About Clarinda Primary School
By Mary Keely (1985)

As through the bush they wandered,
Sometimes they stopped and pondered -
"Why had they left the city old and musty
To come to this place so rough and dusty?"

"Clarinda", the McLeods named the place,
To start the new Australian race
After a friend of Mrs McLeod
Wouldn't she have been proud?

Then in 1899 came the school,
To teach children the golden rule.
"Only a trial", Goverrunent said,
"By numbers we will be led."

Through the scrub and trees the children walked their way,
All the time happy, bright and ready to play,
To learn to read and write was their intent,
And hear what history and geography meant.

No water mains in early days,
They had to find some other ways.
A windmill - that's the way to go,
So the children had to raise the "dough".

The picnic came around each year,
On the horse-drawn lorry they went without fear,
To the beach in glorious sunshine
On buns and fruit and cordial to dine.

The bushfire came one summer's day
Whilst the children were out at play,
"Come," said the teacher, "We must fight the fire,
To lose our school is no desire."

With branches and hessian bags they fought the blaze,
We do admire their courage in lots of ways.
The flames were fierce, one poor boy was burnt,
From this we presume a lesson was learnt.

The school they did save,
So the teacher a holiday gave,
The boy he soon got well,
But always had a story to tell.

Came the Wars, when old boys joined the forces,
Some were pilots, some were soldiers, some rode horses,
Whilst the girls joined up too,
Some in khaki, some in navy blue.

In the 6O's came more people to reside,
Stretching Clarinda far and wide.
Soon the school go bigger and bigger
Till the number of pupils reached a high figure.

The trees and bushes have all gone now,
Nor does anyone own a horse or cow.
Today the children come with Mum in a car.
Not along tracks but roads of bitumen and tar.

It's a century now since the school started,
And remember those who have long since parted,
We are thankful for its one hundred years
And wish it well in the new millenium as it appears.