Some historians tend to be a bit pompous in their writing but this young girl's story was a delight to read.
LIFE OF FLINDERS

It was found by chance in a Newberry search on trove and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

Wikipedia is very good at pinpointing the locations of old Victorian place names.
Geelong West, Victoria - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geelong_West,_Victoria
Ashby was once a suburb of Geelong located in the area of Geelong West, west of Latrobe Terrace, between Aberdeen Street and Church Street. By 1850 this area had become known as Little Scotland, and Kildare. At this point, Ashby referred to the area between Autumn Street and Waratah Street. In 1875, the entire ...

HISTORY OF ASHBY PRIMARY SCHOOL

HOW OLD WAS EDITH TAINTON WHEN SHE WROTE HER PRIZE-WINNING ESSAY?
I found the answer quick smart. If Edith was still at State School she was most likely in Grade 8, the last grade,and an absolute certainty to gain her merit certificate. She would be about fourteen years old but to be on the safe side, I searched for her birth record between 1913 and 1915.

EventBirth Event registration number22384 Registration year1914
Personal information
Family nameTAINTON Given namesEdith Marianne SexUnknown Father's nameChas Albt Mother's nameUna Blanche (Thurrowgood) Place of birthGEELONG

A BIT OF EDUCATION HISTORY.
Little Athletics rewards every child for having a go and is mirrored today by almost automatic promotion from grade to grade at Primary Schools, on the basis that social and intellectual development is more likely if the child is with age peers. In the old days children had to earn their promotion from grade to grade with the result that there seem to be giants in old class photos. The greatest aim of most pupils was to gain the Merit Certificate before leaving school at 14 to work in a reasonably interesting job guaranteed by it. Those who missed out, still in grade 6 when they turned 14, became factory fodder. However some sympathy was shown in some decisions about awarding the certificate, and by the greatest coincidence this example features another Ashby State School pupil.

MERIT CERTIFICATE.
Another pupil of the Ashby State School, Fred Cowling, in addition to the nine who received their certificates on Monday last, has been successful in obtaining his card: - The youth, who is about to leave school had missed the certificate by half a- mark, but on fresh perusal of the examination papers these showed general proficiency; and when the attention of the inspector (Mr. A. B. Rowe) was drawn to the fact he immediately recognised the justice of the claim, and made the award. (P.3, Geelong Advertiser, 22-9-1911.)

By about 1911, several High Schools started as Higher Elementary Schools so that those who had gained their Merit could continue their education and thus the first intake was in form 3. Later grades 7 and 8 in State Schools were replaced by forms 1 and 2 in schools central to regions and thus called Central Schools.

Successful students at Ashby State School such as Enid might have gone to a private school but Enid had another option.
GEELONG HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY
EXTRACT.
Our History

In the early 1900's schooling was compulsory for children 6 - 14 years at State Primary Schools. For those who couldn't afford private education, there was nowhere they could continue their education until they were 17 and could attend the Gordon Technical College. In 1909 community concern grew for this gap to be filled and this saw the establishment of a Continuation School to provide an academic education for trainee teachers and a general education for those wishing to go on to the Gordon.

On February 8 1910, 79 students together with eight teachers and an Acting Headmaster, began classes in a couple of disused rooms at the Gordon. John William Gray was appointed Headmaster in April with an annual salary of £345 ($690.00). Twelve months later, enrolments has increased to 150 and 12 rooms were being used at the Gordon. The school was renamed the Geelong High School and so became Geelong's first State Secondary School.

ABOUT EDITH.
Edith was only about seven years old when her mother died.
TAINTON. - On the 24th February, 1921, at private hospital, Geelong, Una Blanche,the dearly loved wife of Charles Albert Tainton, of 35 Clarence Street, Geelong West, and devoted mother of Stanley, Una and Edie, and loved sister of Minnie(Mrs. Nicholls), of Leopold, and Nellie(Mrs Cuddy) W.A. Aged 40 years.
(P.1, Geelong Advertiser, 25-2-1921.)
Una would have been born in about 1881. Her maiden name was Saunders but she may have been Mrs Thurrowgood when she married Charles in 1909*.
EventDeath Event registration number1787 Registration year1921
Personal information
Family nameTAINTON Given namesUna Blanche SexFemale Father's nameSAUNDERS James Mother's nameMary Ann (Harrison) Place of birth Place of deathGEELONG Age40

*EventMarriage Event registration number2868 Registration year1909
Personal information
Family nameTAINTON Given namesChas Albt SexUnknown Spouse's family nameTHURROWGOOD Spouse's given namesUna Blanche


Edith's father almost certainly died in 1928 leaving Edith an orphan. He drowned in Corio Bay. There was no death notice.Edith was only about 14.
EventDeath Event registration number14915 Registration year1928
Personal information
Family nameTAINTON Given namesCharles Albert SexMale Father's nameTAINTON Richard Mother's nameUnknown (Unknown) Place of birth Place of deathGEELONG Age60

CORIO BAY DROWNING
He was a widower and lived with his two children



A POETIC BENT.SHIPS

Her crossword puzzle at age 17. CROSSWORD

This is just a sample of Edith's contributions to newspapers, her address written as 17 Preston St., Geelong West. The big question is who was looking after her. Did she have to leave school after her father's death?
No wonder I saw no mention of the academic success I'd expected to find. How sad!