Belmont Primary School

In 1896, numerous families in Belmont submitted applications to the Education Department for the establishment of a local government school. The initial beneficiaries of this new institute were children from families such as Towtons, Sugars, Stanley, Keen, Robinson, Le Page, Hawthorn, Jibbery, Risley, Osborne, Gibbs, Pridmore, and Randell. The first school commenced its operations in an existing hall under the supervision of the Wesleyan Trustees. The teacher, Mr. W.R. Dalrymple, resided in two adjoining rooms near the school hall. Later that year, the government purchased an acre of land from the Saunders for 100 pounds, which served as the foundation for what is now known as Belmont Primary School. Construction of the new two-roomed school was completed within a year, while the teacher continued to stay at the old Wesleyan Hall for a monthly rent of ten shillings until new accommodations were constructed. In 1899, Mr. H.R. Havill took over as the head teacher from Dalrymple. Entries from the school journal from that time provide us with a glimpse into the school life during the turn of the century. Attendance rates fluctuated significantly, with a diphtheria epidemic being the primary reason for children missing school in mid-1908. The appointment of a school monitor later that year brought a more organized approach to school work, but subsequent outbreaks of diphtheria and influenza once again disrupted classes. The school year of 1909 began with 76 pupils, and there was noted improvement in their attitude towards classes. Despite the establishment of a library, attendance was still affected by outbreaks of measles, flu, diphtheria, and typhoid, as well as damage caused by wandering cattle on the school grounds. The Forestry Department generously donated trees to beautify the grounds, but they were destroyed by another group of cattle. With the addition of a pre-primary section in the 1980s, the school reached its final form and currently enrolls a total of 135 students. While Rivervale school was constructed in 1907 and Redcliffe in 1908, Belmont Primary School remains a significant institution in the area.