Reference: Vision and Realisation A centenary History of State Education in Victoria Volume 2 Page 931 2352 Cape Otway The Cape Otway Lighthouse School was founded 1st January 1881 the first Head Teacher being Mary Dwyer. The schoolroom was in the Lighthouse residence. The school closed on 6th of August 1894, reopened 6th August 1900. closed 19th April 1903, reopened 18th of July 1904, then finally closed December 1963. Last head teacher was Robert Stewart. Regards Robyn Down -----Original Message----- From: aus-vic-western-district-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-vic-western-district-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Beryl O'Gorman Sent: Saturday, 29 September 2007 7:05 PM To: aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Cape Otway Light station and Teachers Anything in the Schools Correspondence Files at the PRO? Could be worth a look. If it was an authorised school there would/should have been communication with the Ed Dept. Cheers Beryl Beryl O'Gorman Greensborough Victoria Australia List Admin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Janet Wilson" <janet.wilson@dcsi.net.au> To: <aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 12:51 PM Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Cape Otway Lightstation and Teachers > Hello Beth and others, > > Thankyou to Beth for your information. There was a room in the former > telegraph station building which was used as a school, and there is a photo ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hello Robyn, Beth, Beryl and all, You might be interested to hear a little more on the lightstation. In the former school room there are copies of a letter to the Minister of Education, Melbourne which is as follows: "We the undersigned parents and residents at Cape Otway desire to bring to your notice the number of children at this place, and the disadvantage they labor under in the total absence of provision for their educational requirements. Ther are at Cape Otway at the present time sixteen children within school ages, besides others under four years of age, who will be fit for instruction in a short time. The distance to the nearest state school at Middleton (Apollo Bay) is sixteen miles. We humbly solicit your careful consideration of our isolated position and the wants of our children in the matter of education with earnest hope, that you may feel justified in granting us such assistance as will meet our care, and place us on an equal footing in this respect, with the rest of the community. The government steamer "Victoria" will make her usual half yearly visit to this station in January next. In the event of your taking a favourable view of the prayer of your petitioners, and according us the desired boon we respectrully suggest that steps might be taken in time to avail of the opportunities of sending teacher and school requisites per "Victoria". We have the honor to be Sir, Your most obedient servants, Cape Otway. 26th. November 1880. William Cordell, P.H.S. Fisher, James Anderson, J.E. Kelsall, William Stevens." The response was that Mary Dwyer did indeed commence in the light and airy front room of the telegraph station in 1881. It was school number 2352. The other information given in the display at the old telegraph station was that the school operated for over 50 years with numbers fluctuating according to the successes of the nearby settlers and light house staff changes. Some older shildren went away to school. Laura Skilton, the 14 year old daughter of an assistant lighthouse keeper travelled on the supply ship "Lady Loch", to her Melbourne school in 1896. In the 1960s the Cape Otway School re-opened for 3 years for Joan and Robert Brack's 10 chidlren. It sounds as if it wasn't as simple as the school remaining continuously open though. I didn't know whether I was going to be as fortunate as I was in bringing away photographed copies of the information to be found there. I should also have written down this information shouldn't I? Regards, Janet. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robyn Down" <robynd@hotkey.net.au> To: <aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 12:33 PM Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Cape Otway Light station and Teachers > Reference: Vision and Realisation A centenary History of State Education > in > Victoria Volume 2 > Page 931 > 2352 Cape Otway > The Cape Otway Lighthouse School was founded 1st January 1881 the first > Head > Teacher being Mary Dwyer. The schoolroom was in the Lighthouse residence. > The school closed on 6th of August 1894, reopened 6th August 1900. closed > 19th April 1903, reopened 18th of July 1904, then finally closed December > 1963. Last head teacher was Robert Stewart. > > Regards > Robyn Down > > -----Original Message----- > From: aus-vic-western-district-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:aus-vic-western-district-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Beryl > O'Gorman > Sent: Saturday, 29 September 2007 7:05 PM > To: aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Cape Otway Light station and > Teachers > > > Anything in the Schools Correspondence Files at the PRO? Could be worth a > look. If it was an authorised school there would/should have been > communication with the Ed Dept. > Cheers > Beryl > > Beryl O'Gorman > Greensborough Victoria Australia > List Admin > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Janet Wilson" <janet.wilson@dcsi.net.au> > To: <aus-vic-western-district@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 12:51 PM > Subject: Re: [AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT] Cape Otway Lightstation and > Teachers > > >> Hello Beth and others, >> >> Thankyou to Beth for your information. There was a room in the former >> telegraph station building which was used as a school, and there is a > photo > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > --------------------------------------------------- Letter content was scanned by WinAntiVirus 2005. No threat detected. Please visit www.winantivirus.com for more details.