150 Celebrations

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL BELL

The original 14 inch school bell was supplied by J Hill Bell Makers of Melbourne and was housed in a belfry located centrally on the roof of the old school building.  A rope attached to the bell was accessible in one of the classrooms and a senior student would have responsibility for ringing the bell.

Apparently the first bell cracked and was replaced in 1878, so it didn’t get away to a good start. 

At some stage the bell tower was dismantled and removed, potentially in 1968 when the slate roof was replaced.  Luckily the actual bell was kept and relocated to a stand on the west side of the building, as seen in this photo.  Despite being outside the building, the bell continued to mark the beginning and end of lessons and play breaks for many years.

Approximately 20-30 years ago the timber bell stand had seen better days and was removed.  Given the emergence of PA systems and electronic bells, the original bell was no longer needed.  But luckily, the bell was kept and built into a small structure that stands on a landing next to the library stairs.

Unfortunately, the bell is largely unnoticed in this location, so we have organised for it to be mounted on a wall in the foyer of the old building.  Alongside the bell will be a plaque explaining its significance. 

Once this work is complete, the bell will again be in a prominent place and able to be appreciated by more people.  It will also be nice to have it located somewhere permanent to be preserved for many years to come.  No doubt it will still be standing proud for everyone to admire when the school turns 200 in 2073.