The history of Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street)
1857
Ballarat opened as a national school in 1857. When it opened it was called Dana Street. The teachers were Charles Martin and his wife. On the first day the school opened 50 students attended.
The school building was made from bluestone with a slate roof.
1862
The school became a common school in 1862.
1876
The school became a state school sometime in 1876. Four church schools closed and these students moved to Dana Street when it became a state school.
A new and larger brick school building opened in January 1876. It had a slate roof. There were 1,100 students now at the school. The head teacher was R.A. Armstrong. Evening classes (night school) were held in the old bluestone school building.
1907
Ballarat High School moved into the old bluestone building and remained there until 1910. After this the Ballarat Junior Technical School used the building for classes while waiting for its new building to be finished.
1913
The school building was remodelled in 1913.
1927
The Ballarat Teachers College moved into the old bluestone building for a year while the Ballarat East Town Hall was renovated. The College closed in 1931 because of the Great Depression.
1926
Jubilee gates were built at the school to recognise that Queen Elizabeth 11 had been the Queen for 25 years.
1946
The Ballarat Teachers College re-opened moved back into the old bluestone building. It stayed there until 1958.
1967
The slate roof was replaced with tiles.
1970
The school was renamed Ballart Primary School, also known as Dana Street Primary School.
Ballarat Dana Street Primary School in 1970. Source: Laurie Burchell and the State Library of Victoria
1976
The school marked its 150th anniversary in 1976.
1990s
Several major projects were completed in the 1990s. The school was remodelled and the old national school building was converted into a 'multipurpose room for assemblies, indoor games, ballet [and] parent's nights'. The principal at the time was John Hughes.
2022
Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street) is still in operation.
Find more interesting facts about this school
The Public Records Office (PROV) is the archive of Victoria's State and local government. They look after some of our oldest school records, and we can use these records to help us understand what school life used to be like.
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