HISTORY: In the front two rows, Jake Maney, Katie Bell, Jo Honey, Tayla Flett, Hanna Payne and Macey Boland experience some good old-fashioned lessons.Picture: PETER WEAVING
STUDENTS from Strathfieldsaye Primary School celebrated the school’s 140th anniversary this week in good old-fashioned style.
Since the start of term students have been learning about the history of the school and what life was like in the 19th century.
To celebrate the occasion the whole school dressed up in period costume and attended lessons in a building which resembled a 1900’s classroom complete with chalkboards, 150-year- old desks and no technology.
Younger students wrote on chalk slates during their 19th century class experience, while older students used old-fashioned ink pens.
School principal Marcellinus Blanks said the focus of the event was to give the kids a chance to experience what it was like to live in the past.
“We wanted the kids to learn about the past, how important it is and how much it has influenced and shaped what we have today,” he said.
“We find that our kids don’t really have a sense of the past.”
The primary school, which first started in 1873, was situated at the Strathfieldsaye Shire Hall before relocating to its current position in Uxbridge street. Grade 6 student Samantha Coupland said her class had been looking at old photographs to get a sense for the past and she would prefer to live during the 19th century.
“I think it is really awesome how they used to live and I definitely would like to live during those times,” she said.
Mother Wendy Ralston was at the school taking photos of prep student Chloe and said her daughter was excited about the event.
“It is great that the school does things like this,” she said.
“It gives them a feel for the past and they can see how lucky they are.”
Mr Blanks said the school had commissioned a painting of the original school building, which would be unveiled on Friday.
