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Under Duncan Gillies, and with the zealous Pearson as Minister, the Victorian government embarked on a major construction programme. The results were striking. In 1872, there had been 1048 schools and 135,962 new students, of whom 68,436 attended regularly. By 1891, the numbers had increased to 2233 schools, 253,469 enrolments, and 141,126 average attendance.13 In 1889, the total building program expenditure was £128,470, more than half the overall Education Department budget of £214,266. Sixteen Metropolitan schools were established to accommodate 4000 new enrolments. One of them ‘was was Princes Hill.
The constant pressure had eventually won out. A memo dated 25 October 1888 informed Gardiner that tenders would be called as soon as money became available. The contract to build a school of 2960 square feet for 300 students at the allocated space ratio of 10 square feet per child was signed on 23 February 1889. A week later the new school was officially listed on the roll as SS 2955.14
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