Pootilla School
(Also known as Fellmonger’s Road School number 2095 ) was opened on 9th October 1878, with Sam Trend as head teacher and Miss Cope as sewing mistress. The site recommended by D.I. Philp was Allotment 3, Section 5, Parish of Bungareee, County of Talbot and part of the water reserve.
It was stated as being an excellent school site, it being in such close proximity to a permanent spring water.
In 1878 a wooden portable building measuring 24 ft X 16 ft with attached quarters of three rooms and roofed with iron was erected at a cost of eighty pounds. Unlike most schools of its size it had a gallery. In 1881 the school room was lengthened by 10 feet at a cost of eighty pounds.
In 1879 the name Fellmongers Road School was changed to Pootilla on the recommendation of the then District Inspector. Pootilla was the name of the post office. In 1880 the enrolment reached 83, mostly the children of timber workers and miners. The school closed on 27th March 1946.
The Inspector is coming
The visit by the school inspector was dreaded by teacher and pupil alike. He would often arrive unannounced to conduct his annual inspection of the school. The inspector had to report on the Grounds, buildings, furniture, instruction and discipline.
The following are extracts from the Inspector's Report Book for Glen Park Primary School and indicate the thorough nature of their inspection.
The out offices, toilets, rated regular mention in the reports:
1926 The seats of one of the out offices needs immediate attention.
1939 Pans in the out offices need regular emptying.
1948 Out office pans are receiving regular attention.
Comments on the instruction of the pupils were generally favourable, although the Inspector often found some area to criticise.
1926 Poetry was tested in the upper grades. The poems were rendered too fast with a tendency to slur words and insufficient expression.
1932 More songs should be taught.
The gardening efforts of the children resulted in many positive comments:
1926 great improvement has been noted in the school garden since my last visit.
1939 The potato experimental plot is flourishing.
The Head Teacher would have been ill advised to disregard the advice of the Inspector, who regularly made comment upon areas of deficiency noted at previous visits.
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