The history of the restored bell at Dungog High School still remains a mystery.
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How the school came to have this particular bell is still unknown as the principal of the early 1970s, Tom Brown, has since passed away.
School administration manager Robin Staciwa said there is no documentation on the bell arriving during his time at the school however ex-students have told of their memory of Mr Brown travelling to collect it.
“We understand it was given to the school by a primary school which was closing at the time as they were aware Dungog High hadn't been established when the bells were originally issued,” Ms Staciwa said.
“Others say Dungog Public had a collection of bells at the time as well and that it may have come from there but we haven't been able to confirm either theory.
“We do know the bells were commissioned for NSW schools and we are very grateful to have had this one in our care now for nearly 50 years.”
A facebook entry by the Dungog Chronicle on the Lost Dungog site saw a few schools mentioned.
These included Underbank, Salisbury, Chichester, Brookfield, Main Creek and Wallarobba.
Bandon Grove was ruled out because the bell went to the church there when the school closed.
Principal Maureen Jarvis authorised restoration of the bell shortly in 2012 after being on her agenda since her arrival a few years earlier.
Ms Staciwa said the bell was in the care of Dungog Historical Society at the time.
“We collected it, took some before shots and began our research,” she said.
“It wasn't long before we discovered its origin. Halliday Engineering (still operating today) of Erskine Street, Sydney was under contract by the state government for the supply of public school bells for NSW from 1879-1887.
“They turned out approximately 100 bells a year – around 900 were made altogether.
“We asked around the school and a teacher whose father travelled into the city regularly offered to deliver the bell, then collected it for us some months later
“This was after much phone calling and decision making as our particular goal was to restore it to as natural a state as possible.
“The company said he had not seen a bell complete until ours, as many don't have the spire on top anymore, or a donger.
“Total restoration included a beautiful Australian Blackbutt timber plinth on which the bell is mounted.
“Many of these 900 bells are still in use in public schools around the state either in their original authentic condition, restored in grandeur or slapped in a coating of left over green paint from the general assistance garage.”
Even though the bell was only used daily until the school purchased a modern automatic system, it remained on display in the school grounds until it was placed into storage in 2007 to make way for work starting on new school buildings.
“We are proud to say that it has today been treated with the respect and care that its heritage deserves as a reminder to all who get to see it, of the craftmanship that forged this great country, and is now on permanent display in the foyer of our administration building along with some of the attributes in the form of our successful students past and present,” Ms Staciwa said.
“Since its return to us mid-December last year, it was taken to Cobblers Keys at Stockland Green Hills to be engraved inside for security.
“The engraver was so excited to see such a lovely thing that he engraved it for free as his donation to its restoration.
“The class of 1984 reunion committee also recently contributed funds to its restoration on learning of its transformation.”