Garvoc Sate School Victoria 1935Tom Vickers was a prominent member of the community and a local pharmacist.Digital copy of black and white photographvickers family, garvoc state school

This book was awarded in 1884 to Bessie McMahon from the Warrnambool State School. The teacher was Bella Davidson. Warrnambool State School No. 1743 in Jamieson Street, Warrnambool, was opened in 1876 and is still open today. Elizabeth Mary (Bessie) McMahon was the daughter of William and Mary McMahon of Glenrye, Warrnambool. Her father was a Warrnambool lawyer. Bessie McMahon married John Clarke of Garvoc. Isabella (Bella) Davidson was the daughter of John and Isabella Davidson of Rosebank near Woodford. She became a well-known teacher in Warrnambool, commencing as a pupil teacher in the Warrnambool National School (later Common School 646) and moving to the Warrnambool State School in Jamieson Street when it opened. She resigned in 1886 to open a private school in Koroit Street (known as Ellerslie College) and continued as the proprietor and Head Teacher until 1891. This book is of considerable importance because of its association with the Warrnambool State School early in its existence, with Bella Davidson, a noted Warrnambool educationalist of the 19th century and with Bessie McMahon, a member of a prominent family in 19th century Warrnambool.This is a hard cover book of 310 pages. The cover has a blue background with gold and black ornamentation and a gold shield. The shield contains an illustration of a girl lowering a bundle down from a window to a boy below. The lettering on the cover and spine is gold and the pages are gilt-edged. The cover is slightly stained. There are several full-page black and white illustrations scattered throughout the pages. The illustration at the front of the book is loose and the binding is partly detached from the spine. The inscription is handwritten in black ink. ‘Warrnambool State School 1743 Decem 1884 Prize Awarded to Bessie McMahon for highest marks in French Div 111 B. Davidson’ warrnambool state school, bella davidson, bessie mcmahon, history of warrnambool

This school reader was used by Edmond and Mary Grace at Laang State School. Laang is in the Western District and is eight kilometres from Garvoc and ten kilometres from Panmure. The Laang State School opened in 1875 with a new building being erected in 1876 and additions being added in 1889. The school is now closed. Edmond Morgan Grace was born to William and Mary Grace in 1886 and died in 1953. Mary was his sister. Charles Hider, with his brother James, were early settlers in Warrnambool and both ran book shops in the town. This book is of moderate interest as an example of a late 19th century school reader and as one used at Laang State School by the Grace family. This is a brown hard cover book of 398 pages. The cover has an embossed patterning and lettering. The binding has come apart and has been mended with white adhesive tape. Some pages at the front and back are missing. The book has a contents page and three sections of text. There are many black and white illustrations. The inscription is handwritten in blue ink. The cover is somewhat faded and rubbed and some pages are stained. There is a printed label of the seller of the book pasted onto the inside of the front cover. ‘Edmond M. Grace Laang State School’ ‘Mary Grace Laang S.S.’ ‘C.Hider Opposite Court House Warrnambool’ edmond and mary grace, laang state school, charles and james hider