St John’s Schoolhouse Museum
St John’s Schoolhouse Museum is a one-room school in Reid (Canberra), Australia. It is the oldest school in Canberra and is situated adjacent to St John’s Church. The address is corner of Constitution Avenue and Anzac Park West, Reid, ACT 2612.
The schoolhouse was built circa 1845 and was in use until 1907. In 1864, the building was gutted by fire, after which it was rebuilt and enlarged. In this form, which is preserved to today, the house consists of one schoolroom with five attached rooms that served as the schoolmaster's residence.
The museum[edit]
In 1969 the building was opened as a museum, set up to depict schooling in the 1870s. The schoolroom is furnished with desks and a black board. There are life-size dolls representing the schoolmaster and four schoolchildren. As a symbol and instrument of discipline and punishment, the schoolmaster holds a bamboo cane in his hand. As of 2009, one student sits in the corner wearing a dunce cap.
The museum is run by volunteers and is open to the public on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.
Gallery[edit]
Pupil's desks.
The schoolmaster and pupil dolls.
