My Schooling in South Australia

I wrote about my schooling in South Australia recently, and it inspired me to read one of the books that is in my small library.  I had read part of it before – a long time ago.  When I finished reading “The Flemings of Hopetoun” I sought another book, “Dust Storms in China Teacups” written by a second cousin, Maggie Ragless, a well-known historian in South Australia.

My mother was a Ragless, and her parents Alfred John Ragless and his wife Irene were my grandparents.  Other information about many other Ragless relatives was in the book. I am hoping my offspring (daughter and son, and grandchildren) will find interest in this book in the future.

As mentioned in the other post, I have little memory of attending Hopetoun School, though daily trips in the steam train between Woodlands Park and Brighton Stations were still clear to me, also the walks from the station to and from the school, and I have vague recollections of some activity in the classroom.

I was interested to learn the history of the Fleming sisters, who had no teacher training, and as it was possible in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s anyone could start a school in South Australia. No qualifications were needed to open and run a school.

Hopetoun School started in 1922, and it was around 1949 that I attended for a short time.  I have no idea why I went there, though there was a connection with the Fleming family through their residence in Woodlands Park, and their connection with St Mary’s Church of England at St Mary’s, where my grandparents were very involved. One thing I do remember from my Hopetoun days is seeing a biro for the first time.  It was on the train on the return journey.  At school we used just lead pencils, and then pen and ink.

I attended Hopetoun for a short time before going to the school next door, Brighton Primary School. My recollection of my schooling days there is not good – I remember the walks to and from school, and I know I wore a navy uniform with white shirt and brown leather shoes.

When Oaklands Primary opened (I think around 1954) I changed schools again.  It was much closer to home and easier to walk to – no walking through bushland! The school was demolished in the mid 1960s and made way for the Marion Shopping Centre.

The classrooms had a big blackboard on the wall of the classroom, and there was a little ledge for the chalk, for that is what our teachers had to use to write on the board.  Our desks were wooden affairs, with an uncomfortable wooded seat. The desktops sloped gently, and at the top part of the desk were indentations to rest pencils and pens, and on the right hand side of the desk was a hole in the timber, where the little ceramic inkwells fitted. We used lead pencils and wooden pens with metal nibs.