Tacoma Public School

Life was hard in those days. The majority of families were poor as a lot survived on the income of a fisherman's wages. Most of the families had at least four or five children. In fact one Denniss family was recorded as having fourteen children.

The only transport besides horse and cart for the children who lived on the northern side of the river was by row boat although I have been told that the River Boat Postman ferried the children across to the other side. The reason they didn't use horse and cart was because it would have taken three times longer.

The first school had few students. The children that did attend were mainly from the same families. The school has rapidly grown in size over the past years, but it is still considered to be one of the smallest schools on the Central Coast. Unfortunately as the area grows the school can only become bigger. I consider myself extremely lucky that I have attended Tacoma Public School, while it was of a size big enough for me to know everyone in the school.

Even though it is small, the school's P&C has enabled us to have many of the facilities and opportunities enjoyed by larger schools like a shade area, excursions, guest speakers and regular trips to the local swimming pool. I'm sure many of the larger schools would be envious of our tennis court - another facility achieved through the dedication of the P&C. If we hadn't had the P&C our school would probably be nothing.

The reason they decided to move the school to the northern side of the river in 1968, where it now sits on a hill, is because in the wet weather the river over flowed making it virtually impossible for the children to go to school. There seemed to be too many wet days where the children missed out on school so the Education Department thought it better to move it to a place where the school wouldn't be in danger of being flooded.

Although the school was moved to a different place, the old school still stands in someone's backyard. I've heard rumours that it is now used as a chicken house, but I have not yet been able to verify this story.