History
Melville School was founded in 1905 and in contrast to today’s modern buildings, the first school was held in tents. The school was then transferred to a house which was used until the first school building was built in 1909.
The corner stone can be seen in front of the main entrance in Second Avenue. In 1913 the Foundation stone of the new additional classrooms were laid. During the First World War the school building was used as the Headquarters for the civic guard. In 1915 the Principal of Melville School went looking for empty shops which could be used as classrooms. Dutch and English were taught and dual medium classes were held up to Grade 6. During the 1918 Flu Epidemic the school was closed for six weeks.
After a year the school was again too small and classes were held in the Dutch Reformed Church Hall and in an iron building in the grounds of the Parish Hall.
The 1922 Miners Strike disrupted schooling as teachers from town were unable to reach school because of the shooting in the neighbourhood.
In 1923 the Dutch Medium classes were removed to the new Afrikaans Medium School known as the Aucklandparkse Laerskool.
Melville Primary School functioned as an English Medium School until 1992.
In 1992 it was decided due to dwindling numbers of English speaking pupils in Melville Primary and the dwindling numbers of Afrikaans speaking pupils in Aucklandparkse Laerskool to combine both schools and have a parallel medium school.
On the 2nd August 1992 the Aucklandparkse Laerskool children and staff moved across to Melville Primary School.
A competition was held amongst the children to choose a new name for the school. The most popular name was Melpark. The “Mel” from Melville Primary School and the “Park” from Aucklandparkse Laerskool. The new school became known as Laerskool Melpark Primary.