Merrijig Primary School

 SS1379

The different stages of Merrijig Primary School - (Left) The school in 1876, five years after it opened and (Right) On the school's 125th Anniversary in 2001.

In June 1871, an application for aid to start a Rural School at Merrijig was made by Mr. Phillip Palmer as more than fifty children lived in the district.

A wooden building 25 x 10 foot with a shingled roof and earthen floor was erected by the local residents. Six feet had been partitioned off for a teachers residence. The total cost of the building was forty pounds. The school opened on July 10, 1871, operating part-time with Booroolite. The school was known as Rural School number 89. The head teacher was J.C. Graham who was to receive forty four pounds per annum. Twenty-two children attended.

In 1873 more land was acquired for a play-ground at to cater for the horses that many children rode to school each day. On December 31, 1873, Rural School number 89 closed and at the beginning of the next year Merrijig SS1379 opened in the same building. In 1876 a new school was erected and school was opened in this building in April 1877 with thirty-eight pupils.

The school worked half-time with Booroolite in 1896 when there were only six children on the roll. In 1908, Merrijig again worked part time with Booroolite and in 1910, closed for some years. The building was leased to Mr. F. Lovick for the payment of six pounds per annum.

In 1917 Merrijig was re-opened. Miss Martin was the head teacher, but for only a short time. Pupils were prepared for their Qualifying and Merit certificates. The number of pupils increased.

The school was updated in 1930 and for five months school was held in the home of Mr. G. Lovick. Mr. E. Osbourne was the head teacher at that time.

In 1941, Merrijig closed for a short time as a school had opened at Baker's Creek. A deputation by the parents was successful in having the school re-opened.

Now, the school is still open and still going strong. Recently the school was 'taken' over by film crews to film a government advertisement on schools. It took one day to shoot and can now be seen on a few of the free-to-air televisions stations.

Merrijig Primary School in 1943