150 years: Walhalla State School

Walhalla opened as a private school in 1867.

The first head teacher was George Campbell Christie.

There were 73 students enrolled at the school.

The average attendance was less than 60 students.

The school was approved as Walhalla Common School (No. 957).

Henry Tisdall and his wife Lucy replaced Mr Christie as head teachers. They both had first class teaching certificates. But Mr Christie was unwilling to stand aside.

In late 1868 he was still claiming to be the head teacher and asking for his salary.

It turned out Mr Christie was actually running a rival school in the Wesleyan Chapel.

There was some disagreement over the use of the school building. Some in the town believed it was a Mechanics Institute and belonged to the people of Walhalla.

This would mean it could be used for many other purposes.

Others believed it belonged to the Department of Education.

The school group won.

But it was soon decided that the school site was located too near the noisy Long Tunnel Mine.

The loud mining machinery made teaching almost impossible.

In 1872, Mr Tisdall reported: 'the school is situated in a narrow valley within 80 ft of the Long Tunnel Battery. It has always been a difficult matter to conduct the school properly in consequence of the noise of the machines, but since the erection of five more heads of stamps and stone-crusher, the increased noise makes it impossible'.

It was agreed that the Mechanics Institute would take over the school building.

The school was to be moved when a new building was finished.

The school became Walhalla State School.

By this time 390 students were enrolled at the school. Around 150 students came to school regularly and around 135 came part time. Many did not attend at all. The average number of students was 250 students.

There was also a private school in the area that had 35 students.

The school opened in its new location.

The school burnt down.

A new school was built with six big classrooms plus another ‘big room'.

Sections of the building were removed as the number of enrolled students dropped.

The school was closed from 1952 to 1955 and in 1959.

The school closed in 1965.

The last head teacher was John Hayward.

Some of the serving head teachers have been:

• George C Christie (1867-68)
• Henry T Tisdall (1868-86)
• John Fairhall (1886-89)
• John Stewart (1890-94)
• John T Burke (1898-1902)
• James Gerrard (1903-11)
• Donald M Smith (1921-25)
• Hilda J Argall (1928-32)
• Donald H Cunningham (1936-40)
• Charles W Sinclair (1947-51)