John Sampson a settler of One Tree Hill owned Precolumb Farm, which had a large vineyard, wine cellars and house. He gave a portion of his land for a school to be built, on Paines Road.
The small building was built as a single room school.
The school room was opened on Sunday 28th January 1855. Three sermons were preached on that day, at 11, by Mr J. R Stephens, at 3:30 by the Rev. W. H Coombs, and at 7, by the Rev J. P Buttfield. The following day a Public tea meeting was held, at which several ministers and friends delivered addresses. Collections after each service was collected in aid of the building fund.
The school masters were selected to fill the dual post of Minister and teacher. The first of these was John Stephens. After him Mr Matthew Wilson filled the position for many years. In later years after the church was built the widow of Mr Kekwick who was second in command of McDouall Stewart explorations party that crossed the continent. The school was run privately until 1876 when it was transferred to the Minister of Education.
This school room was the local concert hall, the place for local celebrations of all kinds and the Lodge room.
The school closed in 1938, when numbers fell, the remaining students transferred to the Uleybury school.
