Students from as long ago as the 1930s, and as recently as the 1960s returned to their 1884 weatherboard schoolhouse to tell tales, share stories and celebrate the renovation of their former primary school, The restored Graham schoolhouse on Frogmore Road, a one room, one teacher defunct schoolhouse, attracted a crowd of almost 130 people on 18 May. The restoration was initiated and funded by former ‘Old Graham’ residents, John and Liz Baker as a parting gift to the district. They had lived opposite the schoolhouse at ‘Old Graham’ for many years. They had previously renovated the Graham Inn and the nearby St Joseph’s Church. John and Liz commissioned Brian Beattie, of Darbys Falls, as well as Bede Morrisey, Aaron and Michelle Morrisey for window and painting works. Nick and Pen Gay of Willow Glen – the property on which the school stands – supported the restoration project and provided fencing materials to secure the school block from curious stock. Why is it important to restore a derelict building, no longer in use? They are part of our heritage. They are a symbol of a community. A place where people came together, where the next generation was educated, a place where adults and children formed strong bonds with their neighbours. The event on 18 May highlighted the wonderful spirit of the Hovells Creek and wider community, and the friendships formed well over half a century ago. Nearby landholder, retired teacher and project organiser, Jan Hyde, said she was excited the event had attracted so many former students, a former teacher, and so many descendants of former students and teachers, as well as family, friends and district residents from Cowra, Boorowa, Wyangala, Young, Canberra, Sydney and as far away as Melbourne, SE Queensland, the south and north coasts of NSW. Graham Jones, the Principal of Boorowa Central School spoke about the importance of small rural schools, such as the Graham School. They were the hub of the local communities and, as witnessed, at the event on 18 May, still bring people together. Retired former Graham schoolteacher John Payne amused the crowd by describing his first day in 1958. He was directed by the Education Department to ‘just go to Cowra and ask where Graham is.’ A special presentation was made by Jody (Power) Robinson, the youngest student at the Graham School when it closed in 1966, to 95-year-old Ina (Power) Boulding, the oldest former student who attended the school in the 1930s. Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, recently visited the site and praised the community’s efforts. “It is just inspiring to see the amount of love and work this community has invested into restoring this beautiful piece of local history,” Ms Cooke said. “It’s these types of projects that ensure that future generations never forget the stories of our fantastic farming region.” “The Graham School is once again a shining example of local heritage, and the community of Hovells Creek should be extremely proud of what they have achieved.” To celebrate the milestone and showcase the restoration, an open day will be held at the Graham School on Sunday, May 18. Former students, teachers, landholders, and community members were all warmly invited to attend. The event has been co-organised by Jan Hyde, who has spent years documenting the stories of Hovells Creek and the Graham School. “The restoration of this building has been incredibly important for former students and teachers, some who are traveling from Melbourne and Queensland to attend our opening day,” Mrs Hyde said. “People are just thrilled by what the community has been able to achieve, and the level of excitement has been positively overwhelming.” “We can’t wait to welcome people back to the Graham School and hopefully the building stands tall for years to come.” The open day is set to be a heartfelt celebration of the school’s legacy and the community spirit that brought it back to life. The list of contributors to this project is lengthy,’ said Jan Hyde. I am so grateful for the input and support of: Penny and Nick Gay; John and Liz Baker; Hilltops Council; Heidi Castleden and Pen Gay for the catering; the many volunteers who helped out in various ways; and the Boorowa Community Bank – a branch of Bendigo Bank – who sponsored the event.
