Drayton State School (established 1851 as Drayton National School) is located in Drayton, a locality on the south-western fringe of
Toowoomba, on the
Darling Downs in southeast Queensland. It is important in demonstrating the evolution of state education and its associated architecture in Queensland. The school retains its
Department of Public Works (DPW) timber school with two clerestory lights (Block A: 1912), set in landscaped grounds with a school bell (1852, installed ),
date palms (1932) and a
Cape Chestnut tree (1956). A more organised approach to education commenced with
Governor Fitzroy's appointment of a National Board of Education in 1848. Modelled on the
Irish system, the purpose of the Board was to provide state-assisted secular, elementary education for as many children as possible, particularly in isolated areas. The Board established and administered schools where parents contributed one-third of the building costs and guaranteed an average attendance of at least 30 pupils. Despite minimal resources and a shortage of teachers, the number of public or national schools increased from four schools in 1860 to 230 by 1875. By 1880, the school bell, reportedly donated by the local
St Matthew's Church of England (1859) and dating from 1852 when it was installed at the parsonage, had been hung at the school. The bell was donated to the Church of England at Drayton by Mr Watson on 27 January 1852 and was temporarily hung on the verandah of the parsonage, which from November 1851 was used for services until a church was built. The head teacher's residence and the land on which it stood was sold in 1908. The design was a standard plan by the Department of Public Works. The building was highset on timber stumps and comprised two open verandahs (10 ft / 3.1m wide) on either side of a single classroom (24 x 50 ft / 7.32 x 15.24m). Its gable roof, sheeted with corrugated iron, had two ridge ventilators and two centrally located
clerestory (skillion dormer) windows, facing opposing directions. The external gable end walls were clad in
weatherboards and contained large areas of windows arranged in three rows of eight narrow sashes, shaded by timber hoods. The verandahs had hat room enclosures at the southwest end and the verandah walls were left unclad, with framing and bracing exposed. The verandah walls featured centrally located double doors with
fanlights, high-level windows, and hinged ventilation boards along the base of the walls. An additional 2 roods (0.2ha) of land was added to the Drayton school grounds in 1922 (allotment 5 of section 4). During the
Great Depression, relief workers levelled the tennis court site, and funds were raised for a windmill and bore to supply reticulated water for the school gardens. In 1938–9, Lots 1–4 and 6 of section 4 (one acre / 0.4ha each) were added to the school grounds. A glazed door in the centre of the partition allowed the head teacher to monitor both rooms. Typically, schools were a focus for civilian duty during this war. At many schools, students and staff members grew produce and flowers for donation to local hospitals and organised fundraising and the donation of useful items to Australian soldiers on active service. At Drayton State School, the garden maintained by the Poultry Raising and Vegetable Growing Project Club established , was enlarged to become the "War Effort Vegetable Garden". In 1963, three acres (1.2ha) were added to the school grounds on the eastern side of Darling Street. The school grounds comprised 2.93ha, spanning both sides of Darling Street. The parade area and pathways from the roadway to the school entrance were bitumenised in August 1958. New hat and bag racks approved in October 1958 were added. Before 1960, a doorway to the southwest classroom was inserted in the southeast verandah wall. In 1961, the southeast (front) verandah was enclosed, with weatherboards to sill height and awning windows above, to form a library, staffroom, and storeroom; and a glazed screen was also added to the northeast end of the northwest (rear) verandah. Between 1960 and 1975 the timber stumps were replaced with masonry piers, and louvred walls were added to the understorey. Classroom ceilings were lowered and lined with flat sheeting (potentially leaving the original pressed metal ceiling above), the understorey was reconcreted, and concrete pathways added. The clerestory windows were removed after 1975, possibly when the roof was re-sheeted, which was a common alteration. In 1984, the hat room on the northwest verandah was enclosed to form a store room, and a set of stairs to the understorey was inserted through the northwest verandah floor, leading to a new covered way to Block B. An access ramp was connected to the northwest verandah in . Town water, sewerage and a new perimeter fence were also added in the 1960s. More recently, other buildings have been added to the site. The tennis court was levelled and sealed in 1978. The grounds were also increased by 0.84ha through addition of Lots 23–26 of Section 4, along Rudd Street in March 1978. and later that year, a Memorial to
Steele Rudd was erected in the school grounds. Centenary celebrations were held at the school in March 1960, attracting over 1000 people. In 1975 the school commemorated its 125th anniversary celebrations with a ball, and an anniversary publication. In 2001, an updated history of the school was published. It retains its 1912 timber school building and its 19th century school bell and is set in landscaped grounds with mature trees and play areas. The school remains important to Drayton and its district, as a key social focus of the community. == Description ==