1970's

Fact Sheet - 1970's

Principal Mr. D. Mackintosh, B. A. Report 1970: Triton Magazine

• Guest speaker at Speech Night from "inside the school" for the first time, student Philip Prouten
• School secured services of an Administration Officer, full-time librarian and Guidance Officer
• New Commonwealth Library completed
• Plans for Assembly Hall at advanced stage
• Maximum enrolment for 1970 was 1350 (25% of students arriving from other places)
• Cadets – adventure training introduced/Adventure Awards earned
• Release of Radford Report – Within broad framework of syllabuses approved by proposed Board of Secondary School Studies, freedom for schools to choose detailed content, method of presentation and offer other courses; moderation system to monitor standards of assessment from school to school and student to student; progressive testing; phasing-out of external Junior and Senior Examinations
  

Principal's Mr D Mackintosh Report 1971: Triton Magazine

• Maximum enrolment 1473 – some accommodation problems – Southport Technical College administered  at SSHS – new building 1972
• Education Department approval plans and specifications Assembly Hall
• Cadets under Captain Torr – discipline whole school life – gain many advantages
• Social Activities & Drama – Geography Tour – Ayers Rock & S.A.; Musical 'Australiana' –production Mrs Rose also series 'one act plays'
• Sport – girls win inter-school Athletics and boys Rugby League competitions – 7 gained State representation. Senior girl's tennis A team victorious all competition matches – Miami High, Star of Sea Convent and Tweed High; Senior A team Hockey captained by Jan Ridgey and Coach Miss Foggon took out Premiership
• 2 School Captains, 2 Vice Captains and 35 Perfects
• Ladies Auxilary fund-raising events – "Bessemer" parties, Fashion Parade, Lamington Drive,   Patio Party Luncheon, Street Stall and Melbourne Cup Party
• VALE for Teacher Mr Turner, Manual Arts – sudden death 14^th October 1971
• Junior Bursaries –Trotting, Business Women's Assn and Quota Clubs – support for 4 students
• Anzac Service – School Captains – Remembrance Ceremony and laid wreath base flag-pole
• Radford Report emphasis School Resource Centre – build Library stock with help Commonwealth Government $5,000 grant – purchased new "Encyclopaedia Brittanica"
  

Highlights of 1972: Triton Magazine

• Senior students of 1972 last ones to sit external Senior Public Examination
• Construction of the SSHS Assembly Hall, costing $133,000 ($40,000 State Government, $10,000 GC City Council grant, fundraising efforts of P&C Committees and the School over seven years, and a $35,000 bank loan)
• Retirement of Senior Mistress Miss E. M. Cran, B.A. (SSS: 1935-transfer north, 1940's?; SSHS: 1948 -1972)
• P&C association with Spotlight Theatre Company
• First paid Providor of Tuck Shop appointed – Irene Hyde - volunteered 3 years prior
• Women's Auxiliary organized street stalls, fashion parade, Kraft Cheese demonstration and morning teas.
  

Highlights of 1973: Cover –Committee's Design

• Official Opening of Assembly Hall, 15^th June, 1973, by Mr. S. G. Tooth, Minister for Health. "1600 students joyously receive a holiday granted by the Minister".
• Assembly Hall hosted Revue '73, Exams, Dances, Socials, Physical Education and Drama.
• 17 day Geography Trip to Central Australia
  

Highlights of 1974: Cover – Committee's Design

Mr Macintosh (Principal 6 months/long service leave); Mr K Barnes (Acting Principal, 6 months)

• GC Secondary School's Drama Competition Success – SSHS entered more plays (6) than any other school, won 3 out of 4 sections, plus SSHS actors won many individual prizes
• As part of Grade 11 English Course, 12 plays were performed in the Hall during lunchtimes, to a total audience of about 3 500. Many Grade 8's and 9's saw every play performed.
• Program of film appreciation and film making introduced into the English course.
  

Highlights of 1975: Cover Committee's Design

• Enrolment exceeding 1380; 90 teachers
• Annual EXPO in the Assembly Hall, displaying students' work and activities, representing variety of subject areas
• Erection of a new Art Block
• Queensland Uni Summer Math School or "How to program a computer in a billion easy (?) lessons" – attended by six SSHS senior students-to-be.
  

Highlights of 1976: Cover – Committee's Design

• Introduction of new uniform for girls – princess style, blue cesarella fabric, monogram on pocket, easy care "wash and wear"; winter accessories in junior navy
• Introduction of Secretarial Practices Course to the senior school
• First-class library building has replaced the earlier single Library classroom
• An eight classroom block has been added to facilities
• Many fees previously paid to the school abolished – now Departmental grants for General Purposes, Manual Arts and Home Economics.
• Accelerated provision of audio-visual aids in recent years
• Weightlifting, as a competitive sport, introduced at SSHS
• "First ever (Aussie) Rules Carnival" and SSHS team dominated competition
  

Highlights of 1977: Cover – Committee's Design

• Improvement made in the school environment – decrease in enrolments enabling dispensing of most of temporary buildings; tuckshop extended; whole school repainted; oval improved
• First Special School Film Competition conducted by Qld Cine Society; film by SSHS past Grade 12 students - "Cry Rape", a warning on danger of hitchhiking -  gained first prize
• Once again this year, shield for Gold Coast Debating Competition hanging in SSHS library
• Annual Revue, produced by Mrs Wilkinson
• Establishment of a lunchtime student music station in tuckshop area; music, school news, rock news, bingo ad's, competitions, other announcements, included in broadcasts
  

Highlights of 1978: Cover – Committee's Design

• Retirement of Mr D. R. Mackintosh, 15/09/78, Principal SSHS for eleven years; Mr. N. G. Purcell, Acting Principal
• New Administration Block
  

Highlights of 1979: Cover – Committee's Design

• Principal, Mr R.W. Proctor, B. A., Dip. P. Ed., A. Ed., C. Ag. Sc., A.F.A.I.M., M.A.C.E.
• Introduction of a Student Council, opportunity for students' say in running of the school
• Extremely active Social Committee engaged in various fund-raising ventures (toward purchasing athletics equipment and subsidizing sporting teams, individuals and school amenities) : Organized six socials and the premier staging of Miss Southport High (22 entrants and "publicly noted figures as judges)
• Last demountable goes
• Students' participation and success in Australian Mathematics Association competition
• Student success in Q.A.T.I.S. "International Year of the Child" Literary Competition