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Dr John Vaughan
Nimmitabel Public School 1942-1945

John Vaughan recalls happy and rewarding days spent in Nimmitabel as teacher in charge of the school.

After six years of teaching in small schools I was appointed by the Education Department to Nimmitabel in 1942. My wife (formerly Mais Constance of "Prahran", Cooma) and I established our first home in the school residence, where we lived happily, using kerosene lamps, wood-burning stove and tank water, as did all members of the community. At the time Nimmitabel was a one-teacher school: Mais taught needlework.

Enrolment increased rapidly and, before long there were 60 pupils, from kindergarten to Intermediate stage, in one classroom. To alleviate this situation Mrs Buckley was appointed as assistant and I remained in charge until the end of 1945.

These were rewarding years for the Vaughan family. The school was a pleasant place, filled with diligent pupils. Parents and the community generally were supportive of school endeavours, and gave us many valued friendships. Though some of our friends, sadly, have long gone, we still have the joy of maintaining our association with others , despite the passage of time.

We are in regular contact with Doris Constance, our sister-in-law (formerly Doris Rolfe of "Kenilworth"), Rex and Eileen Bell (formerly of "Naronga") and Max and Jean Evans (of "The Peak"). From time to time we see Peter Evans (former pupil) and Val Kotlash (formerly Val James and also a pupil). We communicate with Antonia Contos (Nimmitabel cafe) and Pat Mooney is a neighbour and friend in Gordon, where we now live.

While in Nimmitabel I came to know Mr S Morris, then mayor of Cooma, a man with a keen interest in education. We worked together, enlisting the support of parents and district teachers, to create the Cooma District Education Committee. Mr Morris was president and I was publicity officer.

We conducted a number of well-attended meetings and prepared a list of objectives. Among these , two stand out in my mind: - The establishment of school bus services on Monaro, The provision of full high school facilities in Cooma. We pursued politicians and the Education Department to achieve these goals. Thus, I believe we established the groundwork, significantly built upon in consequence of Snowy Scheme activities, for two developments of enormous value to Monaro children. Bus services became a reality and Cooma acquired a high school which has established a state-wide reputation for excellent performance.

After leaving Nimmitabel we moved from school to school until, from principalship of Cobar Intermediate High School, I was appointed a District Inspector of Schools.

Along the way I graduated in Economics at Sydney University, in Education at Melbourne University, and won an Imperial Relations Trust Fellowship to the University of London. Mais and I lived in London for two years. I was awarded a PhD in Education.

As a departmental officer I was appointed Director of Studies and executive member of the two Secondary Studies Boards. For nine years I was a member of the council of Macquarie University. I retired from the position of Assistant Director General in 1979.

Throughout my many years devoted to the cause of education I recall the part that Nimmitabel played in helping me to understand the significance of schooling in the development of young Australians, and especially, the importance of education for country children in small towns and isolated areas.

Mais and I are grateful for the fact that we were once a part of Nimmitabel, that our first home was there, that it is the "'home town" of our children, that it has given us understanding and enduring friendships which has contributed so much to our joy of living over 61 years of married life.