Key events in Stanthorpe, 1926
• Local Fire Fighting Organisation, public meeting held on November 15, 1926, to form a fire fighting association.
• The New School of Arts all is well on its way to competition.
• Meeting to discuss laying down of green at bowling club.
The Story of Pozieres in 1926 (Source: Hamilton)
In 1926, Mr Clyde McMahon was transferred from Tummaville to Pozieres School.
He was given a public welcome in the local Hall.
For 18 years, Mr McMahon taught at Pozieres – serving the school longer than any other teacher.
During his years at Pozieres, he also established an apple orchard.
A sign of the times was the directive in the Education Office Gazette which, in 1931 stated: “Slates are to be used for ordinary school work, excepting where parents object”.
Slates and slate pencils were provided free and few, if any objections, were made.
It was during Mr McMahon’s sojourn that the school children were involved in a “paperchase” at lunchtime one day.
The “hares” set off and the “hounds” followed.
The “hares” left the school grounds and went off through bush tracks.
Naturally, the “hounds” followed, and when the bell was rung to resume school, there was neither “hare” or “hound” in sight.
Eventually they all returned, but it is recorded that there was never a suggestion to hold another”paperchase” while Mr McMahon was at Pozieres.
One of the events never looked forward to with eager anticipation was the visit of the school dentist.
The travelling dentist usually came by train, was met by a teacher or committee man and proceeded to treat the children.
His equipment was very basic and it was not a happy time for the children.
One cannot help but admire their stoic acceptance of the situation.
Sometimes, though, there would be a Punch and Judy Show, or camels to ride.
Then the children were keen to see the visitors and loth to see them go.
When epidemics of measles, whooping cough or scarlet fever were in the district, whole families could be quarantined for weeks at a time, until the disease had worked its way through the family.
This happened to Mr McMahon’s family – Mr McMahon had been in contact with a case of scarlet fever, so a relieving teacher was appointed for a month.
The school picnics were always important occasions when families met and enjoyed a social day.
From 1935 the District sports assumed much the same picnic spirit in a wider field with all schools meeting in Stanthorpe.
Practical instruction in Apple Packing was introduced to schools of the Granite Belt in 1935, and Pozieres’ pupils used nearby orchard facilities to learn from Mr Gregory, the packing instructor.
During the early years of World War II, there was an influx of evacuees from Brisbane and the North, and this swelled the schools’ numbers temporarily.
In 1942 the War situation had become so grave that it became compulsory for every school to have slit trenches dug in the school grounds before school could be re-opened in the new year.
As time went on, improvements were effected to the school buildings new windows improved the lighting and the verandahs were enclosed.
