End of an era for Booligal

The last ones standing … principal Linda Stewart with the 2023 cohort who will now attend schools in Hay: Dusty Plum, Eli and Scarlett Crossley.

By Tertia Butcher Editor

It is the end of an era for Booligal Public School which closes next week.

With only three students enrolled for 2023, the school is going into temporary recess on December 22 until there are viable numbers to re-open in the coming years.

Principal, Linda Stewart is in her 11th year with the school which was first opened in 1871.

She is also the longest-serving principal in the school’s 151-year history and under her watch, students have produced excellent academic results and have embraced art and culture, as well as sustainability.

According to the Department’s archival records, the school opened as a Provisional School as it had fewer than 25 students, but more than 15.

The first teacher was George Pitcher, and as a Provisional School, parents provided the building and furniture, while the Council of Education, later to become the Department of Education, paid for the teacher and supplied the books and equipment.

Untrained teachers or teachers of the lowest classifications staffed provisional schools, so it seems that George Pitcher may have been untrained.

In 1875 the residents of Booligal applied to the Council of Education to have their Provisional School converted to a Public School.

The members of the local committee at the time who made the application to the Council of Education were Thomas Lang a surgeon, George Williamson (storekeeper) and James Maclurcan (storekeeper’s assistant).

However, their efforts were to fail as the Inspector, E.H. Flannery investigated their claims and found there were hardly enough children for a Provisional School let alone a Public School.

It was not until 1880 that Booligal School became a Public School.

At this time children were taught in a tent that measured 18 feet by 15 feet.

In 1878 Mary Bourke became the first female teacher in Booligal.

Booligal correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald wrote of Miss Bourke:

“The provisional School here is now under the charge of Miss Bourke, a young lady who deserves every praise for the manner in which the children are progressing. I regret to notice that her efforts are not adequately appreciated for the attendance is not what it should be”.

Mary Bourke had problems, which were hardly of an educational nature, for example in 1878 many of her pupils were forced to stay at home for long periods due to Sandy Blight.

In 1901 the new Booligal School was completed, which is the same school building being used today.

The school closed in 1947, likely due to a lack of numbers and reopened in 1953, again as Provisional School for the next four years.

In 1989 Booligal Public School enrolment reached the giddy heights of 28 students and two teachers were employed by the Department, being Lyn Nisbet and Maryanne Ginns (later Headon).

Jenny Sheaffe remembers the school community lobbying for septic toilets, new teacher’s quarters and teachers with previous teaching experience to be sent to one-teacher schools in isolated areas.

The school made sure it had a representative on the Country Areas Program.

However, the school again closed in 1999 and re-opened in 2003.

“We can all be proud of the children who have attended Booligal Public School, they have gone on to achieve in many walks of life,” former parent and support staff member, Jenny Sheaffe said.

The final presentation evening will be held this Friday, December 16.