Our History

The earliest request for a school at Bittern was contained in a letter from Mr Frank N. Vincent, Chairman of the State School Committee No. 3080 Crib Point, on the 28th December 1914.

On 14th June 1915, Mr E.F.Davis, Secretary of the Port District Association of School Committees, wrote to the Minister of Education bringing to his notice the urgent need for a school at Bittern, and pointing out that Mr. H. G. Stacey was prepared to rent his hall to the Department for use as a school room.

Unfortunately, by 12th of February 1916 Bittern was still without a school and the residents sent a petition to the Minister through their local Member of Parliament, Mr Downard, asking that the school be started without delay. The Department finally leased Mr Stacey’s hall from 1st June 1916 and State School 3933 opened on the 14th July 1916 under Head Teacher Minnie G.Johnston.

However, when Bittern school first opened, the Head Teacher found a number of things missing. There was no table, chair, book case, hat pegs, ladder or stove all of which were urgently needed. The Department agreed to supply everything asked for except the ladder.

In 1918, letters were received from Mr John Watson, Correspondent of the School Committee, complaining about the unsuitability of the leased hall, which was unlined and unheated. He asked that a new school building be erected.

On 30th May 1919, Mr George Stacey offered the Department one acre of land, known as block 107, in Portsmouth Rd Bittern, on condition that a school was built upon it and that it be fenced at no cost to the seller. The Department accepted Mr Stacey’s offer.