A step back into the world of the school's inaugural class meant the pupils had to sit up straight and get their handwriting in order.

Principal Jennifer Molan said they had a few period methods ready for misbehaviour.

"We had a few canes floating about," she said.

"They weren't used, though, don't worry."

Staff members and pupils dressed up and set the time machine for 1865, when the original 800 campus was opened.

"We set the scene with 'playing the game', which was our message for the day, we were all required to play the part of 1860s people," she said.

"That meant lots of traditional teaching methods in place, like the idea that children should be seen but not heard."

The return to 19th century education meant no more critical thinking or discussion of ideas as is encouraged in primary schools now.

"There were recitations, copper plate handwriting and also formal singing lessons," Ms Molan said.

Local conditions when the school was founded would have seen people inventively earning a living at times, and the Friday afternoon activities reflected this well.

Grade five and six students sold their period wares at the school fete as part of a wider small business project.

"They were selling preserves, and then things like manure bags, chooks, boiled lollies, just a massive display of goods for sale," she said.

"(The products) were made by the children. They had a limited budget to do it so then the profits went back to them."

The wider community got into the spirit on Saturday for '800's Journey', an opening of the archives that became an impromptu reunion for many former pupils.

Central to this organisational feat was former principal, teacher and student Bill Jones.

He is the school's archivist now and worked hard to get 150 years of history on show.

"I think it's important to celebrate the sesquicentenary of state education in Ararat, important to celebrate the heritage of the school which ties back to Ararat's heritage as a gold town," he said.

Mr Jones underlined the difficulty of getting the Common School set-up and then running properly in the first place.

Inaugural head teacher Reuben Welch overcame great obstacles, Mr Jones said.

"Accommodation was poor...political problems in town made it tough, Ararat was still going through its early stages of development," he said.

"It took a long time for the town, and the state to organise education."

For the many ex-pupils visiting on Saturday, the early struggle was worth it.

Ms Molan said it was an emotional return for some.

"There were tears shed, (it was) quite interesting to see people respond to being back here," she said.

"Despite the fact that their education was possibly quite difficult...there were lots and lots of funny stories, told with good humour. About getting the strap, getting the cane and whatever, but that's the way it was (up to recent decades)."

This 150th birthday will not be the last celebrated by the school.

The current Moore Street site dates from 1875, so the next batch of pupils face the prospect of another dramatic return of the cane to their 2025 classrooms for the joint 150th and 160th celebrations.