Just over one-hundred years ago, Onehouse School was opened to pupils for the first time. In the millennium OHSMag Betty Hayward provided us with some insight into the school history and how the school became a Community Centre .........

Onehouse School

Onehouse School was built by Squire Pettiward in 1889 and the School House a year afterwards. Intake of pupils came from the villages of Onehouse, Harleston and Shetland. The children spent their entire school life there until the mid 1930's when it became a Junior School and they were transferred at the age of 11 to the Stowmarket Area School -now the Middle School. Our School then became known as "Onehouse Voluntary Controlled Primary School" or VCP. The building had three classrooms, an outbuilding at the rear which housed the chemical lavatories, and cycle sheds, a small playground and the use of a small grassed piece of land adjacent to the Church Room which is now the car park. Two of the classrooms were heated by open fires and the larger room by a tortoise stove which also heated radiators. The fires were lit in the morning by the school cleaner and stoked up during the day by the teachers. A bucket of coal and coke was kept near the teacher's desk which was close to the fire!

In the late 1950's and early 1960's it was the policy of the Suffolk Education Authority to look at the school rolls of village schools. If the numbers were at around thirty or below, closure of the school was on the agenda. At this time the Northfield Estate was being built but only a small number of children were at the age for Onehouse School. A meeting was called by the LEA and an officer from County Hall came along to explain the problems of keeping a small school open, and how much better facilities the children would have in bigger schools. A free bus would be provided to transport the children to Stowmarket. However, we felt that we didn't want to lose the school and a petition was organised and we were given permission to present our case. Four of the parents Jack Barnard, Phil Mullins, Maurice Phoenix and Betty Hayward went to County Hall to plead our cause. The outcome of this was a stay at execution for five years. Sadly, the head Teacher died during this time and at the end of the period we decided not to fight again and the school closed in 1965, the children were transferred to Stowmarket.

We then had an empty building with the potential for a Village Hall. A meeting was called to get the consensus of opinion as to the possibility at raising funds to purchase the school. A committee was formed and it was proposed that we set up a Community Council with a view to start fund raising. We eventually bought the School with the aid of a loan for a sum of just under £2000. Plans were eventually passed to convert the building and Messrs Gibbons of Crowfield were given the contract and work commenced. A small piece at land at the rear at the School was not being used and it was decided to try to purchase it. After much difficulty the deal was accomplished and the field was prepared for use as a playing field and children's playground. Eventually we had our own OHS Community Centre and Playing field which is used by organisations within the villages and also for functions and private hiring. We hope that the Centre will be supported and used for many years to come and that its origins will not be forgotten..