Rosewood History
Marburg History

From the Queensland Times, Saturday 7 August 1926, page 12

ROSEWOOD DISTRICT.
THE STORY OF MARBURG.
BIRTH AND GROWTH OF THE TOWN.
DISTRICT RURAL EDUCATION CENTRE.
(No. 4)

Marburg is the rural education centre for most of the Rosewood district. The Rural School, established in 1922, provides a primary education for the children of Marburg and secondary “rural” training for Marburg, Haigslea, Walloon, Tallegalla, Rosewood, Ashwell, Frenchton, Prenzlau, Lark Hill, Glamorgan Vale, Farney View, Fernvale and Lowood school pupils. The school has replaced the Marburg State School, which was on the main road. The school was opened on March 18, 1879 by the Minister for Education, Mr. J. Huxham. Mr. V. E. Pascoe was the first Head Master. When the new building was erected the old buildings were removed bodily to the new school site, about half a mile away, and are now used for the domestic science and vocational classes. The old school site has been gazetted as a recreation reserve. On the first school register, still kept among the Rural School records, the first names include those of Mary Hoepner, Adolphus Frederick, and the Stuhmcke family. 

The school buildings are up-to-date, and afford excellent facilities for efficient teaching under pleasant conditions. The rooms in the main school are airy and well lit. Each teacher has a separate room with modern teaching equipment. In the science and reading room for the senior pupils agricultural journals from many parts of the world, including most of the best Australian publications, are filed. Tourist bureau literature from many countries, and other literature of educational value are also kept in the reading room, with reference works of various kinds. The walls are hung with botanical and physiological charts, and photographs of stud cattle champions of the main breeds from various countries. Milk and cream testing equipment and other scientific apparatus, are there too.

The room is also a minature technological and natural museum. Exhibitions illustrating progressive stages of production in various industries, mineral ores, insect specimens, and “pickled” reptiles are included in the growing collection. One of the exhibits is a magnificent specimen of Australia’s biggest insect, the red shouldered phasma, or walking leaf insect. The length of the body alone     this specimen is a little more than 12 inches. 

Three of the class rooms are divided by folding doors which are opened to form a big room for assembly or social purposes. All the class rooms are hung with very fine pictures illustrating Australian exploration incidents and great Australian men. The school has 120 pupils and a full-time staff of five. Mr. C. W. Munro is the Headmnaster. With the assistance of the people of the district an effort is being made to improve the school equipment, particularly for the infant classes.

RURAL TRAINING.
The “rural” training school is apart from the primary school, in two buildings, one for the girls and the other for boys. Miss G. T. Ransome is in charge of the domestic science side. With Miss Krause, a part-time teacher, she teaches between 40 and 50 girls dressmaking, millinery, cooking, fruit preserving, jam making, cake icing, confectionery making and laundry work. The equipment includes washtubs and a copper, a kitchen oven, and three sewing machines, as well as all the cooking utensils and cutlery. On the boys’ side the aim is not to give all technical education for tradesmen, but to make the boys self-supporting on the farms. 

In the leather work classes, conducted by Mr. G. V. Evans, a full-time teacher, all kinds of saddlery manufacture and repair work are done. Mr. H. Biddle, a part-time teacher, introduces the boys in sheet metal work useful for farmers, the making of buckets and wash dishes, milk strainers and colanders, cream cans and grain scoops, and the repairing of them. In a similar way Mr. O. Boettcher conducts the woodwork classes, teaching the use of carpenter’s tools, and the making of things useful and necessary in farm life. A boot repairing class is also being started. 

As well as the practical work in the workshops for these classes, the students cover much theoretical work also, and a well equipped lecture room is provided. In addition to these craft classes, all of the boys go through a primary agricultural course. In the one hour weekly which is allowed for this subject they study the elementary principles of fertilisers, the composition of soils, seed selection, grasses and weeds, the diseases of plants and animals, cream and milk testing and forestry. A little practical work is also done in the school experimental plots and gardens. 

All pupils from the fifth class upwards, and those who have left school, and have not reached the age of 17 years, receive the rural sclool training free in both boys’ and girls’ classes. Older pupils are accepted at nominal fees.

MARBURG HISTORY.
RECENT DEVELOPMENT.
The first settlers in Marburg itself were Mesers. J. L. Frederick, J. Moriarty, L. Ulrick, P. Klupfel, J. H. Verrenkamp, F. Hohnke, C. Berlin, George Dobson, and A. Schostakowski. Of these only two are now alive, Mr. Verrenkamp, at Marburg, where he has not been able to leave his bed for a long time; and Mr. Schlostakowski, at Milora. Mr Frederick opened the first store, at the top of the hill near the present township, and Mr. Dobson soon afterwards started another store where Bielefeld Brothers store is now, in the centre of the town. Mr. Frederick then built another shop opposite, where Mr. B. Martoo’s place now is. Then all the products of the district were carted to Ipswich or Walloon by dray, and the goods for the store were carted back. Fifteen years ago the railway from Rosewood to Marburg was opened, and since that time the township has gone ahead much faster. The Queensland National Bank opened a Marburg branch after the line was built. Marburg now has two big stores and two hotels, as well as smaller shops and offices. Seven years ago a butter factory was built by Mr. A. L. Frederick, who had carried on his father’s business interests after his death, but it was burned down soon aflterwards. 

The first church service in Marburg was held in the late Mr. F. Hohnke’s barn, where Baptist services were held regularly for some time. Now the town has Anglican, Roman Cathiolic, Baptist, Church of Christ, and Lutheran churches. 

Until recently the township has not had a post office building. The postal business was done in an office rented from one of the stores. Now, however, a thoroughly up-to-date office has been built. The building, which was finished recently, has been constructed to a Postal Department standard design, at a cost of £980. Messrs. N. J. Thompson and Co., Ltd., of Stanthorpe, were the contractors. The office has convenient and up-to-date fittings throughout. Provision has been made for a big development of postal business. The telephone switchboard installed provides for 100 subscribers. Mr. N. Carlton is the present postmaster. 

The Mountain Ash Colliery, at Kalbar, near Marburg, was opened about 12 months ago, in Mr. F. Berg’s paddock. It how has an output of about 1000 tons a month, and employs about 20 men, most of whom live at or near Marburg. The roads of the locality are better than in most parts of the district. Practically all of the metal for them has been taken from the quarry near the town, which serves the whole of Division 4 of the Rosewood Shire. 

AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.
Marburg’s chief institution is the Marburg and District Agricultural and Industrial Association. Seventeen years ago the Progress Association, which preceded the Show Society, talked of a show, but abandoned the idea for a time because the railway line had not then been built, and facilities for getting exhibits there were not adequate. When the line was constructed the show organisation was formed, with Mr. A. L. Frederick as President, and Mr. F. H. Bielefeld as Secretary. Mr. Bielefeld is still Secretary, and Mr. H. Heiner is now President. When the association was formed the Government was asked for land for a showground, and a block half way to Glamorgan Vale was allotted. This was not considered suitable so the assoiation sold it for 100 pds and bought, at £30 an acre, 13 acres practically in the township. A hall and other show buildings have been erected, and £200 has been raised recently for the extension of the hall, and today the association owes nothing. The show started with a “gate” of £89, and the committee thought it was doing well. Now a show with less than £200 gate takings is considered to have a poor attendance. The association is beginning to tahe an active interest in other methods of agricultural development than the shows, and recently arranged valuable lectures by competent experts on herd testing, stock dlseases, and pig raising. Other phases of better farming education will probably have attention in later lectures.

PENSIONED OFF: HURDLE HISTORY ENDED.
A brumby jumper, once one of the best known horses in the show rings of Queensland and New South Wales, is spending a respectable senility in the paddocks of “Chubbhill Farm,” Marburg, the property of Mr. H. E. Dance. “Jack,” now 34 years old, had a long career in the ring, and as fine a record of successes as any jumper of his time. He was very consistent at the hurdles, and for a long time could be relied upon to clear six feet three inches. Jack was run out of Mount Morgan as a colt, in a mob of 300 brumbies. With four others he was picked out and kept, and the rest were sent to Maryborough and sold for 3/6 each. Jack was sold to a “bullocky” who was travelling to Rockhampton. He had the horse tied to the waggon by a long rope, and at the end of his journey related the tale that started the brumby on his long jumping career. The bullock waggon was table topped, and was travelling empty. At one stage of the trip, the “bullocky” swore he was attending to some of the leading bullocks for a few minutes, and when he turned around he saw Jack riding on the waggon top. The difficulty of keeping the brumby inside any ordinary fence supported the bullock driver’s opinion that Jack would make a good jumper, and he was put into the ring. His performances, at least, would support the possibility of the “bullocky’s” tale. 

Black Harry and Silver were two others of the best known of the Dance stable. Black Harry was equally renowned as a high jumper and a buckjumper. His appearance in a show ring was always interesting and particularly so when, as the mood took him, he turned a run for the hurdles into a circus exhibition. Mr. Dance has not had any horses in the ring for a few years now. Jack’s pension of good feed and water is for life. He is still remarkably active, and still has the characteristic brumby stand, ready to be off in a moment.