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Darlington Primary School (No. 777)

Learn about the history of Darlington Primary School, one of Victoria's oldest public schools.

Key information

Address:
Darlington 3271
Opened:
24 April 1865
Closed:
1 January 1978
School type:
Primary
School number:
777
Other names:
Darlington School, Darlington Common School, Darlington State School

How to find enrolment and other school records

If the school is open: contact the school directly to access your records.

If the school has closed: contact the Archives and Records branch via email archives.records@education.vic.gov.au or 1800 359 140 and they will assist you.

The history of Darlington Primary School

  • 1865

    Darlington opened as a common school in 1865. 30 children attended on the first day.

    The first teachers were John F. Johnstone and Robert Brooks.

    Classes were held in a local church building made of bluestone with a shingle roof.

  • 1870s

    The school became a state school at some stage between 1873 and 1878.

    By 1874 the number of students enrolled at the school was 64.

  • 1883

    The number of students enrolled had fallen to only 18.

  • 1886

    Darlington had low student numbers so it became a part-time school. It shared its only teacher with Mount Fyans State School (No. 2795), and the teacher split their time between both schools.

  • 1890

    The number of students enrolled had increased to 29 and the school had a full-time teacher again.

  • 1907

    Trees were planted around the playground and a shelter shed was built.

  • 1948

    The old bluestone building was sold and moved. It was replaced with a new one-room timber schoolhouse.

  • 1965

    A new room and corridor were added to the schoolhouse.

  • 1970

    The school was renamed Darlington Primary School in 1970.

  • 1978

    Darlington Primary School closed in 1978.

Find more information about this school

The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) is the archive of Victoria's State and local government. They look after some of our oldest school records, and we can use these records to help us understand what school life used to be like.

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