Buderim Foundation Grant Spurs School Archive Project - 3 March, 2009
When two former students of the Buderim Mountain State School tried to source information about their class of 1963 for a school reunion last year they ran into difficulties - no adequate records were easily accessible.
Gail Mackenzie (nee Neuendorf) and Carol Dahler (nee Monks) decided then that something must be done to build a proper archive of the school's history. Mrs Dahler said: "We discovered the vital history of our school was in disarray. So, we decided to do something about it."
It was the start of a project subsequently funded with $5,000 from the Buderim Foundation's first round of grants last September.
The project is now gathering momentum, thanks to using the grant to purchase a dedicated computer, printer-scanner and specialist archiving. The project is housed in the Old School House.
The school's P&C Secretary Jacqui Thornton said a team of volunteers, including Mrs Mackenzie and Mrs Dahler, had combed the school's old storerooms and files to dig up hundreds of class and individual photographs as well as documents dating back to the school's founding in 1875.
Many hours have already gone into preparing materials to be scanned into the computer. Already the team has unearthed gems including the student roll from 1880; class photographs dating back to 1949; staff photographs for the years 1978-99; newspaper articles and a number of documents dealing with the school centenary, building, special events and book weeks.
Local historian Hessie Lindsell has been a major contributor of information after spending days in the State Archives in Brisbane digging up names of school enrolments from 1875 until the mid-1980s.
Among the students are names familiar to Buderim residents - like the Burnetts and the Dixons. Among the many Burnetts listed is John Burnett, son of John Kerle Burnett, whose occupation was given as a sugar boiler. He was student number 25 and attended the school in 1876. Student number 38 in 1879 was Elsie Jane Dixon, daughter of Buderim farmer, Joseph Dixon.
Present teacher Ruth Croucher has donated her personal records of the pre-school which operated from 1977 to 2006.
Mrs Thornton said the commitment of Mrs Mackenzie and Mrs Dahler had generated great momentum to the project.
She said the P&C committee was now actively seeking more information from former students and teachers who have school photographs, reports, uniforms, graduation-day programmes and newspaper articles to add to the school's archive project. Help was also needed, she said, in identifying staff in photographs between 1978 and 1999.
"In addition, we want more volunteers to help record the data using the specialist archiving software," said Mrs Thornton who can be contacted at the school or by phone on 0422 916488.
Mrs Thornton said that, when completed, the archival collection will be available to the community.
Buderim Foundation Chair Gary Hopkins said the Foundation was delighted to see the grant being well used in a project which would be of immense importance and interest to future generations of Buderim people.
He said the Foundation was building a healthy fund to generate income to be given as grants for other worthwhile community projects.
"We are relying on the generosity of Buderim residents for donations toward the funds which will be preserved and only the income used to make grants."
More information about the Buderim Foundation is available at www.buderimfoundation.org.au
