enfield public school building & grounds

Prior to the opening of Enfield Public School, there were plans from as early as 1879 for a local primary school to be built in the area. This school was to be known as Druitt Town Public School as Enfield, Burwood and Strathfield was originally one large area known as Druitt Town. Before that, Thomas Hyndes (regarded as the Founder of Enfield and responsible for the construction of St Thomas Anglican Church) built the Adelaide Park Free School which served as a church hall and day school for many years.

Enfield Public School officially opened on the 5th of March 1924 with 12 classrooms and was purposefully built to cater for 600 students. The classrooms were originally connected and separated by the use of foldable walls, however, proper walls were later built in between each room. Further additions were later made to the school, costing £4263, allowing additional classrooms and facilities. 

Classes were separated by gender, with female and male students placed in different classrooms and areas of the school. Many of the classrooms held large numbers, with some classes hosting almost 50 students in one room with one teacher! Although Enfield Public School was built for 600 students, a problem arose when many enrollments commenced entering through the doors, as the only school in a growing suburb. This saw students being rejected entry to the school or being kicked out of the school by the school headmasters and headmistresses. 

INTERESTING FACTS

Enfield Public School has many interesting facts lacing its almost 100-year-old walls. 

• There used to be an open fireplace in every single classroom to provide warmth in the harsh winter months. Although many of these fireplaces are still visible within areas of the school, they are no longer functioning or used with airconditioners and heaters introduced within each room.  

• Members who formed the executive team of the school were known as headmistresses and headmasters, the equivalent of principals and assistant principals. Each headmistress and headmaster had their own office and delegated area within the school, commonly present today. 

• Enfield Public School had many rooms that were used for various reasons, such as a designated hat room and specific office spaces for members of the staff. 

• The upstairs area of the main building was used as the school hall. Students would gather upstairs to participate in assemblies, celebrate achievements and engage as a school community. A separate and stand-alone school hall was later built at the back of the school, with the upstairs area of the building holding classrooms and open learning spaces.

• The school had trenches built underground, to be used in the event of an invasion or if additional safety was required for students and staff. These trenches were to shelter students and staff as a precaution against an air raid attack from Japanese planes. Slit trenches were dug and designed in a zig-zag fashion, in order to mitigate the blast effect of a direct hit (a design learnt in the early days of trench warfare during World War 1).