Wilston State School is a heritage-listed state school at Primrose Street, Grange, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1920. Architects who designed the school's buildings include Arthur Gordon Femister Greenway and Blackburne and Gzell. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 12 June 2015.
History Wilston State School opened in 1920 in the Brisbane suburb of Wilston (but now within the suburb boundaries of Grange), to serve the growing suburban population in the Wilston-Grange area. Due to suburban development during the interwar period and after World War II, additional buildings were added to serve the school's needs. Wilston State School has a range of standard and purpose-built timber and brick buildings dating from 1920 to the 1950s, set in landscaped grounds. The school has been in continuous operation since establishment and has been a focus for the local community as a place for important social and cultural activities.
The provision of state-administered education was important to the colonial governments of Australia. Following the introduction of Queensland's Education Act 1860, which established the Board of General Education and began standardising curriculum, training and facilities, Queensland's public schools grew rapidly.Thom Blake, "Educating Queenslanders" in Queensland Historical Thematic Framework, 2007 (rev. 2013 by EHP), p 2. Queensland's State Education Act 1875 provided for free, compulsory and secular primary education and established the Department of Public Instruction. This further standardised the provision of education, and despite difficulties, achieved the remarkable feat of bringing basic literacy to most Queensland children by 1900.Greg Logan and Eddie Clarke, State Education in Queensland: a brief history, a report for the Department of Education, Queensland, 1984, p.2.
The establishment of schools was considered an essential step in the development of early communities and integral to their success. Locals often donated land and labour for a school's construction and the school community contributed to maintenance and development. Schools became a community focus, a symbol of progress, and a source of pride, with enduring connections formed with past pupils, parents, and teachers. The inclusion of war memorials and community halls reinforced these connections and provided a venue for a wide range of community events in schools across Queensland.Project Services, "Wilston State School" in Queensland Schools Heritage Study Part II Report, for Education Queensland, 2008, n.p.
To help ensure consistency and economy, the Queensland Government developed standard plans for its school buildings. From the 1860s until the 1960s, Queensland school buildings were predominantly timber-framed, an easy and cost-effective approach that also enabled the government to provide facilities in remote areas. Standard designs were continually refined in response to changing needs and educational philosophy and Queensland school buildings were particularly innovative in climate control, lighting, and ventilation. Standardisation produced distinctly similar schools across Queensland with complexes of typical components.Paul Burmester, Margaret Pullar and Michael Kennedy Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, Part I, November 1996, pp.84, 120-1.
European settlement of the area around Wilston State School began when William Wilson, a city merchant, took up 300 acres of land and built a stone house , which he called "Wilston" after his birthplace in Ireland. The later suburb, located between Newmarket and Windsor, took the name of Wilson's house. During the 19th century, Wilston remained a predominantly rural area.Project Services, "Wilston State School".
Suburban growth intensified with the arrival of the railway at nearby Newmarket in 1897. In 1899 the Ferny Grove railway line was extended to Enoggera and the Town of Windsor, incorporating Wilston, was proclaimed in 1904. The suburb, near the Newmarket saleyards (1877–1931), was at first regarded as an outlying district of Newmarket, and was used for agistment, tanneries, fellmongering, dairying and extractive industries.'Wilston', <www.queenslandplaces.com.au/Wilston>, accessed March 2015. The train line to Newmarket station had a stop at Wilston, and settlement spread northwards from there to the desirable elevated slopes of Eildon Hill. The population of Wilston increased further following establishment of the Grange electric tramway along Days Road in 1928.
Lobbying for a new school at Wilston began in 1912. The neighbouring schools of Bowen Bridge State School (now Windsor State School) and Newmarket State School had resisted the establishment of another school, fearing it would decrease resources for existing schools in the area. In 1914, a further effort was made to have a school erected in the district, pointing out that the steep nature of the area was difficult for small children; and crossing the railway and passing cattle saleyards were added dangers. By 1917, two potential sites for a new school had been selected. Coronation Park, a recreation area, was selected after a secret ballot of parents.
Subsequently, Wilston State School opened on 14 August 1920, comprising one suburban timber school building (Type C/T8) (now known as Block C) on 4 acres of land (1.62ha).Known as Block C in 2015. Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, Part 2, p. 25. The building was centrally positioned on the higher ground at the southern (Primrose Street) end of the site. A newspaper report described the building as timber on brick piers with an asbestos slate roof and ornamental fleches. There were 8 classrooms with verandahs and two teachers rooms on the north side. Particular reference was made to good lighting and ventilation. The concreted area under the building was used as play space, with conveniently placed toilets nearby.'New School Opened - function at Wilston', The Daily Standard, 19 August 1920, p.2. The school had an initial enrolment of 320 pupils, which rose with the progress of the district.'Wilston State School - the Opening Ceremony', Brisbane Courier, 16 August 1920, p.7.
The school gained a reputation for success in the arts and music, due largely to the efforts of the first head teacher, Walter Collings. His influence played an important role in the development of the school and its grounds. He is recognised for his public stance in opposing corporal punishment in schools and Wilston was reputedly the first school in Queensland to ban corporal punishment.Wilston State School. Golden Jubilee 1920-1970, Wilston State School, Wilston State School, Brisbane, 1970, n.p. By the late 1920s, the school possessed its own orchestra.'Wilston State School' Brisbane Courier, 12 August 1929, p.29. Reflecting the school's arts focus, in 1923 a bust of William Shakespeare, located in a garden bed on the north side of the 1920 building, was unveiled by the Queensland Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan.'Shakespeare's Charm', Brisbane Courier, 20 August 1923, p.6.
Collings also promoted sport. One of the first swimming pools at a state school in Queensland was established at Wilston State School in 1923, located in the southwest corner of the grounds. The school committee raised its £650 cost and undertook preliminary work on the site before its construction by MR Hornibrook.Wilston State School. Golden Jubilee 1920-1970, n.p. Opened on 10 November 1923 at a large public gathering, the reinforced concrete pool was long and wide with a varied depth of .'New Swimming Baths', Brisbane Courier, 12 November 1923, p.14. Earlier pools were opened at Junction Park State School (1910), Wooloowin State School (1916), Ascot State School (pre-1921) and Cannon Hill State School (1921).'First School Swimming Pool', Brisbane Courier, 5 February 1910, p.7'School Swimming Pool', The Telegraph, 25 September 1916, p. 10 In 1915, the Hon Herbert Hardacre, Minister for Public Instruction, regarded swimming as "preferable to other physical drill during the hot summer months" and that he "would like to see a swimming pool in every school ground in Queensland".'Wooloowin State School', Brisbane Courier, 8 October 1915, p.10. A year later at the opening of the Wooloowin State School pool, he emphasised the value of swimming to children's physiques.'School Swimming Pool', The Telegraph, 25 September 1916, p.10. However, water safety was also a motivation for the establishment school swimming pools.'Swimming', The Telegraph, 11 December 1922, p.3. A year after the opening of the Wilston State School pool, a long timber dressing shed with a brick base, weatherboard walls and a gable roof was built to the west of the pool and was officially opened in October 1924.'Wilston School Baths', Daily Standard, 20 October 1924, p.9. In August 1929, tennis courts were officially opened by the Minister for Education, Reginald King.'Wilston State School', Brisbane Courier, 12 August 1929, p.29.
The provision of outdoor play space was a result of the early and continuing commitment by the Department of Public Instruction to play-based education, particularly in primary school. Trees and gardens were planted as part of beautification of schools. In the 1870s, schools inspector William Boyd was critical of tropical schools and among his recommendations stressed the importance of adding shade trees to playgrounds.Paul Burmester, Margaret Pullar and Michael Kennedy Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, a report for the Department of Education, Part I, Nov 1996, pp.4, 48-9. In addition, Arbor Day celebrations began in Queensland in 1890. Landscape elements were often constructed to standard designs and were intrinsic to Queensland Government education philosophies. Educators believed gardening and Arbor Days instilled in young minds the value of hard work and activity, improved classroom discipline, developed aesthetic tastes, and inspired people to stay on the land. Aesthetically designed gardens were encouraged by regional inspectors.Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, pp.4, 48-9. Following construction of Wilston State School, its grounds were terraced and gardens with bush houses were created. Principal Collings expressed the importance of school gardens in July 1932 at the opening of the latest part of the school's beautification scheme, which had commenced 12 years previously, when he said "a beautiful garden was better than the best teacher".'Wilston School - beautification scheme', Brisbane Courier, 4 July 1932, p.12. Shade trees inside the school boundary near the buildings on Inglis Street (fig trees) and Thomas streets (two camphor laurels and one fig tree) were planted prior to 1946. Fig trees around the oval, along the Inglis, Carberry and Thomas streets' boundaries, were planted prior to 1964.Department of Natural Resource and Mines (DNRM), Smartmaps: 1958 aerial QAP768-89(2)p.12 Dec 1960 aerial, QAP1090-381964 Aerial QAP1592-67308 April 1969 aerial QAP1938-1451 July 1972 aerial QAP2467-1373 June 1982 aerial QAP4020-2261991 aerial QAP4951-1231997 aerial. QAP5564-2528 Oct 2001 Google Earth satellite9 May 2004 Google Earth2007 BCC aerial, <>, accessed March 20152009 aerial, BCC, <> accessed March 2015.