of Miss Lynch, that for the young children in charge of her sister. The school was in a better condition than when last visited. The children especially of the first class read and spelt fairly, and several did sums correctly up to compound subtraction. Judging from the copy-books examined by me, several of the children were absent, but the writing generally was hardly equal to that of the other school. Pupils attending the school, 42; when inspected, 30. Mr. A. Walters, Secretary of the Athelstone Institute, intimated that Miss Bollen had been allowed to hold her school in the Institute, and he was fully persuaded it would conduce to the health and comfort of the children, and would also increase the attendance, if it were conducted there.”
The Board postponed their decision for time, but eventually a licence was granted to Miss Bollen to teach at the Athelstone Institute.
Athelstone Primary School
In 1897, the Education Department built a stone schoolhouse and headmaster’s residence at Gorge Road, Athelstone.
Mr Fredrick William Martin taught at the Athelstone Institute from 1895 onwards, and became the first headmaster of the newly built Athelstone Primary School in 1897. He was one of the most highly respected residents of Athelstone, sometimes referred to as “Athelstone’s greatest teacher”. Looked upon by Athelstone residents as their guide, philosopher, and friend, and one to whom all, young and old, could go for assistance and advice. Fred Martin was born at Bowmansville, Canada, where he began his teaching career. He came to South Australia in 1883, and his first local appointment was to Dowlingville School, Yorke's Peninsula. He entered the training college in 1885, and on becoming certificated, had charge, successively, of the Sebastopol, Keyneton, Currency Creek, Willowie, and Athelstone Schools. After serving almost 25 years at Athelstone, Fred Martin died tragically in a horse and carriage accident in 1919.
As the population grew, the stone schoolhouse on Gorge Road became too small, and the current Athelstone School on Brookside Road, Athelstone, replaced it in 1965.
Researched and compiled by Vaughan Williams and Sue Polkinghorne, volunteers with the Campbelltown Library “Digital Diggers” group.
If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History officer on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au
References
From the River to the Hills: Campbelltown 150 years. Pages 39, 113, 123, 138. Warburton, Elizabeth, 1919-2016. Publisher: Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, 1986. Viewed July 23rd, 2020.
Campbelltown 1868 – 1968. Page 95-96. Leaney, John T., 1901-1970. Publisher: Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, 1968. Viewed July 23rd, 2020.
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