By 1870's as the population in the vicinity of the Coomera river grew there was a growing concern about the provision of schooling facilities for the children of the scattered population. Schooling at Coomera commenced on 11 July 1873. The Coomera Provisional School was commenced on that day with 16 pupils in attendance and Mr Augustus White conducted this school . The school was a slab hut on the property of Mr Stevens near where the School of Arts building is located. This school was short lived and the Department of Education choose for the school to be located further down the river near the ferry. Coomera State School was built and opened 20 July 1874 and has the distinction of being the oldest school in Coomera.
Over the past 140 years other schools in Coomera and surrounds have opened and closed and schools have once again re-opened.
In the early years, a number of small primary schools were established to service the various communities in the area:
• Coomera State School (1874 - present)
• Coomera Upper State School (1878 - 1964)
• Maudsland State School (1879 - 1963)
• Guanaba State School (1930 - 1942)
• Fern Hill State School (1910 - 1914)
• Pimpama State School (1872 - present)
Mr Binstead donated land for an additional school at Bakers Creek (in the vicinity of the School of Arts and War memorial). Bakers Creek school was built in 1878. Mr Parkinson was the first teacher and the school opened with 29 children. The school name changed to Upper Coomera School in 1880. This school operated for 86 years and closed in 1964.
In 1879 an additional school was built at Maudsland. A temporary school operated in a bark humpy on the property of Mr Bird until the new school was built by Mr Charles Binstead. The teacher was Mr JW Scott and the school opened with 14 pupil.
In 1964 Upper Coomera and Maudsland School were amalgamated with Coomera State School. The Maudsland school buildings were moved to Coomera State School . This building is still being used as a classroom today.
Coomera School First Inspection Report 1874 - Gerard Anderson
Coomera School
First Inspection , 16th October 1874
This school was opened on the 20th of July and provides with education the settlers of the Lower Coomera Creek. A township has recently been surveyed in its immediate neighbourhood, and the school stands on the main road to the border. It is well provided with all material requirements except fence and tank - the last is an imperative necessity. The discipline, drill and tone of the children are good, premises very neat and tidy. The children, as usual, were found in a very backward state when the school was opened; they have made good progress hitherto, and the teacher is extremely painstaking and attentive to the duties of his office. The school has made a very satisfactory beginning.
J. Gerard Anderson,
District Inspector
The following letter gives a clear indication of the difficulties that children faced on their journey to and from school. The letter from Mr Hall was written in response to a rumour circulating in the district that the Education Department was intending to close the newly opened Maudsland School. The letter describes the distance, terrain and the nature of rivers and creeks in the region. When you consider the only mode of transport available to children at that time was walking, it is not surprising that the demand for extra schools in Coomera was so strong.
Guanaba Creek,
Coomera.
2nd October, 1879
The Under-Secretary
Department of Education,
Brisbane.
Sir,
Maudsland Provisional School,
Upper Coomera.
As one of the trustees of the above school, I am induced to write to you in reference to the threat which has (as I understand) been made to close this school unless a more numerous attendance of scholars is shown next quarter. I can hardly think that the authority from whom such a threat ruminated can be aware of the difficulties which exist in these quarters in traversing from place to place in the case of many children; and the weather we have had some short time since, cause the river to be quite dangerous for adults.
The only means of crossing on foot consists of logs which are felled across on certain points of the river and the recent floods which have been more numerous than usual, have swept those logs away.
I can only say in addition that, though always in sight of the school in question I have not been across the river for two months or more for nothing, but sheer necessity would induce me to do it except on horseback and even then I would rather be excused.
Your inspector, Mr. McIntyre, whose acquaintance I had the pleasure to make when he was here on the subject of the school will be fully able to understand the difficulties.
I represent and explain to you the nature of the country and the tortuous course of the river in this neighbourhood.
Trusting you will consider. I am faithfully advising you on the subject.
I have the Honour to be,
Your obedient servant,
Stephen John Hall.
Mr Frederick Crompton commenced lessons with 22 pupils at Coomera School in 1874.
The following is an extract of a letter from Fredrick Crompton – Lower Coomera School
The parents of the children attending the school, although anxious that home exercises should be given, are apparently unwilling to contribute now towards the expense of such copy and exercise books, at least until they are provided, and I have no means here of providing any.
There is no ball-frame, and there are no ink wells in the school, nor is there any ink beyond the little which I have obtained from Pimpama.
I beg to state that I have suffered very great inconvenience from the want of water near the school. The nearest fresh water obtainable is a distance of three quarters of a mile, which I have to walk every day with 2 pails to obtain sufficient for drinking, for my family and for the children attending the school. I have today obtained the loan of a cask from the nearest settler, and the loan likewise of his horse and dray to fill the cask. The teacher’s residence and the school-house are both well spouted, but the spouting is carried down to the ground, rendering it impossible to obtain even a bucketful of water from the roofs of the houses when in rains. I venture respectfully to urge the necessity of a tank or well being dug close to the school-house before the hot weather comes on. I think it right to inform you that the school is situated six miles from the nearest post office, Pimpama, to which I have to walk to post my weekly returns, unless by chance I can have them taken for me. The Upper Coomera post office is, I am informed, a greater distance, and a much worse road.
I have the honor to be Sir
your obedient servant
Frederick Crompton.
I have been unable to obtain any official envelopes yet in which to enclose my returns.
The following is an extract of a letter from Fredrick Crompton – Lower Coomera School
The parents of the children attending the school, although anxious that home exercises should be given, are apparently unwilling to contribute now towards the expense of such copy and exercise books, at least until they are provided, and I have no means here of providing any.
There is no ball-frame, and there are no ink wells in the school, nor is there any ink beyond the little which I have obtained from Pimpama.
I beg to state that I have suffered very great inconvenience from the want of water near the school. The nearest fresh water obtainable is a distance of three quarters of a mile, which I have to walk every day with 2 pails to obtain sufficient for drinking, for my family and for the children attending the school. I have today obtained the loan of a cask from the nearest settler, and the loan likewise of his horse and dray to fill the cask. The teacher’s residence and the school-house are both well spouted, but the spouting is carried down to the ground, rendering it impossible to obtain even a bucketful of water from the roofs of the houses when in rains. I venture respectfully to urge the necessity of a tank or well being dug close to the school-house before the hot weather comes on. I think it right to inform you that the school is situated six miles from the nearest post office, Pimpama, to which I have to walk to post my weekly returns, unless by chance I can have them taken for me. The Upper Coomera post office is, I am informed, a greater distance, and a much worse road.
I have the honor to be Sir
your obedient servant
Frederick Crompton.
I have been unable to obtain any official envelopes yet in which to enclose my returns.
The following is an extract from a letter written by Mr Robert Currey recounting a day in the top class:
I remember one of the bad days vividly. The top class of six boys were asked spelling and had to write them down on our slates. By some chance, I was top of the class at the time. "Scholar" was the word and I spelt it "scholer". I was the first to cop it around the legs. the other five boys also spelt it incorrectly. I didn't spell any more wrongly that day, but three other boys missed quite a few. Well, the teacher had quite a field day with that bamboo stick. The boy's legs were black and green for days after.
I remember one of the bad days vividly. The top class of six boys were asked spelling and had to write them down on our slates. By some chance, I was top of the class at the time. "Scholar" was the word and I spelt it "scholer". I was the first to cop it around the legs. the other five boys also spelt it incorrectly. I didn't spell any more wrongly that day, but three other boys missed quite a few. Well, the teacher had quite a field day with that bamboo stick. The boy's legs were black and green for days after.