In 1932, Wyndham Public School had no electricity, no carpet and a wood fire to keep students warm.
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Coinciding with the school’s 150th anniversary this weekend (July 7), 92-year-old Bernie Cornell openly shares some of his fond memories of when he was a student 86 years ago.
Mr Cornell recently relocated back to the Bega Valley Shire after living near Newcastle, making sure he payed a visit to the school.
“It feels as though I’d never left,” he said.
The original school building remains standing and is currently used as a Library. Mr Cornell recalls the single building split in two which catered for each of the stages.
He pointed around the room where each class would sit.
“There used to be a chimney with a fire place over there and I can still remember the fire burning my legs.
“You didn't have long pants on, you had short pants, no socks and no shoes sitting next to a hot fire.”
You didn't have long pants on, you had short pants, no socks and no shoes sitting next to a hot fire...
- Bernie Cornell
“There were two rooms in the building in tiers, one was where the girls did their sewing on an afternoon a week and the boys did woodwork which was mainly cutting firewood.”
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Mr Cornell recalls his first day at Wyndham Public to be on his birthday, he said he loved to wake up and to go to school to play with the other children with sports equipment that was “cut out of the bush.”
But first, as a young six-year-old he had to milk the cow both before and after school.
“It was pretty frosty getting up on a winters morning, searching for the cow,” he said.
“I would have to then milk her and separate the milk. Mum would use the cream to make butter and stuff like that.”
Mr Cornell said he attended Wyndham for three to four years before he was enrolled at Candelo Convent School.
His high school years he spent at boarding school in Sydney before he joined the Airforce and relocated to Ando (25km from Bombala).
He finished his time in the Airforce and become a teacher, which was his passion and worthwhile profession.
“The memories I have of the school is that – I liked coming.”
“Most of my life I have spent in schools,” he said.
Mr Cornell looks forward to Wyndham Public School’s 150th celebrations attending to enjoy all of the historical displays that will spark up more memories.
