|
|
HISTORY |
 |
 |
|
The old school with the domestic arts |
The old school with the new school in the |
| In 1910
Harry Showell donated the land for the school to be built upon. Renmark West Primary School opened on 5th February 1912 as a supplementary school or an annexe of Renmark Primary School. There was no Head Teacher. The enrolments were 105 in the first two weeks which was too many for a supplementary school and it was closed on 16th February. The members of the Board registered a protest against the actions of the Education Department. The first appointed Head Teacher was Mr Ottho E Goldsworthy on 3rd March 1912. In 1921 work began on the Head Teacher's residence next to the school. In 1935 electricity was connected to the school. In 1938 the school was closed for the first six weeks due to an outbreak of infantile paralysis in the Riverland - no Renmark West school children were affected. The teachers used the time in lesson preparation and a refresher course. In 1945, Lyn and Ian Showell, sons of Harry Showell, offered to give approximately one acre of land to the school to enlarge the playing area. This land was officially transferred the following year. On 15th August 1956, Renmark Primary school closed because of the flood - thus began another flood - that of students, teachers and equipment to Renmark West and Renmark North. There was even equipment from Renmark High School stored at the school and in the Head Teacher's residence. At one stage there were over 274 enrolments at Renmark West school with the Renmark West Church being used for classes. A little over one month later, the Renmark students were able to return to their own school. At the beginning of 1957 the septic system was installed and the Committee began preparing the site for a new 30,000 gallon squatter's tank. In 1965 a new room arrived. It was a house constructed for Munitions workers at Salisbury during World War II. The house has been allowed to fall into disrepair and suffered greatly at the hands of vandals. The building cost eighty pounds. The house underwent extensive renovations, was connected to water and electricity and was not ready for use for some time. In March of 1965 the Committee's application for a new toilet block was approved and they were first used in November of the following year. In 1971 the parents discussed evaporative air-conditioning being put into classrooms but shelved the idea because the cost of $650.00 per room was considered too much. In August of 1972 an old tractor was purchased and brought to the school as part of a future project to build an adventure playground. Plans for the new school arrived in September 1972 and during November, demolition of the old staff room and kitchen began. Although the new building progressed steadily, some six months elapsed before it was occupied. In 1977 an application for Priority Projects funding was successful for an innovations programme, including tents, a trailer, a 7m x 7m besser brick shelter with showers (now the Greek Room), a rainwater tank and camping equipment. Over $10,000.00 was granted. After many hours of fundraising and voluntary labour, the adventure playground was completed in July 1980. Of particular interest was the use made of the palm tree which was planted in 1922. A contract was let in 1980 for the installation of a pop-up sprinkler system for all grassed areas except the oval. The pool was finally finished being constructed and was handed over to the school, with question marks about some aspects of the work. It was officially opened on 23rd September 1983. Only two years after its opening, the pool had to be emptied so that is could be re-surfaced as the original gel coat has been incorrectly applied. Due to increased enrolments, the school was offered a transportable building in time for the 1984 school year but unfortunately did not arrive so teaching conditions were cramped. The building finally arrived in a disgusting state in June 1984. (This is the classroom closest to the girls toilets.) In February of 1987, the school received notice that its proposal to borrow money for the new Activity Building had been approved by the Government Treasury. Tenders for the new building closed in March. The tender price was $57,500.00. and the building was completed in mid June. Since then two more classrooms have been installed near the swimming pool, an extra classroom has been placed near the office, a building has been installed for the current Resource Centre, a new Preschool has been built adjacent to the school, a major upgrade took place in the administration area, a new Computer Room was created within the unit and the open space unit had walls constructed, forming three separate classrooms. Unfortunately one of the older wooden classrooms near the pool was condemned and in 2001 a newer and much nicer building replaced it. More recently, the former Principal's house was demolished making way for more play space, an amphitheatre, a staff carpark and a new playground has been erected. |
 |
Copyright 2003 | Email: info@rnmkwestps.sa.edu.au |