Albany Creek State School
From the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties,
As seen by a student of 1927
(as presented by Matt Campbell II to the year 7 class of 1976)

Picnic Days etc.
On Arbour Day in May, a picnic would be held. Not much schoolwork was done and parents used to attend for afternoon tea. There would be children’s races and trees would be planted. Not many of those trees have survived. Break-up day was similar – not much work, but plenty to eat and drink, with races for children and older folk.
These picnic days would end with a dance in the school, and how everyone managed to fit into such a small room is hard to imagine.
Music was provided by a man playing a button accordion. We had no piano and there was no record players as we know them today.
Nevertheless, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Of course, there was the usual fight or two outside, but everyone had fun. Supper was served on the trestle tables under the school and tea was brewed in a kerosene tin over an open fire at the back of the school.

The school was originally on low stumps some years prior to my attending school. It was under 6ft (2metres) because as I grew up, I would bump my head.
When I first attended school, the area under the school was open, but shortly afterwards was enclosed with corrugated iron on the southern and western sides for a protected play area. It had a gravel floor and became quite dusty at times. Benches were fitted around the open sides and we could use them during lunchtime. Hooks were provided on the closed walls for our school bags.
We would leave our lunch in our bags and, sometimes, we would hear a bumping noise under the school. The teacher would send one of the big boys down to investigate, and it would always be the teacher’s horse helping himself to someone’s lunch. The horse would have escaped from the horse paddock. The teacher’s wife would replace the stolen lunch with a fresh one.
As there was only one room, all classes had to be taught together, which made things rather difficult, particularly when there were two teachers.
The stairs to the school were to the west of the two camphor laurel trees (at the existing parade ground).

The District
To give you some idea how the district has changed since I attended school, I will tell you of the homes that used to exist then.
From Albany Creek Bridge in the right hand side there was the house now occupied by Mrs. McKenzie (Ed’s note – Now McDonald’s Mowers in Hawkins Garden Centre) and there was no other house on that side of the road to Cash’s Crossing. On the left hand from Albany Creek Bridge, there was Campbell’s (Mahaca), Mrs. Alton Senior at the Post Office, Moles (Senior), where the little shop used to be, a small house opposite Leitch’s Road, where Mr and Mrs Moverley live, then Vic Greensill, just over sandy creek, then the school, then George Greensill where Mr. Wruck’s house was, opposite the Salvation Army Hall (Ed’s note – National Bank). Morgan’s farm was where the old silos are on the hill above Cash’s Crossing and Joe Cash at the Crossing, which bears his family name.

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Peter Campbell - 0418 774 663