Eltham Primary School

Facade saved from demolition 30 September 2006
By CRAIG JEFFREYLearning by doing enabled Eltham Primary School's 81-year-old facade to be saved from demolition on Friday.
The school's motto came in handy for contractors and may have given them inspiration as they moved the nine-tonne concrete facade to its new site at the front of the school, where it will be set into a bank.
Caretaker Jason Baikie said he would do whatever it took to save the facade, as the school had a long history and some members of the community had expressed regret that nothing would be saved from their former school.
Contractors were about to level all of the old school buildings, when Mr Baikie decided the facade could be saved.
"I thought using a crane might work, so I contacted the board of trustees and they were happy to hire one," he said.
However, the job could still come unstuck as the big slab has yet to be laid down and could fold or crack, but with the school's motto, Learn by doing – knowledge is power, there as a constant reminder that success should not be far away.