School History 1935-1939
On the 25th of February 1935, the students of the post Grade 7 classes assembled in front of the old stone building in the eastern area of the Primary school grounds. There was 95 students to begin with but by the end of the first month the enrolments had grown to 101. The curriculum at the school offered fifteen subjects as well as Woodwork and Domestic Arts for First Years. The school had 5 staff members, the principal Mr. Gooden, three full time teachers and a part time Domestic Arts teacher. The small number of teachers meant that sometimes multi level classes were taught at the same time by the same teacher.
 The First Staff |
 The School in 1935 |
In 1936 the development of the new school site began with students planting sixty pine trees along the western boundary, some planting of shrubs and the beginning of the agricultural programme with the setting out of an orchard. On the 17th of December the new building was commenced. Mr. Coulthard objected when the plans were announced he said that a plain red-brick building was not good enough for this district and personally paid the extra £100 to have a sandstone facing. The new school cost more than £4,000.
On the 20th of February 1937 the State Governor, Sir Winston Dugan laid the foundation stone in front of a gathering of more than 2,000 people. The Parents and Friends Association was founded. On the 25th of September the school was officially opened. Two days before the opening students began to move into the new school. It was such an occasion that "The Advertiser" marked it with a double page spread and the South Australian Railways ran an extra rail car. The Minister of Education, the Honourable Shirley Jeffries performed the opening ceremony. The new building was too small and a portable classroom was added less than two months later. The school closed early this year due to the poliomyelitis epidemic.
 Sir Winston Dugan Laying the Foundation Stone |
 The Honourable Shirley Jeffries Opening the School |
At the beginning of 1938 there were teachers at the school but no students. The opening of the school was deferred twice and the school did not open until the 15th of March. During this time teachers gave out sets of fortnightly assignments so the students would not be at a disadvantage. At the end of the year, the schools first principal Mr. Gooden was transferred.
Mr. Gooden was replaced by Mr. Haese in 1939. World War II broke out with little immediate effect on the school. At the end of 1939 a student appeared in the P.E.B. Honours list; Sylvia Seidel came fourth in the state in the Leaving Honours Economics examination. Which was quite an achievement for a school which officially had no Leaving Honours course.
