CUDAL Public School students traded their school uniforms for pinafores, boots and other old-fashioned attire on Friday 7 August as the school travelled back 150 years to celebrate its sesquicentenary.
The school’s Education Week Open Day was themed Stepping Back in Time, giving students, families and visitors a glimpse of what school life was like when Cudal Public School first opened in the 1870s.
Principal Lauren Shepherd said the celebration was part of a year-long program marking the school’s 150 years of public education.
“Our theme is ‘Inspiring Excellence for 150 Years’,” she said.
Students had spent time learning about the era in preparation for the special day, with staff drawing on historical resources and a visit to Sovereign Hill in Victoria to gain a better understanding of 19th-century school life.
The history lessons came to life in the classrooms, with younger students using slate boards and chalk for arithmetic and handwriting, while older students practiced writing with pen and ink.
Penmanship lessons, number formation and arithmetic were among the activities planned for the open classrooms between recess and lunch.
The school even extended the historical theme to its menu, with scones, jam and cream served for morning tea and soup, bread and stew planned for lunch.
Students also learned about some of the stricter expectations of Victorian-era schooling, including inspections for cleanliness and the use of the cane for offences such as laziness or unpolished boots, though luckily no one needed it!
Gendered lines and other historical practices were also incorporated into the day to give students an insight into how dramatically schooling has changed over the past 150 years.
The celebrations are set to continue throughout the year, with a parade and fete planned for October, as well as an alumni cocktail party.
The school is also planning a bike ride as part of the celebrations, inspired in part by photographs from its centenary celebrations showing a former student riding her bicycle to school.
Students have already participated in police and road-safety lessons in preparation for the event.
Ms Shepherd said the school was looking forward to continuing to celebrate its long history with current students, former pupils and the wider Cudal community.
“We’re going to continue the celebrations all year,” she said.