Taree West Public School, aka the best school ever, opened in January 1953.1 Since then it has changed a lot. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to see how the school began.
The school was built because of the growing population around Taree West. The NSW government decided there were enough students to support the opening of a new school, taking some pressure off the student numbers at Taree Public School.2
The first headmaster (principal) was Mr Gough. He started enrolling students in January 1953, but students did not actually attend the school until 12 May 1953 when the buildings were finished.3
When the school opened, the P & C presented the school with four prints from a National Art Gallery scheme running at the time.4 One of the prints presented to the school was this one by American artist Carol Sideman.
When the school first opened in 1953 a time capsule was prepared. On the school’s fiftieth anniversary in 2003 another time capsule was prepared and is now installed on the wall in the school library.5
Many things have changed at the school since 1953. For example there is a photo in the office of the school building as it looked in 1953. Now our school is more colourful with murals on the walls and ground and there are more trees. One major difference is students are no longer asked to bring fireworks to school for Empire Day celebrations!6
Authors: Nithara Weththasinghe and Courtney Griffis, Year 6, Taree West Public School.
References:
1 History of NSW government school, https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/our-people-and-structure/history-of-government-schools/school-database-search.
2 Northern Champion, 3 June 1952.
3 Northern Champion, 30 January 1953; Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of NSW, 1 May 1953.
4 Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of NSW, 26 June 1953 and 11 September 1953.
5 Manning River Times, 29 may 2014, https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/story/2315472/throwback-thursday-2003-taree-west-public-school-golden-jubilee/
6 Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of NSW, 20 May 1953, 2.
