By 1921 the increased numbers finally resulted in plans being drawn up for the erection of a brick building to contain seven classrooms, Head Teacher's office, Staffroom, Teachers' Lavatory and Pupils' Cloakroom with a contract price of £5652/14/0. This was constructed during 1922 and opened by Mr. Frank Tate, the Director of Education on 28th February 1923.
Bluff Road Black Rock, during the 1920s
What was to be done with the two pavilion classrooms became a controversial issue with suggestions regarding re-siting them to Parkdale, Brighton, Mordialloc, Edithvale, Beaumaris or Sandringham all being considered.
Eventually following a strong request from the School Committee the classroom with the sheltershed attached was retained at Black Rock, whilst the other, despite a recommendation from the District Inspector that it be moved to Parkdale, appears to have been shifted to S.S. No. 3074 Ormond on 5th March 1923.
The 1924 Football Team - the first Black Rock team to win the premiership.
The first parents' association was formed in 1922 and was officially named the Black Rock School Women's Guild, which in its first year raised, £67/6/5/ to purchase a piano for the school. The MMBW water supply was connected to the school in 1921, and the sewerage connection, costing £339/13/0, was completed in November 1924.
During these years the school became the social centre of the district with frequent dances, flower shows, picture nights, social evenings and pet shows. The Annual School Concert held in the Sandringham Town Hall was a feature as was the Novelty Night organised jointly each year by mothers and teachers.
By 1927 further extensions were necessary to meet the continuing growth which had caused overcrowding resulting in complaints from Dr. T. Garnet-Leary and the Mothers' Club to the Director. The official reply informed them that "communications should be through the School Committee".
Three classrooms, a cloak room and a boiler room were added to the brick building in 1928 at a cost of £3006/5/10. As part of this contract central heating was installed and fireplaces were sealed. The asphalt area was extended as shown below and enclosed by a fence.
Gates in the fence were closed and locked at 9:00am each school day so that latecomers could be clearly identified.
In April 1928 in response to a request for facilities for male staff members, the Chief Architect of the Public Works Department stated, "The practice of this Department is not to provide a retiring room for male teachers....and this practice is approved by the Education Department, nor is it the practice to provide internal sanitary conveniences for male teachers in Primary Schools. The room now existing is for Lady Teachers only and should not be used by Male Teachers". Sexual discrimination??
This year also saw the introduction of a Voluntary Giving Scheme which lessened the need for some of the fund-raising activities.
To round off what must have been a rather eventful twelve months a power point was installed in the school in November 1928.