Casterton State School No. 2058

SS2058 Casterton was officially established on 1st of May 1878. It was closely connected with an earlier school in Casterton, dating back to 1st of January 1857. Originally a non-vested Church of England school, this became Common School No 134 in 1862 and finally was struck off the roll on 30th of April 1878, and replaced by SS2058. The first HT of the original school was John McDONALD, in charge from January to June 1857. The original building (35ftx16ft) was on a 1½ acre site, in the County of Follet, and the Parish of Casterton, being Allotments 5, 6 and 7 of Section XVII. For many years Casterton sustained two private schools in addition to the State School. The last private school closed in 1912. In the 1870s as the population grew, severe overcrowding occurred at 2058. In October 1874 there were 138 on the roll and an a.a. of 85. On the 18th of November, 1875 a huge petition was sent to the Department, requesting erection of a more suitable building. Eventually a brick building costing approximately £1,500 was planned to accomodate 180. It was completed and opened in October 1877. In the following year extensions were added and HT Joseph NICHOLSON built a wooden residence for himself. This was later removed in 1892 to make room for a bigger playing area. At the start of 1879 the total enrolment was 277, and the a.a. 137. Those on the original (1878) staff were: HT Joseph NICHOLSON, who had been HT of No 134 from January 1876 until 30th of August 1878, and HT of 2058 from 1st of May 1878 until August 1882; assistant Maria T. BOARDMAN (1878-80); PTs Mary J. GLANCY (1878-82) and John H. THOMPSON (1878-82).

Early in the 1900s the need for secondary education became evident and in 1915 a Higher Elementary School was opened in a wooden building in the same grounds as Casterton Primary School. In 1953 the Casterton High School began and the original HES building provided an Infant Department for SS2058, now approaching completion of its first century of service to the district.