Established on land donated by William Reid prior to 1867, the Hazelglen School served as a foundational educational institution for the pioneering families of the Arthurs Creek and Doreen districts. This account traces the evolution of local schooling from the initial Common School no. 945 through its transition into the Doreen State School, highlighting the significant role of the school committee and early educators in shaping community life during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
…pupils from the surrounding district attending the school came from areas now covered by both the Doreen and Arthurs Creek primary schools…
The site of the first school in the Hazel Glen district is marked by two pine trees―one living, one now dead, on a rise to the south of Chapel Lane, about half way between 'Linton Grange' homestead and Middle Hut Road. The original schoolroom was built on three acres of land donated by William Reid of 'Hazel Glen', ‘some time before 1867’.
Pupils from the surrounding district attending the school came from areas now covered by both the Doreen and Arthurs Creek primary schools.
In 1867 the Hazelglen school committee comprised Brian Abbey, Robert Airey, Richard Bassett, Charles Draper, Flavius E. Kingsford, Joseph Lobb, Owen McDonald, Patrick Reid junior and William Reid. Angus Smith formerly of 'Glen Ard' station was the teacher and his wife Barbara the sewing mistress. The Hazelglen-Doreen school became Common School no. 945 on 1 July 1868.
The original committee formed in 1870 to establish the Arthurs Creek school comprised P. Brennan, Pat Green, George Grey, M. Lodge, D. McPhee and John Ryder. The school was eventually built on two acres of land purchased from John Ryder in 1875. Arthurs Creek State School no. 1666 opened on 17 January 1876 with Mrs. Marion Hillier as head teacher. Some of the pupils at the Hazelglen school, including my grandfather Jim Draper, transferred to the new school at Arthurs Creek.
The old Hazelglen school was replaced by a portable classroom in 1884. In 1895, the Hazelglen school was relocated to a new site, on an acre of land purchased from Patrick Hickey in Doctors Gully Road. The school ground was enlarged by the purchase of an additional acre of land in 1906.
Since 1870 the post office had occupied one room of the school residence. In May 1895 the post office was re-named Doreen to avoid confusion with the address of the Reid family property, Hazel Glen. The post office was transferred from the school to the Doreen Store in 1902. The name of the school was officially changed from Hazelglen to Doreen in 1923.
