Community
20 December, 2025
What was St Arnaud like 100 years ago?
A range of extracts from the NCN Herald 100 years ago.
100 Years Ago
December 1925
High School Speech Night: The students entertained with piano solos, recitations and a choir of 50 members gave several items. The Headmaster Mr A James stated the school building now has electric lights, bells and radiators, plus commercial, science, art and assembly rooms.
There is also a hockey field, concrete cricket pitch, basket ball and tennis courts, bike shed, shelter shed with concrete floor, lawn and palms planted at the front of the school and sugar gums around the boundary.
Seven new typewriters and a piano have recently been purchased.
Mr James than said he was concerned with the freedom of the children so commonly given by the parents and their indifference towards their child’s development. Many students wander the streets at will and go unattended to places of public entertainment.
Few parents shoulder the blame for neglected or dirty homework and seem pleased to state their child gives little or no attention to their schoolwork. At least 95% of the children’s parents have never visited the school and appear not interested in meeting the teachers. Half of the pupils have not passed their exams and do not seem to care.
Dux of forms –
Form A - Clifford Hughes [no Form B] Form C - Robert Watson, Form D – William Watson, Form E – Ralph Wescott, Form F – Colin McKechnie.
Merit Certificates awarded to – Mavis Byerley, Margaret Miller, Ina Dunstan, Elizabeth Smith, Florence Schultz, Firth Osborne, Ralph Wescott, Harris Suggett, John Gent, George Knights and Joseph Knights.
The tender from William Cumming, contractor of St Arnaud, has been accepted to erect a wood residence for Martin King the Postmaster.
Mrs Mary Austerberry, who has left the district, has sold her WB house of 6 rooms in Canterbury st, to Mr Jude for £600.
Mrs E Cossens has sold her WB house of 5 rooms in Clyde st, to Alex Dunlop.
Mrs Esther Arnold relict of Ephraim died age 71 at her son-in-law H Carroll’s home in Napier Street. She was born in Ballarat but lived in St Arnaud for many years and had six children.
Mrs Ellen Thomas, who lived with her daughter Mrs Arthur Proctor of Kooreh, died age 72. She was born in Tasmania and married Slaty Creek farmer William Thomas and had four children; her husband died age 46 in 1896.
James Crone jun, R McKechnie and B Lewers went fishing on the Edwards River, NSW and caught 84 lbs of cod and Murray bream ranging from 1 lb up to 10 lbs each.
Mr W T Langdon wishes to thank J J and D McIntyre, P Robbins and J Dyke for saving his horse from drowning in a deep waterhole in the river.
A fire at H G Feeny’s Carapooee West burnt 50 acres of grass.
Telford Bros of Slaty Creek delivered the first load of this season’s wheat to St Arnaud to James Malcolm’s Flour Mill [50 bags, variety Waratah]
Batters Bros of Burrumbite, deliver the first load of oats to Chas Gardner of St Arnaud.
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