Approximately 100 pupils and 3 teachers had just gathered on the first day back at school when the fire broke out.

The cause of the fire was traced to a defective brick chimney resulting from a dynamite blast set off nearby in oil exploration activity.

Fairfax remained a small rural school until the late 1930s when it tripled in size going from an average daily attendance of 102 in 1934-35 to 312 in 1938-39.

This rapid growth came as a result of many farm laborers coming into the area during the depression years.

At times the student population would double overnight due to the seasonal influxes of migrant families.