School is over but memories remain

THIS month 20 years ago a relic of Narre Warren East went under the hammer. The Gazette reported on the impending sale of the 77-year-old Narre Warren East Primary School, in the edition of 13 April 1989.
Nestled in just over two acres of natural bushland off Wellington Road, the quaint, two-room primary school went to auction on 28 April, attracting more than 80 inquiries. It had ceased to operate as a school two years earlier.
Residents had been sad to see its demise, because it had carried so many memories.
But in the final year only 13 students attended, and the Ministry of Education therefore considered the school to be unviable.
At their peak, enrolments reached 35 in 1962.
Many well-known local people attended the school, some meeting up again at the 75th reunion in 1987.
Among them were the children of Mick and Edna Boothroyd, who lived next to the school. David, Paul and Gregory Boothroyd attended there over 15 years from 1957.
The site had been reserved for a school in 1895 but the building was opened much later, in 1912.
The first head teacher was John Ullyet.