School Archives : 1950

'OASIS' HEADMASTER'S MESSAGE

In this, my first message to you, I want to say two things. First, Griffith High School belongs to you. Its influence is with you now and will be with you throughout your life. Make the most of what it offers you. You can have knowledge if you will take it; you can develop courage and self confidence and tolerance of others; you can gain an appreciation of what is of lasting value in life, and what is worthless; indeed you can grow in this school environment into the finest character you are capable of being.

Secondly, just as truly as you belong to Griffith High School, your school is what you make it. Do all you can to make it what you would like it to be. Enter as fully as you can into all its activities. Work hard and play hard. Do not be a mere onlooker; be a leader if you have the gift of leadership; if not, you can be a loyal follower. Where you can serve your school, do so unstintingly. The more freely you bestow your gifts and your enthusiasm on your school, the more richly she will endow you.

If you do this, then it will be true of you as it is of her: "Postera Crescam Laude"

'OASIS' STUDENT EDITORIAL

Thoughout the world today, partly because of the food problem, there is unrest and turmoil with which we are vitally concerned. Millions of people face starvation and yet the world population continues increasing rapidly. One of the main reasons why the countries of Europe and Asia are dissatisfied is that we have an abundance of food while they are starving.

It is our duty as the future citizens of the world to alleviate their distress as much as we possibly can. We are educating ourselves now but we will be unable to enjoy the fruits of this education if the world is at war. Therefore we must show these nations that we are really interested in their welfare by exporting as much food as we can to them and by helping them to improve their agricultural methods. In other words we must teach them to keep apace with the world's progress; we must educate them as well as ourselves. Since the methods used in most of these countries are still those which sufficed a centuries ago, the obvious thing to do is to teach them how to farm scientifically and economically. Millions of tons of food are lost every year because the agricultural methods and systems in most parts of the world are out-dated. Leading economists advocate that students from backward countries, Asia in particular, should be allowed to come to Australia to study our methods so that they might learn to improve their own.

Besides teaching these backward countries how to increase their food production, we must strive to provide them with more food. One step in this direction would be to dam the river waters which now run to waste in the sea so that we could open up much of our inland areas. We must also face up to the task of developing the Northern Territory which could produce an amazing quantity of food if it was developed along the right lines. We must learn to prevent erosion and not impoverish the soil.

It is apparent from the recent turn in world affairs that if we do not immediately try to help the starving millions in Eastern Europe and South East Asia, they will rise up and overwhelm us. It is the responsibility of the democracies to lead these people along the road to prosperity and show them that we wish to be better friends with them. We cannot postpone this problem any longer, tomorrow will be too late!

GHS STAFF

Front Row (from left): Miss M. Welfare, Messrs K. Graham, R. Booth, H. Egger, K. J. Andrews, Miss E. Howie, Mr E. Smith, Mrs E. Powys, Mr B. Love
Second Row: Messrs W. H. White, H. Kirk, K. Wilson, Misses J. Breen, B. Gamble, M. McGregor, C. O'Donnell, Mrs J. Lockwood, Mr P. Shnukal, Mr V. A. Judd
Back Row: Messrs N. Pether, P. Steinmetz, R. Hill, E. Morgan, L. Fowler, F. Pentecost, W. Attenborough, W. Freame, K. Robertson
Absentees: Mr L. Chapman, Mr N. Glyde, Miss B. Smellie

STAFF DIRECTORY

Headmaster: Mr K. J. Andrews
Deputy Headmaster: Mr H. Egger
Girls' Supervisor: Miss E. Howie

Dept of Art and Manual Training: Mr W. Attenborough, Mr E. Morgan, Miss C. O'Donnell

Dept of Classics: Miss E. Howie, Mr P. Shnukal

Dept of Commercial Subjects: Mr R. Booth, Mr H. Egger, Mr H. Kirk, Mr N. Pether, Mrs E. Powys, Mr P. Shnukal

Dept of English and History: Mr E. Smith (Master), Miss J. Breen, Mr V. Judd, Mrs J. Lockwood, Miss C. O'Donnell, Mr C. Robertson, Mr W. Wilde

Dept of Home Science: Miss B. Gamble, Miss M. McGregor, Miss W. Smellie

Dept of Mathematics: Mr L. Chapman (Master), Miss E. Howie, Mrs J. Lockwood, Mr F. Pentecost, Mr C. Steinmetz, Mr K. Wilson

Dept of Modern Languages: Mr W. Freame

Dept of Music: Miss J. Breen

Dept of Physical Training: Mr B. Love (Sportsmaster), Miss M. Welfare (Sportsmistress)

Dept of Science and Agriculture: Mr L. Fowler, Mr N. Glyde, Miss M. McGregor, Mr F. Pentecost, Mrs E. Powys

Careers Advisers: Mrs Lockwood, Mr W. Wilde

Librarian: Mr A. Judd

SCHOOL CAPTAINS

John Hawthorne and Marion Mannigel

SCHOOL PREFECTS

Front Row (from left): E. Tully, H. Gardiner (VC), M. Mannigel (C), Mr Andrews, Miss Howie, J. Hawthorne (C), L. Cashmere (VC), B. Edwards
Second Row: H. Martin, W. Bested, J. Mannigel, T. Cole, J. Polkinghorne, R. Martin
Back Row: I. Couchman, N. Gatto, F. Johnson, R. Parker, J. Fletcher, B. Braby

DREAMS
By Esma O'Callaghan (Yr 2B)

I love to dream by crystal streams,
In the early months of Spring,
To watch, as light on ripples gleams;
To hear the blue-birds sing.

It's then I'm told as years grow old,
And people come and go,
That pirates bold in cloaks of gold
Bring treasures. Westward Ho!

I dream of kings with pearls and things,
And pretty maids all in a row,
Of fairy queens with golden wings,
In gowns that sparkle and glow.

My dreams do turn to hearts that yearn,
For freedom, food and right,
Whose bodies burn as it comes their turn,
To toil all through the night.