A pioneering educator

The Harkaway Lutheran Belfry, erected 1869. 152900_14

Prussian immigrant Jacob Hessel left an indelible mark on the Harkaway communuity as a pioneering educator, as NEIL LUCAS explains in his latest look at the significance of place and street names in the region.

Hessel Road, Berwick/Harkaway

As the ship slowly approached the town of Sydney, Jacob Hessel, looking at the unfolding scene, must have wondered what this new country he had chosen to come to would be like.

Would he be able to make his way? His spoken English was poor but he was well educated, so he would give it his best.

In the early 1850s there should be many opportunities.

Jacob was born in Prussia on 24 July 1833 and prior to his departure had been living in a town Bad Kreuznach near Frankfurt.

The difficulties in Germany had resulted in many Prussian Lutheran Christians immigrating to other countries and a sizeable number had chosen Australia for their new home.

In South Australia the Lutheran immigrants had established at Handorf in the Adelaide Hills and in the Barossa Valley.

In Melbourne there was a large contingent in the city and a Lutheran Church had been built just east of Spring Street.

There was also a large group farming at Harkaway established initially by Ernst Wanke. We do not know how aware Jacob initially was of these settlements.

In Sydney Jacob fell in love with the Marie Madeline Conlon, the daughter of French immigrants Xavier and Marie Schlussle. Marie (known as Madeline) had previously been married and had a daughter Marie Henriette.

The couple married at St Lawrence’s Church of England in Sydney in 1854 and over the next few years produced two children, Frances in 1855 and Heinrich Carl in 1857.

In 1856 the Lutheran settlers at Harkaway had established a school formally known as Berwick Lutheran No.602 in a school house situated on private property.

At its commencement the school had 17 children aged from three to 14 years.

Following the resignation of the school’s Master (Principal) in 1861 an advertisement was placed in a German newspaper inviting applications for the position. Jacob Hessel applied as did two other applicants.

Jacob was the best qualified, able to speak fluently in French and German and to teach bookkeeping, algebra, geometry and measurement. He was appointed and took up his new role in April 1862 on a salary of 100 pounds per annum.

Jacob purchased land from Ernst Wanke and lived in a large house on King Road (then known as Koenig Road) named “Bellevue” – later named “Ratharnay” then “Wickham”.

By 1863 there were 45 children at the school and maybe as a consequence of this enrolment, the local Education Board’s Inspector found that of the 22 older children, seven were below standard as their arithmetical ability was a year behind their reading and writing ability.

The number of children attending continued to rise and by 1867 the school had 66 pupils on its roll.

A Pupil Teacher (student teacher) Adolph Wanke was employed to assist Jacob – he was paid 6 shillings 11 pence each month provided there were sufficient funds available. The scale of fees varied according to the grades in which pupils were enrolled – one shilling per week for grades 3 and 4, and for lower grades 9 pence per week with reductions for siblings.

In 1872 Jacob’s students received a score of 83 per cent in their exams – this was good news for Jacob as his salary was based on these results.

Jacob was a member of the Berwick Mechanics Institute and in 1874 served as president for a year – the secretary/treasurer at that time was Thomas C Camm the principal of the Berwick Primary School.

When Camm finished his time at the Berwick Primary, a testimonial concert was held in his honour at which Jacob gave an address wishing him well – Camm was presented with a gold watch and illuminated address.

Jacob had many local other interests in addition to his teaching responsibilities. He was an agent for the AMP Society selling insurance policies and investments.

When the Harkaway Cemetery was formerly established in 1869 Jacob was one of the inaugural trustees.

In 1872 the State Government passed the Education Act and the (mainly Lutheran) School Committee agreed to become a State School with the school property then being leased to the Education Department.

This situation was a temporary one, as the Department acquired land in King Road to build a new brick school house on the present school site in King Road at a cost of 403 pounds.

Jacob was appointed as Head Teacher of the new Harkaway State School and following the opening of the new building in February 1876, he assembled his pupils at the old school and they marched in fours up Hessel Road to King Road and along to their new school.

At that time Jacob’s wife Madeleine was also employed at the school as Work (Sewing) Mistress, a position which she held until forced by ill health to resign in May 1879.

A tragedy occurred in June 1879 when their 22-year-old son Heinrich (known as Harry) was out shooting with friends. In the process of climbing through a fence Harry’s shotgun discharged wounding him in the chest. He lingered for a month but passed away.

Jacob and Madeleine were greatly affected by Harry’s death and they placed their 52acre (21 hectare) property up for sale. The property was either withdrawn from sale or did not sell as they remained in Harkaway for some years.

Jacob established another venture, a boarding school at his home “Bellevue” which appears to have operated at the same time as his teaching commitments at the Harkaway State School.

How he managed to undertake both roles is not known.

An advertisement in the The Argus newspaper on 15 December 1876 read:

“Bellevue House, Boy’s BOARDING SCHOOL on Harkaway Ranges, near Berwick. Sound education, comfortable home, salubrious situation and moderate terms. J Hessel, Principal.”

In 1881 Jacob stood for election to the Berwick Shire Council. His opponent was long serving sitting Councillor Hanley. Final voting was Hanley 169 and Hessel 105, a majority of 64 for Hanley.

At the declaration of the poll Hanley made a speech to which Jacob objected causing him to write to the local paper:

“Sir, In my contest against Mr Hanley, I refrained from saying anything personal. I feel therefore aggrieved that Mr. Hanley should so far forget himself at the declaration of the poll as to insult me. He could well afford to be generous, being the victor, but the bad taste he exhibited was not what I expected of him. As an old councillor, he ought to know the shire statutes better, and not make statements which are incorrect.

Yours, &c., J. HESSEL.

Harkaway, Aug. 12.”

Jacob must have made a success of his boarding school as in 1882 he recruited Edward Vieusseux who was later Principal of Berwick Grammar School. The announcement of this appointment in the Argus on 13 April 1882 read as follows:

“HARKAWAY COLLEGE, BERWICK. Superintendent, Mr J HESSEL

Head Master, Mr EDWARD VlEUSSEUX (Melbourne University, Two Years Assistant Master Geelong Grammar School, Four Years Vice Principal Ladies’ College, East Melbourne). Harkaway College is beautifully situated in the Harkaway Ranges, two miles from the Berwick railway station. The attention of parents and Guardians is especially directed to the advantages afforded by this institution. Pupils enjoy the fine bracing mountain

air, and for delicate boys no better and more invigorating climate could be found.

Boys are entirely removed from the temptations of town, and well within easy distance of Melbourne by rail, enjoy all the advantages of a country life. The curriculum of study embraces all the subjects necessary for a thorough ENGLISH, CLASSICAL and COMMERCIAL education Every care is paid to the health and comfort of the boys

TERMS STRICTLY MODERATE, with reductions in the case of brothers.

Prospectus forwarded on application. WORK will be RESUMED on Monday, the 21th Inst”

Jacob’s health began to deteriorate and the Education Department granted him nine months leave which meant his time teaching at Harkaway was coming to a close.

Jacob and Madeleine decided to sell their property and a clearing sale was arranged for Thursday 21 December 1882. The advertisement for the sale read as follows:

“CLEARING SALE. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21st 1882

HARKAWAY COLLEGE, Near Berwick. Joseph Clarke & Co.

Have been favored with instructions from Jacob Hessel, Esq., who in consequence of ill health, is about to visit Europe, to Sell by Public Auction, the whole of his Valuable Household Furniture, Dairy and Kitchen Utensils, Cattle, Horses, Poultry, &c..

The Furniture is in splendid order, and most of it nearly new. Tri-cord Piano in walnut by Aucher Freres, music stool, Pier Glass, Horse hair Suite, Occasional table, What-not,

Carpet and Rug, Fender and Fire irons, Oval Table,. Velvet pile cover, cornice and curtains, Pictures, &e. Dining-room- -Large Extension Dining Table, Side-board, Chairs, Tables, a

large assortment of Glass ware and Crockery, Tea and Coffee Urn, Sewing Machine, Lamps, Hat Stand, Oilcloth, Matting, &c.

In the Bedrooms will be sold 16 Iron Bedsteads, Single and Double Palliasses and Horse hair mattresses all nearly new, besides a large quantity of Bed Linen, blankets. Counterpanes, and

Pillows, Washstands and ware, Towel Horses, &c., .&e.

Also, a large Portable English Cookery Range in sound order, and nearly new, with Boilers, Saucepans &c., all complete. 1 Patent Mangle.

1 Buggy, I Carry-all with Pole and Shafts complete. 1 pair useful Buggy Horses. good and

quiet, 10 Cows in full milk, 1 Bull, Pigs, Poultry, &c.

Also a beautifully situated NEW SIX-ROOMED HOUSE, With Stabling and Outbuildings, and 52 acres of the most beautifully situated land in the district, within Two miles of the

Railway. SALE AT Twelve O’clock.”

Following the period of sick leave, Jacob formally concluded his time as principal at Harkaway on 5 October 1883.

The Hessels moved to a home “Madelon” in Evandale Road Malvern where Jacob’s Madeleine passed away in September 1889 after a long illness. The funeral cortege left “Maledon” from the Malvern railway station at 12.10, arriving at Berwick 1.39 o’clock, and Madeleine was buried at the Harkaway Cemetery.

On his return to work the Education Department appointed Jacob as Head Teacher at Purnim near Warrnambool, and later to Dunolly in 1890 and Portland in 1891.

Due to ill health Jacob retired after 32 years of teaching and in 1893 moved to Balmain in Sydney where he lived with his brother until his death in 1904.

Hessel Road, named after Jacob, originally ran from King Road in Harkaway to the Princes Highway at Berwick, intersecting along the present alignment of Grant Court with the highway at a point between the Monash Freeway and Parkhill Drive.