# Charleston: Its Rise and Decline/Chapter 15

Chapter XV.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.
SCHOOLS.
CHARLESTON National School. Private, but subsidised by Government. W. J. Moore, November, 1867. Section 239 at corner of Blackett Street and Rotten Row, the latter then referred to as Coal Street; in a building previously used as a hotel the name of which has not been ascertained. It was later controlled by Mr. A. Brown (July, 1873) and by Mrs. Collins about 1875. It continued to be known as “Moore’s School,” until closed about 1876.
Mitchell’s School. Private, but subsidised by the Government. On Section No. 66, Prince’s Street West. Mr. Mitchell, 1867. Later controlled by Mr. A. Brown (1872) who, when this school closed in July, 1873, took over Moore’s School.
Ladies’ School. Mrs. Hawkins, March, 1868. On Darkie’s Terrace Road. No details are ascertainable.
Charleston School. An advertisement in Westport Daily Times and Charleston Argus notified the opening of this school on Monday, 22nd June, 1868, by Mr. M. F. Phelan, in premises “opposite to the Dan O’Connell Hotel in Camp Street.” No details are ascertainable.
St. Patrick’s School. Private, Roman Catholic. Camp Street South. From 1872 to 1880. On a site opposite to St. Patrick’s Chapel and in the building previously St. Patrick’s Hotel kept by Gilhooley.
Mrs. West’s School. Private, Church of England, 1875. In vicarage, Darkie’s Terrace Road. Closed about 1877. Before coming to Charleston Mrs. West conducted a private school at Brighton. ​Girls’ School. State, 1878. On School Reserve, Darkie’s Terrace Road. Closed about 1893.
Boys’ School. State, 1880. On School Reserve, Darkie’s Terrace Road. Closed about 1893. In 1880 Mr. R. Delaney, the headmaster, opened herein a night-class for youths.
State School. 1893, for both boys and girls. In premises previously the Boys’ School. Still existing (1940).
Whether Moore’s or Mitchell’s was the first school is not certain; they opened within a few months of each other. A report by Mr. W. C. Hodgson, Inspector of Schools, dated 5th August, 1869, stated that a subsidy was being granted to “each of the two schools already established at Charleston.” These were Mitchell’s and Moore’s. The subsidy was the result of a recommendation by Mr. C. Broad, the Resident Magistrate, who therein referred to “two schools controlled by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Moore.”
In the Inspector’s report of 1st August, 1872, it is stated that schools were then conducted at Charleston by Mr. Brown at Blackett Street and by Mr. Moore at Prince’s Street. It seems that the sites were transposed; and that Mr. Brown had taken over Mitchell’s School in Prince’s Street (West) and that Mr. Moore continued to conduct the school in Blackett Street. An advertisement in the Charleston Herald of 1st October, 1873, signed by W. J. Moore, notified that his school in Blackett Street was still being conducted by him.
The Inspector’s report of 1873 deals with only two schools, viz., Moore’s and St. Patrick’s, indicating that since the previous report (1872) Mitchell’s had been closed and St. Patrick’s opened; and that Moore’s still remained. In the reports of 1874 and 1875 Moore’s and St. Patrick’s are mentioned, showing that Moore’s did not close until late in 1875 or (as believed) early in 1876.
Among the pupils of Charleston schools who won scholarships were (all are not known nor are the dates or schools): Six members of the Enright family; Miss Teresa Fair; Dan Dennehy; J. W. Maloney; Lily Horner; Hugh Horner; Frances Horner; James Ogg; John Codrow; Henry Moore.
None of the Charleston schools had any distinctive uniform, tie, or cap. Some records of attendances are: ​Moore’s, 1869—27; 1870—74; 1871—40. Mitchell’s 1869—28; 1870—56; 1871—40. St. Patrick’s, 1872—54; 1873—54; 1874—64; 1876—69. Mrs. West’s, 1876—51. Boys’ School, 1883—48; 1889—69. Girls’ School, 1883—60; 1889—74. State School, 1908—41.
Inspectors: W. C. Hodgson, 1869; George A. Harkness, 1893; D. A. Strachan (Asst.), 1900-1904; A. Crawford (Asst.) 1904-1919; C. Dalgleish, 1920; G. Pitcaithly, 1922; G. E. Overton, 1926; J. Wyn-Irwin, 1928; T. J. Griffin, 1931; W. J. Boden, 1936; A. J. Woods, 1936; H. C. N. Watson, 1937; G. E. Overton, 1937; C. A. Cumming, 1940; J. F. Johnson, 1940. Mr. G. A. Harkness was sole Inspector from 1893 to 1900, when he was given the services of Mr. D. A. Strachan as Assistant.
Secretaries in early years were: W. W. Sutton, August, 1878; J. W. Fair, December, 1879; Patrick Kittson, November, 1882; W. H. Brown, February, 1885.
Chairmen of Committees in early years: Philip McCarthy, 1878; Roger Walker, June, 1878; W. H. Hillyar, 1882; R. Worsley, 1882; R. Woodger, 1886; W. H. Brown, 1886; W. Hampton, 1887; T. Enright, 1888.
Schoolteachers: 1867—Mitchell, Principal of Mitchell’s School, 1867-1872; Miss Mitchell, Assistant; W. J. Moore, Principal Charleston National School, 1867-1873; C. H. Nees and H. C. Carter, Pupil-teachers Moore’s School, 1867; Mrs. Moore (neé Harle), Assistant, Moore’s School, 1873. 1872—A. Brown took over Mitchell’s School, 1872, and took over Moore’s School, 1873; Richard Delaney, Headmaster, St. Patrick’s School, 1872-1875. 1873—Mrs. A. Brown, Assistant, Moore’s School. 1875—Mrs. H. E. West, Principal, Church of England School, 1875-1877; Mrs. Collins took over Moore’s School; Denis O’Donoghue, Headmaster, St. Patrick’s School, 1875-1876. 1876—Charles McCarthy, Headmaster, St.Patrick’s School, 1876-1880; Miss Easton, Miss O’Donoghue, Mrs. Dieling, Miss Daroux. 1877—Miss Ellen Quinn (Asst., St. Patrick’s); Miss Green and Miss Ballard (Assts., Mrs. West’s School). 1878—Mrs. Gaskin, Mistress, Girls’ School; Miss Clarisold (Resigned April, 1879). 1879—Miss Folckmann, Mistress, Girls’ School; Miss Dike. 1880—Richard Delaney, Headmaster, Boys’ School, 1880-1882; Mrs. Hansen ​(Resigned same year); Miss McPhee. 1881—Miss O’Connor, 1881-1888; Miss Fries, 1881-1884; Mrs. Suisted, 1881-1888. 1882—G. A. Blumer. 1884—G. Lang, 1884-1888; Mrs. Blumer (Resigned same year); Miss Anderson, 1884-1888. 1888—Thomas Lander; Miss K. Williams, 1888-1890; Miss Mary Bary, 1888-1889; R. E. Dowling, 1888-1893. 1889—George Fair, 1889-1891; Alice Dent, 1889-1895; Mrs. Dowling (neé Mary Bary), 1889-1892. 1890—Miss Enright, 1890-1891. 1891—T. Ferguson (Resigned same year). 1892—Miss Knap, 1892-1895; W. Lander, 1892-1893. 1893—F. E. O’Flynn, 1893-1896. 1895—Miss Beatrice Henderson, 1895-1897. 1896—Miss Enright; L. O. Baigent, 1896-1902. 1897—Miss F. Horner, 1897-1903. 1902—C. G. M. Boyce, 1902-1904. 1903—C. Ladley, 1903-1904. 1904—J. W. Maloney, 1904-1906; M. Thompson, 1904-1906. 1906—A. Laird (Resigned same year); Caroline Kelp, 1906-1908. 1907—Teresa Doyle, 1907-1908; N. Carrick (Resigned same year); Marion Mouat, 1907-1909. 1908—J. O. Garth (Resigned same year); T. Kane, 1908-1910; E. Findlay, 1908-1909. 1909—H. G. Eden, 1909-1910. 1910—G. G. Maloney, 1910-1916; G. O’Brien, 1910-1911. 1911—E. E. Bryan, 1911-1917, 1916—G. E. Dove, 1916-1917. 1917—M. Ryan (Resigned same year); E. Chamberlain, 1917-1918. 1918—G. G. Maloney (Resigned same year); Mrs. E. J. Etheridge, 1918-1920. 1920—A. W. McCarthy, 1920-1924. 1921—M. Dickson, 1921-1922. 1924—W. D. Lutton, 1924-1927. 1927—R. Harden. 1930—Elsie Curtis (Resigned same year); Miss M. E. Hay; Mrs. Hampton (neé Hay) (Resigned same year); Mrs. M. E. Garvin, 1930-1931. 1931—E. Curtis; C. F. Capper (Resigned same year); A. P. Masterton (Resigned same year); Mrs. Walker. 1932—J. A. Kissell (Resigned same year); Mrs. M. E. O’Neill, 1932-1938. 1938—C. C. Bowater, 1938-1939. 1939—Miss P. M. Shirtcliff.