FROM ink to ipads; from black boards to interactive whiteboards, Butchers Creek State School celebrated a very rich 100 years of history at its centenary recently.
After a century of its existence, this prominent and vibrant small rural school continues to be important in educating local children as well as drawing families and the wider community together.
Alexander Prokhorov was possibly the most famous student that the school has ever had, becoming world famous after being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1964 for being the co-discoverer of masers, the precursor of modern lasers.
Centenary events included the official opening, roll call, opening of a time capsule, Student Leaders speech, and official cutting of the Centenary Cake.
Students performed songs, a poem and dances at the evening celebrations, and a commemorative centenary plaque was also unveiled.
At the Official Opening, ‘Welcome to Country’ was given by Yvonne Canendo.
“Our history here is very dear to our hearts and I’m pleased that everybody recognises it,” she said.
Principal Lori Smith commented in her official welcoming address that there were 11 schools established in the Eacham Shire, of which only two remain today - Malanda and Butchers Creek.
“To each of you here Butchers Creek School is special in some way,” she said.
Mrs Joan Conole baked a magnificient Centenary Cake in a wood stove, which used 12 eggs in the process, whilst Helen Rockley did a superb job of icing it.
Donna Binnie and Cathy Lorensen, along with Petrina Callaghan, compiled the Centenary Book which has been so popular that it has almost sold out and looks like it may go into reprint.
A total of 11 students were initially enrolled when Butchers Creek State School first opened its doors on October 6, 1913. Principal John Tait had the honour of being the first ever principal (a teaching principal) of the one teacher school.
The school’s first woman principal was Gertrude Irving for a few weeks in 1916, followed by Mary Moroney who held the position from 1916-1919.
Local families have proudly seen three and four generations of family members educated at this impressive country school.
Eddie Waters, who was the oldest enrolled student (1932) present on the day, officially cut the Centenary Cake.
Former Butchers Creek School Student Mrs Yvonne Tobin, who attended the School’s centenary, recalls going to school with her sister, Lois on horseback.
“We doubled to school, which was 3km away, on our grey mare ‘Trixie’,” she said.
In the last 100 years the school has grown from humble beginnings to the modern school that it is today. It now has added classrooms, closed in verandahs and a new library which has been built in the last few years. It boasts modernised resources such as interactive whiteboards, computers, laptops and iPads for learning.