Produced by Peter O'Connell
By
Edward Dyson
THE schoolhouse at Waddy was not in the least like any of the trim Statebuildings that now decorate every Victorian township and mark everymining or agricultural centre that can scrape together two or threemeagre classes; it was the result of a purely local enthusiasm, and waserected by public subscription shortly after Mr. Joel Ham, B.A., arrivedin the district and let it be understood that he did not intend to goaway again. Having discovered that it was impossible to make anythingelse of Mr. Joel Ham, Waddy resolved to make a schoolmaster of him. Ameeting was held in the Drovers' Arms, numerous speeches, all much moreeloquently expressive of the urgent need of convenient scholasticinstitutions than the orators imagined, were delivered by representativemen, and a resolution embodying the determination of the residents toerect a substantial building and install Mr. J. Ham, B.A., as headmasterwas carried unanimously.
The original contributors were not expected to donate money towards thegood cause; they gave labour and material. The work of erection wascommenced next day. Neither plans nor specifications were supplied, andevery contributor was his own architect. Timber of all sorts and shapescame in from fifty sources. The men of the day shift at the mines workedat the building in the evening; those on the four-o'clock shift put in anhour or two in the morning, and mates off the night shift lent a hand atany time during the day, one man taking up the work where the other leftoff. Consequently—and as there was no ruling mind and no generaldesign—the school when finished seemed to lack continuity, so to speak.As an architectural effort it displayed evidence of many excellentintentions, but could not be called a brilliant success as awhole—although one astute Parliamentary candidate did secure anoverwhelming majority of votes in Waddy after declaring the schoolhouseto be an ornament to the township. The public-spirited persons whocontributed windows, it was tacitly agreed, were quite justified inputting in those windows according to the dictates of their own fancy,even if the result was somewhat bizarre. Jock Summers gave a bell hung ina small gilded dome, and this was fixed on the roof right in the centreof the building, mainly for picturesque effect; but as there was no ropeattached and no means of reaching the bell—and it never occurred toanybody to rectify the deficiency—Jock's gift remained to the end merelyan ornamental adjunct. So also with Sam Brierly's Gothic portico. Samexpended much time and ingenuity in constructing the portico, and it wasbuilt on to the street end of the schoolhouse, although there was no doorthere, the only entrance being at the back.
The building was opened with a tea-fight and a dance, and answered itspurpose very well up to the time of the first heavy rains; then studieshad to be postponed indefinitely, for the floor was a foot under water. Acall was made upon the united strength of the township, and the buildingwas lifted bodily and set down again on piles. When the open spacebetween the ground and the floor was boarded up, the residents weredelighted to find that the increased height had given the structure quitean imposing appearance. Alas! before six months had passed the place wasfound to be going over on one side. Waddy watched this failing withgrowing uneasiness. When the collapse seemed inevitable, the male adultswere again bidden to an onerous public duty; they rolled up likepatriots, and with a mighty effort pushed the school up into theperpendicular propping it there with stout stays. That answeredex