HISTORY

Eumundi’s early schools

Two teachers – Mr James Ellis and Mr Adam Reid – taught 100 children of railway workers at Mt Eerwah Temporary Provisional School from November 1890 until it closed in September 1891 when the railway opened and workers left.

The State Government agreed in 1893 to establish a Provisional School in Eumundi to cater for the increasing number of children in the area whose parents were mainly in farming or wood-cutting industries.

Mr Walter Pole-Hore, a qualified teacher from London, was appointed Principal. With wife Frances he arrived in North Arm around 1869, later moving to Eerwah Vale to farm. They produced 11 children however four died in infancy. Daughters Eliza and Florence became his teaching assistants. Florence also trained as a nurse and opened a private hospital from her home opposite the Butter Factory.

The Pole-Hore children were all gifted. Several returned to England for further education sponsored by a wealthy aunt. Son Victor served in the Boer War and WWI and won the Military Cross.

Legend says that Mr Pole-Hore removed his boots every lunchtime, put his feet on the desk and took a nap. The children often played pranks on the sleeping Principal. Mr Pole Hore died in 1923 and is buried at Eumundi Cemetery.

The first pupils enrolled at the Eumundi school were: Ellen, Edith, Alice and James Gridley; Thomas, Andrew and William Beausang; Edie and Maud Arundel; and the Head Teacher’s daughter Amy. Offspring from the Bedington, Cash, Burrell, Briggs, Luke and Goodman families made up the original 23 pupils.

Parent E H Arundell, proprietor of the general store, owned the Mt Eerwah school furniture and donated it to the newly built school and teacher’s residence. In 1911 Mr G H Cooke became Head Teacher to 86 pupils and the school and teacher’s residence were enlarged.

Eumundi School had many students who went on to have impressive careers including former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Hielscher brothers. Roy became Chief Superintendent of Qld Police and Sir Leo Hielscher was Under-Secretary of the Qld Treasury Dept.

A small school at Mt Eerwah opened in 1913 but closed in 1917 and was relocated to Brown’s Creek. An Eerwah Vale Provisional State School operated from 1925 until December 1963. Another at Belli opened in 1908 with 11 girls and 9 boys and closed in 1963. Doonan School opened in 1919 on donated land and 173 students passed through until it closed in 1954.

Verrierdale School at the junction of Verrierdale Rd and Venning Rd opened in 1916. It closed several times when numbers dropped and in 1963 closed forever.

Most of today’s Eumundi State School students are from areas ranging from Doonan to Kenilworth.

Eileen Walder