So it is for the small community of Terowie, with the local school closing its doors for the last time, at the end of Term 4, after providing Primary education for the town’s children for more than a century.

With student numbers dwindling to single figures (eight), the vote to close the school was taken at a Governing Council meeting mid-year in 2009, with 100 percent of parents voting for closure.

Current students will, in 2010, attend school in Peterborough (Primary School or St Joseph’s) or at Jamestown Area School , with a bus being provided to transport students to both towns.

Governing council member and community representative, Tammy Hornsby, said that the decision was a sad one to make, but the realities of the situation left no options open for the future.

“The students will continue their educations elsewhere, and the school’s equipment will follow the students to their new schools,” she said.

“However, the community wonder how DECS intend to dispose of the building?”

Ms Hornsby added that the school could certainly be used for community purposes, and that if DECS passed the building’s ownership to the community for alternative use, it would be gratefully accepted.

Terowie Rural School principal, Des Deuter, agreed that the school’s pending closure was sad but parents had been left with little choice.

At the time of the vote being taken, the school had nine students but sickness occasionally reduced numbers to four which became impractical, Mr Deuter said.

“The parents were left with no choice but to vote in the best interests of their children, weighed against the interests of the town,” he said.

“The whole community is saddened by it.”

Like most sad occasions, the passing is eased by a good old-fashioned ‘wake’ and Terowie Rural School will celebrate its life and times with a finale on Saturday December 5, commencing at 11am, including morning tea and lunch.