Synnott, James
Jim Synnott no songster
James ('Jim') Synnott was teacher at Kowen for three years 1896-1899. He travelled to Kowen from Cooolamon, near Wagga, and his travelling expenses included two nights board and lodging for 6/-. He married Sarah McInnes in 1897 (one of 15 children of John McInnes and Sarah Horrocks of Kowen) who then became the sewing mistress. James and Sarah went on to have a family of six.
James received a memo from the Chief Inspector on 30th April 1896 asking why he had omitted singing from the course of instruction. He replied "...being unable to sing myself, I considered it better not to teach the subject at all than to teach it badly....Being informed ...that singing must be taught, I am now endeavouring to teach it to the best of my ability".
Inspector Cooper later asked how long Synnott had served as a pupil teacher, and whether he had taught singing during that period. James explained that he had been a pupil teacher for 4¼ years, and had taken charge of singing lessons 'provided the songs were first taught by the headmaster'.
Jim Synnott is described as 'the most loveable, jovial charming man one could wish to meet. He was loved by everyone'. Moving to Sydney in 1897 he retired in 1935, a teacher at Randwick Boys High. He, Sarah and their children regularly returned to Kowen at Christmas for gatherings of the McInnes clan.
['McInnes Family of Gilbert and Mary. Part 2'. Marilyn Folger, Canberra 1988]
"The Synnott family would arrive from Sydney soon after school finished for the holidays. In the early days Jim Synnott was appointed by the Education Department to teach school at the school house which was about a mile from the homestead. He lived at the schoolhouse, he was the most loveable, jovial,charming man one could wish to meet, he was loved by everyone. He soon won the heart of Sarah McInnes and moved to Sydney to teach at Randwick Boys High School. He stayed there until he retired in 1935"
[Georgina Costello, in Marilyn Folger, (op cit), p. 63].
Schools
- Kowen School
04/1896 - 04/1899