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*Dalby SchoolsDalby State School *Dalby State SchoolDalby State School *Dalby Central State SchoolDalby State School
 * DalbyDalby State School


 * Dalby State School has the ability to deliver quality educational programs for the full range of children enrolled, from the gifted through to the students with disabilities.

History
As soon as there was enough children in the primitive township to warrant it, a private school sprang up on the eastern side of the Myall Creek, where a Mr Meredith ministered to the scholastic needs of some 30 children. Parents paid 1/- a week to meet Mr Meredith's stipend.

In 1860, attention was focused on this matter of education from a state point of view. Rival candidates for election to the new Legislative Assembly, Charles Coxen and Joshua Peter Bell, made one of planks of their platform the provision of a State School in Dalby.

Dalby Quickly got its school, which was opened on June 1, 1861, with Samuel Henry Ind as Head Teacher. Although no record exists of the number actually enrolled the first day, there were 57 recorded later in the year and by the end of 1862, there were 111 in attendance. Absenteeism was 'regrettably high' as the average daily attendance for the year was only 56. The conditions in the newly erected school were far from good, as shown in the following extract of the District Inspector's Report, dated 30 October, 1861.

"The school site comprises an acre of land in the central part of the town. The building which is in too close proximity to the streets is of slabs with shingled roof and is divided into two compartments, one of which is occupied by the teacher and his family, who must suffer exceeding inconvenience and discomfort especially during the hot weather; while the children, who are squeezed into the second room which now serves as the school, are the victims of a suffocating atmosphere as long as they are under instruction.... The furniture consists of one double desk, cumbrous and inconvenient in the extreme, and a few seats borrowed from the Church. There was no clock, blackboard nor press...."

The acre of land on which the school still stands was a gift from Messrs Charles Coxen and Alexander Johnston who had purchased them (Lots 21 and 22) at the first land sale held at Dalby on May 27, 1857. They surrendered the land to the school on July 4, 1862. The land faced Cunningham Street and the building then erected was of slabs with a shingle roof and occupied the corner of Cunningham and Bunya Street.

In 1869, a separate department for girls and infants was opened with Mary Jane Rouston as headmistress but this only persisted for 24 years after which the school again became a mixed one. The local saleyards, which had been a constant source of irritation to successive teachers over the years, were removed in 1923 from their proximity to the school and the area so occupied was incorporated in the school grounds as an infants' playground.

Since then the school buildings and residences have undergone many changes and additions to meet the expanding needs of the town which brought enormous increases in enrolment. A secondary department was added in 1914, a domestic science course was added in 1922, woodwork and commercial courses in 1927 and finally, after prolonged agitation, a full High School was provided in 1954.

At the time of the school's Centenary in 1961, its enrolment was 1050, and although known as school No. 28 it was the 8th school opened in Queensland.