The Coolah Memorial School of Arts is a well-maintained brick building, with a corrugated iron roof. There are two sections on either side of the east-facing front entrance, which house brown marble honour roll tablets for Sudan, the Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. Combined, the rolls contain the names of more than 400 men and women who have served, inscribed into the marble and highlighted in gold.
The two largest rolls are for the First and Second World Wars. They have similar decorations and layouts, featuring the insignia of the Australian Imperial Force set within a golden arch. Each arch also includes golden waratahs at both ends. The dates for the wars are found on either side of the tablets, surrounded by bronze laurel wreaths.
The building
A movement to establish a School of Arts was underway by April 1908, with members being enrolled and books donated. By May, the School had been formed and the organising committee agreed to lease an existing hall from Mr Wallace, on "very liberal terms," until a new building could be erected (Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 30 April 1908; 21 May 1908).
Following the First World War, work began on what was referred to as the "School of Arts' Soldiers' Memorial," in the Australian Town and Country Journal of 1 January 1919. The foundation stone for the building was laid on 26 December 1918 by Mr J. Allison, who donated the land. After the speeches, donations were called for, to go towards the estimated construction cost of £700.
Fundraising activities, such as sports days, continued throughout the year and by October 1919, the Coolah Progress Association was ready to vote on designs for the building. The chosen plan was that of Mr J. G. Gildea, a soldier settler on the Oban Estate in the Coolah district. The Mudgee Guardian provided an overview of his design in its issue of 9 October. The contractor for the project was later announced as Mr. W. V. Holland of Coolah and the clerk of works was Mr Bayne of Sydney.
Construction was completed by January 1921, with a detailed report published in the the Mudgee Guardian on 13 January. The article described the building as:
A handsome structure; a noble edifice; it is an architectural ornament, and an institutional addition of worth to the town, potentially of great value to the people of Coolah. Even more than that, it is the memorial of an event which transcends in importance all other happenings in the history of our race ... it is a tribute of homepage to the men of this district who fought and bled for the safety and freedom of our land.
The official opening was originally planned for Anzac Day; however, the ceremony was delayed and eventually took place in July 1921. The evening was described in detail in the Mudgee Guardian on 28 July and included dancing, singing, card games, and billiards.
The honour rolls
The honour roll for the First World War was installed several years after the opening of the building. It was unveiled on 20 March 1927 by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr W. F. Dunn, M.L.A. The following day, a sports carnival was held to continue the fundraising efforts for the project (Mudgee Guardian, 17 March 1927).
Following the Second World War, a public meeting was held on 28 June 1946 in the Coolah Shire Hall to consider several options for a war memorial for the town. A Patriotic Fund had already been established and attendees eventually voted to direct some of the funds to erect the honour roll on the School of Arts, with any necessary alterations to the facade (Mudgee Guardian, 15 July 1946).
On 10 August 1946, Mr V. C. North, the honorary secretary of the Coolah District War Memorial Committee, called tenders for the works in The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. The chosen contractors were Messrs T. Collier and Sons of Mudgee.
Almost a year later, Mr North published a list of names for the roll in the Mudgee Guardian on 3 July 1947, calling for any corrections. A further list was published in the same paper on 8 January 1948, with the article reporting the roll was due for unveiling on Anzac Day. The actual ceremony took place the day after, on 26 April (Mudgee Guardian, 15 April 1948).
The Coolah Memorial School of Arts remains an important part of the community and its honour rolls provide a suitable focal point for various commemorative occasions.