In fact, the school started its anniversary celebrations a year ago with a get-together of students and their families.

Students rang the original school bell for the first time in many years to mark the school’s milestone birthday.

The bell used to sit outside one of the top-floor classrooms so when it rang it could be heard throughout the school and the surrounding streets, calling students to class.

The school became part of the national school system in 1859 and was known as the school at Pit Town (the name given to the area of Hamilton between Beaumont Street and Swan Street) up until 1872.

It was a small cottage with only one room but it was big enough to teach children who came from local mining families.

In 1908, the school celebrated its 50th birth-day with a grand fair, skipping and soap bubble contests, blackboard drawing and hat trimming.

Then in 1914, a new girls’ school was built but four years later it became a domestic science and boys’ intermediate high school from 1920 to 1933.

In 1962, the school was divided into Hamilton Girls’ High School and Hamilton Public School.

The school became Hamilton Public School from kindergarten to year six in 1973.

Next month, the school will continue its celebrations with an open day on Friday, November 6, from 9am to 2pm.

The day will include open classrooms, student displays and performances and memorabilia.

It will also be opened for walking tours on Saturday, November 7.

A birthday dinner will be held at Wests, Lambton, on Saturday, November 7, to mark the end of the school’s year-long anniversary celebrations.

Past students and teachers are invited to attend the school’s events.

To attend the dinner or for more information, phone the school on 4969 3577.