Historical information

The Tuohey and Carmody families were closely connected with Myola, Toolleen and Runnymede for generations. Pat Tuohey, who is seated in the front row of the photograph, with a slate resting across his knees, allegedly 'had the slate placed there because his knees were dirty on the day the photograph was taken. Mercia Carmody, in the photo, was born on 8th March 1915, and was only five years old in 1920. She was not yet attending school but had come along specially because the school photograph was being taken that day'. (Source: Patrick Tuohey, email to BHS 26.10.26)
Myola State School commenced on the 1st January 1878 in a timber building designed to accommodate 40 pupils. The building, with three rooms attached for a teacher's residence, had been erected in 1877 on a site on the Northern Highway, 10 miles from Elmore, in June 1875.
The first Head Teacher, Charles Ward, had as his assistant Miss Mary Ward. Head teachers to follow were Elizabeth Spokes, John Kennedy, Annie Quealy, William J. Cuthill, John McNully, Henry Stielow, William Jackson (1909 - 12) Ethel Balding (1913 - 20) and Reginald Affleck (1921 - 26).
The school closed in 1926 and reopened about 1934, when it worked part time with Muskerry East under temporary Head Teachers. Robert Ward became Head Teacher from 1941 and was followed by Eileen Kelly (1945-53), Neville Grey (1954) and Ronald Wallace (1955-56).
The school ceased instruction to students at the end of 1956 and closed on 31st January 1962. (Vision and Realisation, L.J. Blake, Volume 3, page 794)

Physical description

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from Friday, January 14, 2005. School's in: Photographed in 1920 is the class of Myola State School No. 1988. Back row: May Conroy, Eileen Pardy, Grace Smirk, Eileen Sexton, Mary Kennedy, Vera Tuohey, May Carmody, Maggie Pardy, unknown. Third row: Bert Smirk, Stan Conroy, Hill Sexton, Joe Carmody, Tom Tuohey, Jim Pardy, Ted Pardy, Mat Tuohey, Vin Carmody. Second row: Miss Ethel Balding (teacher), Mick Morrisey, Bill Morrisey, Norm Conroy, Ray Carmody, Mary Tuohey, Jean Dobie, unknown, Lila Dobie, Mercia Carmody, Rita Carmody. Front row: Alf Tuohey, Frank Carmody, Mick Tuohey, Pat Tuohey, Bob Carmody, Archie Dobie. The clip is in a folder.