This photograph depicts a large and crowded classroom at Beechworth Primary School, taken sometime in the 1930s. By that time, primary education in Victoria for children aged 6 to 15 years had been free, secular and compulsory since the Education Act of 1872. Among the students is the owner of the photograph, Jack Schofield. The Beechworth Primary School itself is a reflection of Beechworth's growth from a goldfields town in the 1850s to an administrative centre of northeast Victoria by the 1920s, supported by the presence of courts, hospital, prison and asylums. This photograph has historical significance as it illustrates a typical classroom in 1930s Beechworth. It gives a glimpse of classroom arrangements and student life during this period and also reflects the emphasis placed on public education in regional Victoria. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Reverse: 7699.1beechworth primary school, beechworth elementary school, school, students, education, 1930s classroom