SMITH'S MILL PRIMARY SCHOOL, ORIGINAL SCHOOL CLASSROOM 1897 - 34 TILLBROOK ST.
Mary Richmond, Lyn Myles & Rob Borsje.
The locality was originally named 'Smith's Mill' and later changed to 'Glen Forrest' in 1915. As you approach the original school building from the north (from Tillbrook Street), this is the view you will see facing you. This is the north side of the building which was completed in 1897. Today (2020) it is 123 years old!
— Scroll down past the photographs to read the Schneiders' story, they were both teachers from 1901 ‐ 1905. —
Smith's Mill school in 1903 - how it originally appeared.
Source: 'Morning Herald', 20th June, 1903.
Agnes & Adolph Schneider, Assistant Teacher and Head Teacher at Smith’s Mill School in 1905. This wonderful photograph shows so much detail of the inside of the classroom; the clock shows it is 5 minutes to 8.
Courtesy: Mundaring & Hills Historical Society.
AGNES AND ADOLPH SCHNEIDERS CONNECTION TO SMITH'S MILL SCHOOL
Both Agnes Oliver and Adolph Schneider were born in South Australia. Agnes’s background was Scottish and Adolph’s was German (his given name was Henry Adolph but he was always known as 'Adolph'). They married in 1896 in South Australia, then must have moved to WA shortly after, as they were farewelled from teaching at Donnybrook in early 1900, under somewhat of a cloud. This had come about because a group of parents had sent a letter to the Education Dept. with complaints about the school building which the dept. thought had been instigated by Mr Schneider. Although a group of parents sent an open letter to the newspaper claiming it had no connection to Mr. Schneider, he was nevertheless moved to the Canning Mills district. This resulted in Adolph being transferred to Smiths Mill School in 1901 with his wife, Agnes. In 1903 Agnes became the assistant teacher, replacing Miss Elizabeth Kane. Female teachers were needed to teach sewing to the girls. The couple lived in the Head Teacher’s house just north of the classroom, which was originally built as a school in 1895. This building was quickly outgrown so a larger brick school was built and opened for students in 1897.
It was through Adolph and Agnes’s efforts that a more suitable school bell,
from a Baldwin steam train engine, was eventually obtained in 1905 to replace the earlier steel triangle which had proved to be unsuitable and had broken into pieces.
The Schneiders were involved in the local community which included the Smiths Mill Baptist Church (56 McGlew Road, POI #14) . Both Mrs B. Pittersen and Mrs A. Schneider laid the foundation stone for this church in January 1905 (refer to photo on the right).
The Schneiders left Smith's Mill for the Belmont School in October, 1905.
The Schneiders had no children which probably allowed Mrs Schneider to be an Assistant Teacher as it was not usual for married women to be employed in those days.
The electoral rolls in WA have the Schneiders under this surname until 1915, when the outset of WW1 meant there was prejudice against people with German sounding names. The couple changed their surname to the English version: ‘Taylor’, and Henry dropped his name Adolph and went by ‘Henry Arthur Taylor’ and Agnes also adopted the Taylor surname. Adolph was a teacher until he retired and both he and Agnes lived into their late 80’s, both dying within 3 years of each other; Agnes in 1955 and Adolph in 1958. Both were cremated and their ashes placed in the Crematorium Rose Garden at Karrakatta Cemetery.
© Copyright Rob Borsje, Lyn Myles, Mary Richmond and attributed sources.