Old Junee

Old Junee is a village community in the central east part of the Riverina and situated about 8 kilometres north west from Junee and 16 kilometres east from Marrar. It was originally known as "Jewnee"Jewnee Post Office opened on 1 May 1862 and was renamed Old Junee in 1885 when the present town of Junee was given the name.The school at Old Junee was opened in 1880 and conducted in the old Methodist Church building under the name "Provisional School, Jewnee". A short time later Junee Junction, five miles distant, sprang up and so the name of this school and the village was, in 1885, changed from Jewnee to Old Junee. The school at Junee Junction is now known as Junee School.Mr Harry D. Balmain was the first teacher and the oldest record at the school dates from 14 May 1880. For the portion of the quarter ending June, 1880, the total enrolment was 39 (20 boys, 19 girls), the average being 22.3. An amount of £2/8/0 was received in fees, there being no "gratuitous" scholars. The return was signed by Mr Samuel Storey as a member of the School Board. Mr Storey officially opened the first school in 1880, a second building attached to the residence in 1882, and on Empire Day, 1913, the new, commodious building of two large rooms.In 1894 Mr W. H. Bullen was the Teacher-in-Charge and remained there until 1912 when Mr. W. E. Cook was appointed. Mr Bullen had leave of absence for 3 months in 1902 after 20 years' service and was relieved by Messrs Hallman and Dawson for that period. In 1895 an urgent application was made for fencing to provide for four horses - no doubt for the use of children arriving at school by horse and also in that year the school acquired for the school paddock.In 1899 an application was made for the use of the playground for a Moonlight Concert in aid of the Cricket Cub - evidence of the importance of the little country school in the community.