Historical information

Ada Pearling Pickering ( G Box )
Stephen Charman, 1821-1906 a market gardener, donated land for the first Methodist Chapel, Cemetery and School in Charman Rd Cheltenham 1855. The enrolment was 36 pupils with Mr Frederick Meeres as Teacher.
1863 the school is called Beaumaris Common School No 84 with 70 pupils and Walter Meeres as Teacher. 1869 another 2 acres in Charman Road were granted by the Education Board and brick building built . 1872 State School 84 Beaumaris was increasing enrollments and 1878 a new brick school was built to accommodate 174 pupils and the name changed to Cheltenham State School No.84
1894 Mentone State School No.2950 amalgamated with Cheltenham SS No.84. 1910 the buildings were in disrepair, overcrowding was increasing and renovations were made 1912 with further additions in 1925 and 1937. Post WW11 extra prefabricated Classrooms were added as enrollment increased to 1038 in 1955..
Cheltenham East State School 4754 was opened as housing development spread over the City of Moorabbin . (J.Larson Sandringham HS)

Significance

Ada Pearling Pickering was descendant of the George Box Family who migrated in 1850,s and established market gardens in the Brighton area of Dendy's Special Survey 1841 .
1855 Stephen Charman donated land to the Methodist Church so that a School could be established to educate the children of the early settler market gardeners and farmers in the Cheltenham area . Education was valued by the general community and as well as schools they established mechanics Institutes and Libraries in Moorabbin Shire. Cheltenham State School No. 84 was among the first schools in Melbourne

Physical description

Black & White photograph of pupils at Cheltenham State School No.84 Grade 3 1917 with Ada Pickering a descendant of the Box family early settlers

Inscriptions & markings

hand written Ada Pearling Pickering