Finley’s provisional school in the School of Arts Hall opened on April 22, 1895 - a mere 12 months after the hall’s opening.
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Initial enrolments were six children, but it grew to 17 within five weeks of the school's opening - a great result considering only 22 children of school age lived within a five mile radius of the school.
The first teacher in charge appointed to oversee the initial progress of the school was 20 year-old Edward Templeton.
Mr Templeton was first employed at Kegworth Public School on October 30, 1890.
Subsequent promotions followed, and he finally achieved his Class 1 in 1893, and passed the examination for admission to the 'training school' in December 1894.
Children enrolled in October 1895 included: Tindale (Charles and William), Hamilton (John and William), Dent (Claude), Freeman (Thomas, Olive and Wilfred), Thorpe (Jane), Breaden (Margaret and Frank), Holden (William), Barrett (William, Richard, Matilda, Annie and James).
An initial problem that threatened to disrupt the smooth progress of the new school occurred in October 1895.
Although the School of Arts Trustees gave the use of its building for free, it charged the parents threepence per week per pupil.
This issue caused great dissatisfaction and many children were withdrawn from the school over the issue.
The shared use of the hall for community events also presented problems.
When functions were held, all school equipment had to be removed and replaced after the event.
Even though this arrangement was supposed to be temporary, six months went by and still, there was no response from the Department about the prospect of building their own schoolroom.
On October 7 of the first year of operation, Inspector Pearson wrote a letter recommending that a building be built soon.
"I be authorised to prepare specifications and obtain tenders for a building 17' x 14' x 9', the cost not to exceed 60 pounds,“ he wrote.
The Berrigan Advocate reflected the thought of the community at the time.
“Contracting is at work erecting the school at the back of the township, and when completed the school teacher will be better able to administer instruction to the young,” the newspaper reported.
“The wooden structure is likely to be inconveniently packed as it measures only 17' x 14', and the children have been used to plenty of elbow room in the School of Arts during the last 12 months.”
The Department acquired a two acre plot, which was dedicated for school purposes on October 7, 1896.
But the progress still wasn’t quick enough for the hall committee.
By November 22, 1895, it expressed ongoing frustrations with the shared use of the facilities by issuing an ultimatum to the Department that the arrangement must terminate within three months.
They would have to wait until March 1896 before they got their hall back.
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