Lorne School

In 1879,  John Baxter and Son of Geelong West, erected a  stone  building measuring 24 ft x 16 ft for £471, using stone quarried from the Erskine River. The building was completed with a bell tower  centrally situated on the roof. It was opened on September 16th, 1879 under Head Teacher John P Danaher, who remained at the school until 1891.

Furniture for the building was transported by the ship “Miranda” which sailed weekly from Melbourne. Initial enrollment was 30 pupils, and students sat in rows of desks tiered in the single classroom. The youngest sat on the lowest level whilst the eldest, in Grade 8, sat on the highest tier. The Head Master sat on a raised podium, and, with a woman assistant, instructed the classes.

In April 1905, that the Education Department provided a residence for the Head Teacher when it was agreed to erect a four-roomed, two-storey dwelling at a tender price of £303. The uniquely-designed building, known locally as “The Doll’s House”, was in the style of a Swiss chalet cottage.

Lorne School Name Changes

  • 1879 Lorne School built, architect Henry Bastow.
  • 1908 Lorne School extended
  • 1950 Lorne School changed its name to Lorne Central School.
  • 1964 Lorne Central School became Lorne Higher Elementary School. Students could now enrol in Form 4, Year 10.
  • 1979 Lorne Higher Elementary School enrolled students in Year 11 and 12 for the first time.
  • 2003 Lorne and Aireys Inlet schools merged in 1997, become known as Lorne- Aireys Inlet P-12 College.
  • 2017 Lorne Aireys Inlet P-12 College de-amalgamated and the Lorne campus becomes Lorne P-12 College.

School Fire

In 1957, the school had been using their new classrooms for two weeks before a fire took hold and destroyed two classrooms, a staff room and a storeroom, with the damage estimated at more than £10,000. The fire was believed to have started from a heater flu. Teacher, Mr Brian Morgan, had started his class after morning play break when he saw smoke billowing from the room. Students were lead out of the room and they attempted to fight the fire with extinguishers but were forced back by flames and smoke. The fire brigade attended but could not save the buildings.

 

Sources

  1. The Sun News Pictorial, Wednesday 7 August 1957
  2. The Age Newspaper, 7 August 1957
  3. Lorne School, the first 100 years, 1879-1979 by Rod Oaten, David Littleton and Kerry Littleton
  4. Surf Coast Heritage Committee
  5. Unpublished manuscript by Keith Cecil