AN incredible 150 years of public education will be commemorated on 2 July this year by Beechworth Primary School with a bigger event planned for the warmer month of October.
The heritage listed building also has social, historical and architectural significance to the state of Victoria as it represents a boom period in Beechworth’s history.
Among past students celebrating the incredible milestone will be Beechworth’s Forrest family with a proud and long-standing connection to the school over five generations.
Bruce Forrest, his brother and father were educated at the school.
“I’m very proud that our son Scott and daughter Amanda were educated at the school too with our grandchildren now attending,” Bruce said.
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Bruce’s wife Michelle had also been educated at the primary school.
Their son Scott has taught at the school for the last seven years with his two sons nine-year-old Theo and six-year-old Kit now attending.
Scott said his goal of teaching at the school derived from his great experiences as a student.
“I want my own kids to have that experience now, and I can see the fun and engagement they're having,” he said.
Teaching has also been a family affair with Michelle’s mother and grandmother having taught at the school while Scott’s wife Airlie Forrest teaches there as well.
In a trip down memory lane for both father and son they recalled the significance of the "fairy tree", and the wetlands which foster imaginative play and learning – an area Scott’s children now enjoy.
Scott said the fairy tree is a pivotal spot and a major school icon still standing strong where school graduations take place in front of the tree.
“It's a magical little spot, because foundation grade kids have make-believe games and when in middle and senior years progress to the wetlands, the cubbies and creek systems,” he said.
Another memory for Bruce is being on the school council for years as well as being school council president.
“It was great and a really rewarding time,” he said.
“I remember doing all the welding on the rotunda at the front of the school too,” he said.
With the recent school upgrade Bruce said the change is amazing from when he attended.
“The building still looks magnificent but internally has dramatically changed for the better,” he said.
Father and son both have memories of the bike shed too when riding to school.
“The bike shed with its history had to remain untouched when renovations took place,” Scott said.
The timber bike shed circa 1920 with its corrugated iron roof is a rare example of an ancillary school structure at one time characteristic of country schools.
Bruce recalls every room had an open fire place when he was at school.
Scott said the library with large windows although changing to different spots had been a special place for the school.
Both Scott and Bruce reminisced how progression in classrooms from one end of the school when in foundation classes to the other end when reaching year six hadn’t changed.
“The school is still going strong 150 years later and is good grounding for the kids,” Bruce said.
He said students who had attended the school had progressed in later years in covering a wide spectrum of occupations, from doctors to university professors to plumbers.
Scott attributes the school’s 150-year success to school leaders having a passion for developing the school, keeping the school original, while still moving ahead with the times from funding support and grants.
“It's a 150-year-old building but a progressive school and an exciting place to work,” Scott said.
An in-school celebration will be held on Wednesday, 2 July to mark the special anniversary.
A celebration week held in term four from 13 to 17 October will have in-school learning and exploration for students with a special presentation event to be held on Friday, 17 October.
Festivities will continue over the weekend to engage the wider community and past students.
