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I ask every parent and every pupil to work to make our system second to none. I ask all parent to take an active interest in the school and to do everything in their power to enable their children to complete the five years' course. I ask all pupil to do everything in their power to enjoy the advantages of the Fourth and Fifth years. They will not regret it.
In the very early days of the Port Jackson colony, schools were unknown, and educational facilities were non-existent. The first school was built in 1793 by the Rev. Richard Johnson, Chaplain of the Colony, who carried on the education of the settlers’ children under very primitive conditions.
When Governor King arrived in 1800, he became interested in improving and developing education, and providing better amenities. For the first time in the history of the colony, a tax (usually amounting to a few pence per acre) was imposed on the land in the Hawkesbury district to pay for the education of its youth. This venture was greatly assisted by the Rev. Samuel Marsden. Although many schools were by this time in existence, the New South Wales Government found - when it made a survey - that less than 13,000 of the 25,000 children in the colony were receiving any education at all.
In 1848, several important schools in the Sydney district came under the control of the National School Board, while a Denominational School Board was appointed te control church schools. With the advent of Henry Parkes, many difficulties were overcome. He was responsible for the Public Schools Bill and the Public Instruction Act, which inaugurated the system of education control as we know it to-day.
In the 20th century, the curricula of schools have been constantly widening. The realisation of the fact that we were placing too much emphasis in our schools upon the academic side led to a revolution - in which such things as sport, dramatic work, art and manual work became more important. Now we are concerned with the development of a competent individual, capable of meeing the social difficulties of life as well as the intellectual.
What does the future hold for us? We hope that we, the pupils, will soon be able to control many of these activities ourselves; that we will decide what is to be made in handwork; that we will be able to direct the production of our own plays; that a greater part of every day will be given to the study of those things in which we are particularly interested. In this regard, we read with great interest the report, recently published, of a suggestion that about one-third of the day should be set aside for such studies.
Front Row (from left): Mr E. Smith, Miss B. Bowen, Mr L. Chapman, Mr H. Egger, Mr D. Blakemore, Miss E. Howie, Mr B. Gardiner, Mr A. Bull
Second Row: Mr F. Taylor, Mrs M. Edwards, Miss W. Smellie, Miss M. Neville, Mrs E. Powys, Miss D. Durie, Miss P. McGrath, Miss L. Ferguson, Mrs J. Lockwood, Mr K. Wilson
Back Row: Messrs P. Shnukal, L. Fowler, J. Graham, C. Robertson, T. Phillpott, W. Wilde, B. Booth
Dept of English and History: Mr E. Smith, Miss D. Durie, Mrs J. Lockwood, Miss P. McGrath, Miss P. Meaker, Mr C. Robertson, Mr W. Wilde
Dept of Classics: Miss E. Howie
Dept of Modern Languages: Mr D. Blakemore, Miss L. Ferguson
Dept of Mathematics: Mr L. Chapman, Mr A. Bull, Mr L. Fowler, Miss E. Howie, Mrs J. Lockwood, Mr K. Wilson
Dept of Science: Mr B. Gardiner, Mr W. Booth, Miss D. Durie, Mrs M. Edwards, Mr L. Fowler, Miss W. Smellie, Mrs E. Powys
Dept of Commercial Subjects: Mr H. Egger, Miss D. Durie, Miss P. McGrath, Mrs E. Powys, Mr P. Shnukal, Mr F. Taylor
Dept of Home Science: Mrs M. Edwards, Miss M. Neville, Miss W. Smellie
Dept of Music: Miss L. Ferguson, Miss P. McGrath
Dept of Art and Manual Training: Mr C. Carter, Mr J. Graham, Mr T. Phillpott
Dept of Physical Training: Miss B. Bowen
Librarian: Miss P. McGrath
Sports Mistress: Miss B. Bowen
Sports Master: Mr A. Bull
Careers Advisers: Mr W. Wilde, Miss P. Meaker
Front Row (from left): H. Condon, Mr L. Chapman, D. McManus, B. Mills (C), Mr D. Blakemore, D. Mannigel (C), R. Bull, Miss E. Howie, D. Hosking
Back Row: . Read, M. Robinson, H. Lale, E. Plos, W. Twaddell, R. Potts, W. McManus, P. Bosanquet, P. Katsoolis, D. Simpson, M. Gamble, C. Lale, R. Goldberg
THE STORM
By B. Carnell (Yr 2A)
A great hot stillness holds the air.
There is no movement anywhere;
Parched earth looks up imploring rain,
Then droops, moans deep, "In vain! In vain!"
A rush of wind like an organ grand,
Shatters the silence that broods o'er the land.
Dust swirls, birds screech, trees bend and sway,
Clouds gather and darken the light of day.
A flash of lightning, a peal of thunder,
Rain teems to moisten the parched land under:
A grateful earth sighs sweet content,
For joyous blessings heaven sent.
