By Laura Michell
A slice of Doreen’s history paying tribute to residents who fought in World War I will hang in pride of place at three local schools.
Doreen Primary School, Laurimar Primary School and Hazel Glen College recently commissioned replicas of the Doreen Primary School honour roll board from the 1920s.
The board was given to the school to commemorate the men and women from Doreen who went to war.
It was on display at the school until a principal in the 1980s threw it on a bonfire.
The board was rescued by a community member and put on display at the Doreen Hall. When the hall collapsed, the board was taken to the Doreen CFA. Today the board is the property of the brigade.
Doreen Primary School principal Glenn Simondson said the schools felt it was important for the board to be on display in their schools, and so decided to commission replicas.
The schools asked Peter Bassett, who has family ties to Doreen, to create the boards.
“All of the schools do Australian history lessons and we felt the roll should be hanging in the schools,” Mr Simondson said. “It is a direct link with the history [the students] are learning about.
“Some [students] are related to names on the board. What’s on it and what it signifies is huge.”
The boards were initially paid for by Doreen Primary School, but the schools are hoping community groups will make contributions.
