About our school

“I was surprised and happy that there are the original red brick buildings and also the bell is still there!” – Sharon Coombe 1960-1965 “The school has changed a lot over the years. New building where netball courts were. No segregation of oy – girl zones. No monkey bars and swings on the asphalt, where I fell off the swing. For sport, we used to walk down the recreation oval. Assemblies were held where we marched in classes to classes. Rang the bell for assembly and sang, “God save the Queen.” – Leonie Clift (nee Sara) FUNDRAISING! - “Once a year, a ‘paper drive’ was held on a Saturday. Trucks would travel the district collecting newspapers for recycling. Great fun for the boys!” - Frank Thomas “In 1971, we had no canteen, so after you had sat under the verandah to eat lunch, you could line up at the gate to be escorted across the road to the deli, to buy chips, lollies, ice-cream, etc. The school prefects (2 each for Mawson, Heysen, Longmore, Spence and the head prefects) had this duty.” - Fiona Harris (nee Butler), Student 1965 - 71 “I remember playing softball for the school in year 7 and practising n the small triangle patch of lawn next to the Demonstration building, which was a transportable. It had a stage and we did some plays and we had our school social Year 7 in there. Also, I remember playing in the huge hedge that was fully around the outside of the school – it had lots of nooks and grannies hidden in it. Also, we used to have pie and pasty days as a fundraiser because we didn’t have a canteen then. I remember at Easter time, we got given a chocolate coated marshmallow rabbit head! I think it was on a Friday, but we used to march in our classes around the tennis court just outside the big red brick building. It got judged and best class would then march around again in front of the whole school. These were ‘happy’ memories.” – Sharon Burgess (nee Coombe) Student, 1960 – 67 “As senior students (maybe girls only), we would be asked to make tea/coffee for staff and wash the dishes after recess break – a very special task.” - Peta (Butler) As a teacher (1999 – 2008) I taught in many areas and can’t believe the changes to all my classrooms. I hope many past staff and students visit in October. Was great today meeting up with Rosie (one of the many great SSOs I worked with), and Luisa and students. Memories abound – times, activities, students. - Jane Medhurst “I remember the old wooden school desk with inkwells that we used. You kept your pens, books etc under the lift top of the desk. Also, the seat lifted up. I am so glad that the old red brick building is still here! I remember the sandpit was bigger than it is today and had a brick wall around it. During Summer, there were hessian bags hanging around the school from the trees that had water for students to drink – there were no fancy water bottles back then.” - Sharon Coombe 1960-1965 “Our year 7 class had 39 students. Our teacher, Jim Hurrell was considered very modern, because we sat in groups, not rows, and had art / craft projects and Science investigations. - Fiona Harris (nee Butler), Student 1965 - 71 “I remember Friday afternoon sport. I played softball and one memory is of riding our bikes along Grange Road to Hindmarsh Primary. I have a special memory of riding into the back of parked car, hurting my leg but still played. I have the scar on my knee. - Peta (Butler) “Every Friday we started the school day with each of the classes marching. We sang the Australian anthem. - Colleen Coombe (late 1950 s – early 60s) “The space of the school had changed dramatically. There were houses all along Coombe Road, a netball court where the current office / library is, a huge Morton Bay Fig tree instead of the GLA building and a Demonstration Room (small hall) where the Arts space is. The Open Space Unit was only opened in 1970, replacing a 2-classroom year 3 block. - Fiona Harris (nee Butler), Student 1965 - 71