Norman Park State School

History

Norman Park State School (SS) opened on its present site in 1900 due to population growth in and near the Brisbane suburb of Norman Park. The school is important in demonstrating the evolution of state education and its associated architecture. In 2017 Norman Park SS retains its core complex of five buildings: Blocks A and C (urban brick school building, 1900); Block D (open-air annexe, 1915); and Blocks B and E (Depression-era brick additions, 1934). The school grounds also retain brick and concrete retaining walls, stairs and fences (1930s, 1950s); a playing field and mature trees. The school has been in continuous operation since its establishment.

The suburb of Norman Park lies adjacent to the Brisbane River and east of Norman Creek, which was first bridged in the late 1850s. Part of the traditional lands of the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, the area was settled for farming from the 1850s, and in the 1870s it was a popular picnic spot. In 1886 the Queensland Deposit Bank and Building Society Limited purchased the land on which Norman Park SS was later built, and subdivided it as part the Norman Park Estate. Although estate subdivisions were sold off from March 1887, the suburb remained sparsely populated until the interwar period, when stormwater drainage of low-lying flood prone areas was commenced. By 1935 about 35% of land blocks were occupied.

Development of the Norman Park Estate was assisted by improvements in transport. The Cleveland railway line, opened in 1889, passed through the suburb; while the Belmont tramway, opened in 1912, branched off the Cleveland line north of the Norman Park railway station. In 1903 a replacement bridge over Norman Creek allowed a new tramline to run along Wynnum Road (then called New Cleveland Road) to a terminus east of Norman Creek. This tramline was extended towards Morningside in 1924.

Although development of Norman Park was slow initially, there was sufficient population in the area by the late 1890s to lead to pressure for a school. At that time the nearest state schools were at Kangaroo Point State School and Bulimba State School, a considerable distance away. The establishment of schools was considered an essential step in the development of new communities and integral to their success. Schools became a community focus, with the school community contributing to maintenance and development; a symbol of progress; and a source of pride, with enduring connections formed with past pupils, parents, and teachers.

Description

Norman Park State School occupies a 1.05-hectare (2.6-acre) site in the Brisbane suburb of Norman Park, approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the CBD. Located within a suburban residential area, the school is bounded by Agnew Street to the southwest, School Street to the southeast, Hipwood Street to the northeast and residential properties to the northwest. At the core of the school is the original complex of four brick classroom blocks and one timber classroom block, constructed between 1900 and 1934. The core occupies a high point in the terrain with extensive views to the west and south. The school grounds step down via a series of retaining walls towards the bounding streets, and a playing field occupies the southeast end of the site (the lower playground). The main entrance to the grounds is via a formal pedestrian stairway on Agnew Street, with secondary entrances around the school perimeter and vehicular access provided from Hipwood Street. The school grounds are well established and contain a number of significant mature trees and landscaping features such as Depression-era retaining walls, a playing field and a school bell.

The five significant classroom blocks are positioned close together and linked at their corners by verandahs and walkways. These blocks are:

Block A (central block), urban brick school building (1900)

Block C (southwest block), urban brick school building (1900)

Block D (northeast block), open-air annexe (1915)

Block B (southeast block), Depression-era brick addition (1934)

Block E (northwest block), Depression-era brick addition (1934)

Blocks B and E, constructed in the 1930s, were designed to complement the school's original urban brick school building, of which only blocks A and C were completed in 1900. Block D is a former open-air annexe with semi-detached teachers room, and the only timber building of the five. All blocks are two storeys, with hipped roofs clad in corrugated metal sheeting. With the exception of Block B, which has two levels of classrooms, all blocks have open play space on the ground floor.

Block A: urban brick school building (1900)

Block A comprises two classrooms, a northeast verandah, and two offices (formerly a hat room and teachers room), separated from the classrooms by verandah passageway. Access to the first floor is by two sets of timber stairs, located on either side of the offices.

The walls are constructed from orange-red brick with buff brick banding and dark glazed bricks to arched lintels over original door and window openings and throughout the understorey. Some external walls, including the main facade, are strengthened by buttresses with bevelled tops of buff brick. The verandahs and floor and roof framing are constructed from timber. Windows have either stone or concrete sills, and windows inserted or modified from the 1930s onwards have horizontal concrete lintels.

The main (southwest) facade is characterised by the double gable front of the two offices, which feature circular vents at the gable apexes. An early rainwater head survives at the gable valley, and the attached downpipe is positioned to match early photographs. Two large banks of windows on the first floor are sheltered by skillion window hoods with timber battened cheeks. Both the gable eaves and underside of window hoods are lined with V-jointed (VJ) tongue and groove (T&G) boards.

The building has a combination of original and later timber-framed joinery. The windows to the first floor of the main facade comprise two rows of four original windows - the outer ones fixed and the central ones horizontally centre pivoting. A third row along the bottom (inserted in 1953) are casements and taller in proportion. A similar arrangement of sashes exists in a smaller window in the southeast wall. Windows in the side walls of the classrooms comprise two fanlights (top), three horizontally centre-pivoting windows (centre) and three casements (bottom), most with original hardware. Sashes are a combination of original fabric and later additions. Former windows in the southwest and northeast walls of the classrooms have been enclosed with brickwork, but retain their arched brick lintels and stone sills. Doors to the classrooms retain their two horizontally-pivoting fanlights.

The understorey has brick arches beneath structural walls and square brick piers supporting the timber classroom floors and northeast verandah. The corners of all piers and arch are rounded. The ground is laid with bitumen. Beneath the offices are two store rooms, accessed by c. 1930s battened doors. These rooms retain traces of their former use as toilets, such as the concrete floor slab, timber partitions in the northwest room, and highset louvred windows in the external walls.

Block C: urban brick school building (1900)

Block C has the same construction method and aesthetic treatment as Block A. It comprises two former classrooms with verandahs on the southeast and northwest sides. Access is via the southeast verandah, which links to the northwest end of Block A, and a set of external stairs to the northeast corner.

The northeast and southwest elevations are of face brick, with buttress supports and large windows to the classrooms on the first floor. The eaves are unlined, and the exposed rafters are notched at the ends.

Like Block A, the large windows are a combination of timber-framed casements, vertically centre-pivoting and top hung fanlight sashes, dating from different periods and most with original hardware. Former windows in the southeast and northwest walls have been enclosed with brickwork, but retain their arched brick lintels and stone sills. Doors in the southeast and northwest walls retain their two horizontally-pivoting fanlights and low waisted double doors, one of which has original hardware.

The understorey has a bitumen ground surface and the same arrangement of brick arches and piers as beneath Block A. The southwest end is partially enclosed for staff toilets (western corner, beneath the verandah) and a store room (beneath the classroom). The store room retains traces of its former use as toilets, including the concrete floor slab, timber enclosing partitions, and highset louvred windows in walls inserted between the external arches. The store room is accessed by a timber batten gate and a pair of relocated, early panelled timber doors. The staff toilets are accessed by a braced and ledged timber board door. The layout of the toilets matches 1930s plans, however the fitout has been modernised.

Both verandahs have square timber verandah posts and raked ceilings lined with VJ, T&G boards. The southeast verandah retains sections of three-rail balustrade with dowel balusters. The southern end of this verandah is enclosed. The northwest verandah is enclosed with weatherboards and timber-framed, four-light sliding sash windows. The enclosing walls are lined on the interior with VJ, T&G boards.

The former classrooms (used as staff and resource rooms in 2016) have coved ceilings lined with VJ, T&G boards and the northeast room retains a circular ceiling vent with fretwork panel. The masonry walls are rendered, with lines scored into the render to resemble wide skirtings. Sections of two single-skin timber partitions divide the two rooms, and contain an early doorway with a two-light fanlight. The northeast room has timber picture rails and lambs tongue-profile skirting to the partition. The southwest room has undergone alterations, including relining of the timber partition, the installation of a suspended ceiling, and the creation of a doorway in the northwest masonry wall. The uppermost level of windows is concealed by the suspended ceiling.

Block D: open-air annexe (1915)

Block D is timber-framed, clad in timber weatherboards and stands on square brick piers. It comprises two large classrooms with an enclosed verandah along the northwest side, and a semi-detached teachers room with a hipped roof. Access is via the verandah, which links to the northeast corner of Block A, and two sets of timber stairs on the northwest side. A two-storey classroom extension to the northeast end of the block (constructed 1957) is not of heritage significance.

The block's original use as an open-air annexe is evident in the external cladding, with the vertical timber posts of the wall structure visible between weatherboard panels. Windows in the southwest wall are 1920s timber-framed, six-light sliding sash windows with long, four-light fanlights above. Windows in the southeast wall have been replaced with c. 1950s timber-framed awning windows. The teachers room has sets of paired, three-light casement windows, with those on the northwest side sheltered by a timber-framed skillion hood with angled brackets and battened sides. Eaves along the southeast and southwest classroom walls and to the teachers room are unlined.

The southwest side of the understorey is enclosed for girls, boys and staff toilets. Walls within the understory are timber partitions of vertical VJ boards with lattice screens above. Wall and toilet partitions at the southwest end date from the 1930s, while those at the northeast end are 1979 additions in a similar style. Exterior infill walls between piers are of concrete block with high-level louvre windows. The play space has been modified, with modern carpet lining the floor and roller doors installed between the perimeter piers so the space can be enclosed.

The verandah is fully enclosed with weatherboard cladding and modern glazing, apart from a small landing at the top of the southwest staircase, where a small section of three-rail balustrade with dowel balusters survives. It retains its raked ceiling with VJ, T&G board linings. The wall between the verandah and classrooms has been largely demolished and/or reconstructed to create large openings.

The classrooms retain vertical VJ, T&G board linings to the perimeter walls and sections of the former verandah wall. The central partition contains wide, folding timber doors (c. 1950s). The original ceiling is concealed behind a modern suspended ceiling.

Block B: Depression-era brick addition (1934)

Block B was designed to match Block C in its size, layout, materials and aesthetic treatment. It comprises two classrooms on the first floor, with verandahs (now enclosed) on the northwest and southeast sides, and a large classroom on the ground floor with a ground floor verandah on the southeast side. The ground floor level is lower than the understory level of the other blocks, with brick retaining walls and stairs at the northern and southern ends of the block separating the southeast corner of the upper playground from the understorey level. Access to the first floor is via the northwest verandah, which links to the southeast end of Block A, and a stairwell in the northeast corner of the southeast verandahs.

The building is constructed from glazed, dark red bricks, with orange brick banding and details to the southwest and northeast elevations. The verandahs are timber framed and clad in timber weatherboards. Like Block C, the end walls have shallow buttresses and the unlined eaves feature exposed rafters with notched ends. Windows in masonry walls have concrete sills and doors have horizontal concrete lintels. Windows to the enclosing verandah walls are either timber-framed, three-light casements or modern aluminium sliding windows.

Windows to the first floor classrooms are timber-framed and of similar proportions to Block C, with a combination of timber-framed casements, vertically centre-pivoting and top hung fanlight sashes, with original hardware. Ground floor classroom windows are three-light casements with square fanlights above, sheltered by timber-framed, skillion hoods with angled brackets.

A walkway beneath the northwest verandah links with the adjoining understorey areas and has a concrete floor and square brick piers with rounded edges supporting the verandah floor above.

The ground floor verandah is partially enclosed with brick walls at each end, to create a hat room (now storage area) at the southwest end and enclose the timber-framed staircase at the northeast end. Timber posts with stop-chamfered edges support a weatherboard-clad panel spanning between the two walls. The verandah has a concrete floor, face brick walls, and a flat ceiling lined with VJ, T&G boards. Coat hooks attached to horizontal timber rails remain attached to walls throughout the space. Doors to the classroom are modern replacements; however, the southern doorway is an original opening with fanlight. The staircase has a timber batten balustrade and timber newel posts with angular-shaped tops.

Block E: Depression-era brick addition (1934)

Block E comprises two large classrooms on the first floor (formerly three), a southeast-facing verandah (now enclosed), and an open understory with later classroom enclosure at the southwest end. Access is via the verandah, which links to the northwest corner of Block A, a set of timber stairs at the northeast end of the verandah, and via Block F, which adjoins Block E on the northwest side.

Constructed from the same dark red glazed bricks as Block B, Block E is plainer in style, without buttresses or brick banding details. The verandah is timber-framed and supported on square concrete piers. Windows in masonry walls have concrete sills, and doorways and later inserted windows and doors have horizontal concrete lintels. The northern end of the verandah is partially enclosed with brick on both levels. A southeast-facing dormer window with three window bays is located over the centre of the building.

Classrooms windows in the northeast and southwest walls are three-light casements with two-light fanlights above, sheltered by timber-framed, skillion hoods with angled brackets. Non-significant windows inserted in the northwest wall in c. 1958 include high-level louvres and large, double-hung sashes with rectangular fanlights.

The understorey has a concrete floor, rendered ceiling, wide brick piers or solid walls below the classroom walls, and square concrete piers down the centre. Brick piers, buttresses and openings have rounded corners, and sections of early timber seating survive along the northwest wall. The southwest end of the space has been enclosed with modern brick infill, partitions and glazing to create a music room; and a store room has been created beneath the northeast end of the verandah.

The verandah has a raked ceiling lined with VJ, T&G boards and face brick walls. A former hat room at the northeast end has been enclosed to form a store room. Three original doorways retain their fanlights, however a bank of windows has been removed to create a large opening.

The classrooms have rendered walls with timber picture rails and lambs tongue-profile skirtings, and ceilings lined with flat sheeting with cover strips arranged in a square pattern. Lattice ceiling vent panels have been removed and infilled. Bulkheads indicate the location of former folding partitions between classrooms.

Other buildings

A classroom block (Block F) and a swimming pool lie to the northwest of the core complex, and a large, multi-level classroom building (Block G) and a Hall and amenities block lie to the southeast, adjacent to the playing field. None of these buildings or their connecting walkways are of heritage significance.

Retaining walls and stairs

A series of retaining walls and stairs separate the various levels of the school grounds. Along the Agnew Street boundary are c. 1935 cast in-situ concrete walls incorporating T-shaped formal entrance stairs near the centre and a staircase with Art Deco-style concrete archway near the southeast end, leading down to the playing field. The walls are topped by chainwire fencing and adjacent concrete spoon drains provide drainage. At the northwest end, the wall adjoins a rectangular concrete structure, formerly used as a septic tank.

Running perpendicular to the base of the playing field stairs is a c. 1935 high, cast in-situ concrete wall that spans the width of the school grounds, separating the upper and lower playground levels. Concrete spoon drains run along the top and base of the wall, which is topped by chainwire fencing. At the northern end the wall meets a second set of concrete stairs and a stepped concrete retaining wall along the Hipwood Street boundary.

Around the core complex are walls and stairs constructed at different periods. Running parallel to Agnew Street in front of blocks C and A is a low wall and spoon drain at the top of a sloping bank, constructed c. 1935. Concrete stairs ascend this bank in line with the Agnew Street entrance stairs and the centre of Block A's main facade. Perpendicular to the bank at the southeast end is an earlier brick retaining wall and stairs adjoining the southwest end of Block B. Matching brick retaining walls extend in an L-shape from the northeast end of Block B, ending in set of stairs. From these stairs, a c. 1950 stone-lined sloping bank wraps around two sides of Block D and continues along the northeast side of Block E. Concrete stairs ascend this stone bank between Blocks D and E.

All other retaining walls and garden beds throughout the grounds are not of heritage significance.

Grounds

The school grounds contain mature trees, including a large fig (possibly a weeping fig, ficus benjamina) and two camphor laurels (cinnamomum camphora) planted along the Agnew Street boundary behind the retaining wall; and a large fig and camphor laurel at the southern corner of the playing field.

The playing field is a large raised and levelled platform edged by embankments and trees on the southwest, southeast and northeast sides.

An old school bell is mounted on a metal pole located in a garden bed between blocks C and E. Also in this area is a memorial plaque commemorating the centenary of Norman Park State School, unveiled on 10 June 2000.

Views

Due to its high position, extensive views of suburbs to the south and west and towards the Brisbane CBD are obtained from the school grounds along Agnew Street; and to the north and northeast from the grounds along Hipwood Street. The Agnew Street entrance, flanked by mature trees which frame views towards Block A, makes an important contribution to the streetscape.

Heritage listing

Norman Park State School was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 7 April 2017 having satisfied the following criteria.

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.

Norman Park State School (established in 1900) is important in demonstrating the evolution of state education and its associated architecture in Queensland. The place retains excellent, representative examples of government designs that were architectural responses to prevailing government educational philosophies, set in landscaped grounds with sporting facilities and mature trees.

The urban brick school building (1900) represents the culmination of years of experimentation with natural light, classroom size and elevation by the Department of Public Works (DPW), and also demonstrates the growing preference in the early 20th century for constructing brick school buildings at metropolitan schools in developing suburbs. The changes to the window arrangements in c. 1934, which allowed natural left hand lighting of newly formed classrooms, were a result of changing educational philosophies at that time.

The open-air annexe (1915) demonstrates the medical and educational theories of the period, which valued fresh air and natural light; and is important in demonstrating the development pattern of incorporating open-air classrooms into existing school complexes. The enclosure of the annexe in the 1920s demonstrates the final adaptions to the open-air classroom type to improve its functionality.

The Depression-era additions (1934) and the brick and concrete retaining walls and steps (1935) are the result of the Queensland Government's building and relief work programmes during the 1930s that stimulated the economy and provided work for men unemployed as a result of the Great Depression.

The large, suburban site with mature trees and a playing field demonstrates educational policies which promoted the importance of play and a beautiful environment in the education of children.

Notable students

Jesse Williams, professional football player