The+Early+History+of+Tanunda+Public+School+(1864+–+1900)+by+R.+E.+Teusner+with+Endnotes+by+Angela+Heuzenroeder

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The year 1864 marks the beginning of the Tanunda Public School. On 13th April of that year an area of land comprising ½ acre was purchased by the following gentlemen of Tanunda – Sophus August Theodor von Bertoch, Agent Hermann Hartwig Meins, Blacksmith Johann Offe, Tin Smith Louis Reinhardt Feller, Saddler Johann Georg Carl Ernst Mengler, Farmer This land was purchased from Peter Theodor Schumacker and held on trust for the establishment of a public school. The present stone classrooms now stand on this land.[i] An application was presented to the Board of the State Education Council by Mr Alfred Sommers, a local school teacher, on behalf of interested persons for the erection of a public schoolroom. Specifications and estimate of costs accompanied the application and the Board approved but sought the agreement of the Tanunda Council. At its meeting on 30/5/1864 the Board was notified of the council’s approval and it voted £150 towards the costs of erection being one half of the estimated cost. One stipulation made by the Board was that the walls of the rooms were to be at least 12’ high. Notice of completion of the building was received 28/11/1864 and payment of £150 was directed. This building, still standing, is now the library.[ii] So the school came into being. The first headmaster was Alfred Sommers and at the end of that first year a total of 47 children were in attendance. Mr Sommers’s stipend was fixed by the board at £60. However, there were to be very difficult times ahead for the infant school – difficulties that led to division among the townspeople and which lasted until 1878. It must not be assumed that there were no educational facilities existing in Tanunda prior to 1864. The first school to be built in Tanunda was erected in 1845 by the Langmeil Lutheran Congregation, only three years after the area was first settled. These early settlers placed great emphasis on the education of their children. Ferdinand Kavel, a brother of the Pastor, was the teacher until 1848, then Alexander Schultze (1848 – 1851) and Georg C. H. Andresen (1851 – 1873). In 1865 an iron-stone, iron roofed class-room was erected alongside the school house which had a thatched roof. The first building was demolished in 1911 but the iron-stone building is still used by the Tanunda Lutheran School. Apart from a closure between 1917 and 1938, the school has continued until the present time.[iii] In 1848 an ordinance was passed in the colony for the registration of teachers. In 1851 the Education Ordinance provided for the continued licensing of teachers, the payment of a stipend of £40 per year, and some financial assistance for erection of school buildings. In 1848 Martin Peter Friedrich Basedow, an 18 year old schoolmaster from Hamburg, arrived in the new colony. He commenced a private school in the Tabor Church in 1850 and at 30/6/1851 there were 36 students enrolled. Subjects taught included Writing, Reading, Arithmetic, Grammar, History, Geography, Singing, Drawing, English and German. The highest enrolment was 81 in 1860. A receipt for school fees has been preserved and reads:- “Tanunda Schule Receipt for Herm. Anna Nettelbeck For 15/- school fee from 1/1/1852 – 12/4/1852 Dated 10th April 1852 In 1856 the school premises[iv] were moved to Young St. An inspector’s report of 1859 stated “This is a well disciplined and orderly school, where in addition to English, the German language – the mother tongue of a very large portion of the pupils – is cultivated. Great attention is also paid to the study of several branches of science.” On 14/12/1863 Mr Basedow resigned. He later entered Parliament and became Minister for Education in 1880.
 * The Early History of Tanunda Public School (1864 – 1900) by R. E. Teusner, with Endnotes by Angela Heuzenroeder ** Bibliographic details: Teusner, R. E. //The Early History of Tanunda Public School (1864 – 1900).// Tanunda, private publication, 1974. Notes by A. Heuzenroeder, 2013.
 * Earlier Schools in Tanunda**



The Tanunda Public School opened towards the end of 1864, although Mr Sommers had commenced classes earlier in the year. The Education Board considered a request by Mr Sommers on 28/8/1865 for approval to add a teacher’s residence to the school rooms. However, the Board rejected the proposal since it included one of the classrooms being incorporated in the residence. At the same meeting the Trustees forwarded a memorandum in favour of Mr Sommers being given the one licence which was to be issued for the town. Mr Sommers resigned at the end of that year. Enrolments stood at 42. The new headmaster was Otto F. Schumann and during the next four years there was some stability in the school and enrolments increased to 74 in 1868. Unfortunately in 1871 friction developed between the supporters of the Public School and those of the school conducted in the Tabor Church which had recommenced in 1865. By 1871 Public School enrolment had fallen to 58, whereas the other school under teacher Theodor Sherk taught 74 children. Mr Juttner, one of the Trustees,[v] launched the attack in June, complaining to the Board that the school was connected with the Lutheran Evangelical Church and that lessons were held in the chapel.[vi] The following month the Trustee of the congregation, together with 30 town residents, replied, denying that the school was denominational and stating it was conducted according to the Board regulation. This was affirmed by a subsequent inspector’s report. During 1872 matters came to a head – Mr Sherk resigned 31/8/1872 and Mr Schumann of the pulic School requested the Board not to issue a second licence for the town. A public meeting was held and Mr Basedow reported to the Board that the meeting requested a second licence – the town required two schools and it was proposed to send senior children to one and juniors to the other. Schumann objected to a licence being given to the proposed new teacher, Mr Jang, claiming that he could manage the children from both schools, helped if necessary by his wife and another assistant teacher. A further deputation, led by Mr Basedow, for the Board to issue a licence to Mr Jang, was rejected. The Board also requested the deputation to lay any charges it might have as to why Mr Schumann should not be given the licence. In September of that year a letter with 24 signatures charged Schumann of: He was asked to answer the charges and his subsequent application for a licence was held over, although on 17/2/1873 his application was supported by 94 signatures. A counter petition signed by 24 parents of 53 children was lodged. The matter was further complicated by a Mr F. W. Krüger seeking a licence in place of Mr Jang, as there were 44 children under his care. On 12/3/1873 the Board stated that a licence would be granted as soon as the parents had reached agreement. In Sept. 37 parents attended a meeting and agreed to advertise for a teacher to manage both schools. Mr Krüger was appointed and Mr Schumann transferred to Kanmantoo. Although there was now one school a further complaint was made in November by several of the Trustees who complained that Mr Krüger had sent some of the children to the Tabor Church for instruction by an assistant teacher. The Board replied that this was in order, provided Mr Krüger retained not less than 3/5 of the pupils under his own care. At the end of 1873 there were 98 children on the roll. A move in 1872 to transfer the school to the District Council of Tanunda was unsuccessful, since the Council was not agreeable. The difficulties of the town over schools had still not been completely resolved. In July 1876 a new school opened under Mr Wittber and approximately one half of public school students transferred to his school. This school closed in June the following year with the children returning to the public school. At the end of 1877 Mr Krüger resigned, having been assisted by his wife for several years. The school now settled down, and enrolments increased under successive headmasters – A. El Mueller 1878 - 1884p J. Phillips 1885 – 1889; E. S. Schroeder 1890 – 1896; H. S. G. Albanus, 1897 –[1900 and beyond.] Otto F. Schumann F. W. Krüger Adolph E. Mueller James Phillips Erhard S. Schroeder Herm. S. G. Albanus || 47 42 50 42 74 72 72 58 60 98 - - 41 62 103 121 112 109 111 - 112 103 108 114 114 112 108 - 110 137 - 159 144 154 149 158 162 || Several other matters of interest during this period were: 27/7/1874 James Jones of Tanunda given permission to hold Wesleyan service in school on Sundays. 30/3/1876 School property transferred to Council of Education. 25/2/1874 Tender accepted ;for £565 for addition to school. __Assistant teachers__: Edith Priest 1893/94 Julia Marten 1895/96 Agnes M. Johns 1897/98 Mathilda von Nida 1899 __Salaries__: 1866 - £100 1899 - £220 1893 (for assistants) £84. **End Notes**
 * Tanunda Public School (Tanunda Primary School)** This old photograph was printed in a booklet entitled "Back to Tanunda souvenir, 1927" which was published by The Barossa News, Tanunda. It was probably taken in the 1860s. It is not clear whether the school is a private school of that era or the newly-established Tanunda Public School. Compare the students' clothing with later photographs.
 * 1) Using abusive language at a public meeting and threatening to fight
 * 2) Making untrue statements to the Board
 * 3) Lodging incorrect returns to the Board AND
 * 4) Breaking regulations.
 * **Year** || **Teacher** || # **No. of Pupils** ||
 * 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 || Alfred Sommers

Endnores [i] This is the old stone building bounded by Edward Street, Bushman Street and MacDonnell Street. Under its present iron roof is a shingle roof. [ii ] This is the room of the old stone building on the north-eastern corner. [iii] The Tanunda Lutheran School was closed by law as a result of ill feeling brought about by and during the First World War of 1914 – 1918. [iv] Of the Tabor Church school [v] One of the trustees of the Tanunda Public School [vi] Mr Juttner, representing the Tanunda Public School, was complaining about the school held in the Tabor church. In all the colonies at this time there was a big movement towards public education. Colonies had Boards of Education and they developed the idea that all children should receive an education that was **free, public and secular**. Secular means that it was **not to be attached to a religion** of any kind. Victoria made this clear in their education law in 1872. South Australia passed a similar act of parliament in 1875. Even before the Act was passed, however, there were already **Board of Education regulations** saying that **schools should be secular**. People felt this strongly. So townspeople in Tanunda were objecting to having a school being set up in a church building. Please click here to return to Tanunda Primary School history