1950's & 1960's

Fact Sheet - 1950's & 1960's

• 1955 Mentioned in 1957 Principal's Report -1^st Annual Athletics Sports Day held September-Owen Park-Flinders House won

Principal's Report 1955 – The Magazine

• 1956 Strong traditions and school spirit – students and parents strengthening
  
• Introduction of Commercial, Home Economics and Industrial courses into the formal and academic recognition
• Allotted an establishment of a Cadet Unit of 29 under Captain H.C. Jensen – Paraded regularly each week
• Establishment of many hobby clubs –Camera, Art, and Judo
• Constitutional process for formation of P & C & Ladies Auxiliary

Principal's Report 1956 – The Magazine

• 1957 Religious teaching and devotions conducted first lesson of each school week
• Formation Drum and Bugle Band
• Official Opening S.S.H.S on Smith Street campus – 19.10.57 by Minister for Education, Hon. J.C.A. Pizzey B.A. Dip.Ed.
• P & C held Springtime Fete
• Oslo Lunches – prepared by Ladies Auxiliary 2 days weekly

Principal's Report 1957 – The Magazine

• 1958 John Patterson – Head Prefect and Dux of school, 1st place Qld Senior Public Examination. Won Open Scholarship to UQ opted to study Science at University of Adelaide. In 1956 passed Junior with 8As
• Addition of more lawns and gardens and basket-ball courts
• Visit by Governor of Qld His Excellency Sir Henry Abel Smith and appropriate formalities were observed by students and staff. Governor accorded full Vice-Regal honours by School Cadet Unit
•  New two-storied structure built providing 3 general class rooms, fully equipped physics laboratory together with recreation room, locker room, showers etc. for girls
•  Major alterations also made to Main block to provide for similar additions for the boys
• 2 Tennis Courts built with Government subsidy and P & C support.
• Fence erected to enclose whole school grounds
• Sport - PE given prominent place in school activities
• The inception of the P & C & Ladies Auxiliary whose untiring efforts raised money for school improvements from Street Stalls, Jumble Stalls and Springtime Fete
• Founding of Past Students' Register –A listing of past students and their occupations
  

Principal's Report 1958 – The Magazine

• 1959 School elevated to "Grade 2" state high school Status, hence appointment Deputy Principal Mr E.Haughton and Office Staff
• Proposal 5 year plan for Secondary Course (commencing at 13 years, 3 year Junior Course, further 2 year course to Matriculation)
• Cohort of 1955 foundation students now presenting for Senior examinations
• Full sport's programme, only possible by using, each week, grounds and facilities throughout town area
• Matches in cricket and football against The Southport School; series of football against Marist Brothers College, Ashgrove
• Combined State Secondary Schools' Sports Carnival – Brisbane - Bruce King won Open High Jump followed by Qld Schoolboys' Open Championship with a jump of 6ft
  
• Cadets involved in jungle warfare and 4-day bivouac at Greenbank
  

Principal's Report 1959 – The Magazine

• 1960 Building programme continued with new wing, a basement and 2 floors, comprising 9 classrooms, together with staff rooms, cadet armoury and tuck shop
•  Major alterations provided for Physics demonstration room adjacent to Physics laboratory together with health rooms and improvements to administration
• Increasing student numbers - Introduction 4^th Sport House - Cook, Flinders, Phillip and now Oxley
• Sports oval under construction to be completed start school year 1961
• Cadet Corps high proficiency - Rifle Teams inter-school competition for Earl Roberts Shield-difficult test of marksmanship – 6^th among 22 schools
•  Twelve prefects (six boys and six girls) installed in office beginning of the year
• Ladies Auxiliary perform the daily conduct of the School Tuckshop with a roster of some 60 ladies
  
• 5^th Annual Oratory Contest –under direction of teacher Mr F. Underwood made special mention of winner Judith Auld who competed past 4 years and won section twice. Adele Auld won the Junior section and Fred Hilmer the Senior
• Cadet Band under guidance Peter Panitz performed on Anzac Day and Spring Festival
• Additional Activity Clubs - Magazine Committee –Editor Heather Banks, The Coaster Newspaper – Editor Kenneth Lister, Debating, Science Discussion, Crusader Group (Bible study) School Orchestra, Girls' Choir, Gymnastics Club, Boys Boxing, Library Committee and French Play Reading Group

Principal's Report 1961/2 – The Magazine

• 1961 Rapid enrolment –733 - increase of 42% - 46 staff
• Steele Rudd Memorial (best essay in Senior) prize winner Dec 1961 Merryl Radcliff who obtained 7As and 1B in the Senior examination
• 1962 Extension of Trade Apprenticeship programme - Trade Theory and Trade Drawing for 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th year Carpentry apprentices
•  Evening classes in Commercial and Home Science subjects
• 16 students sat for Senior Public Examination and 147 for Junior
• 4 parallel courses with common core studies – language and literature, mathematics, science and social studies. Art introduced into the curriculum; substituted for Geography in Home Science and alternative to French in the Commercial Course; Economics an alternative to Physics
• Formation Corroboree Club –name derived from Ian Mudie's "Corroboree to the Sun"  
• Formation Reading Club with express purpose to improve reading efficiency
• Visit by Mr Pizzey, the Minister for Education and Minister in charge of Police
• Anzac Ceremony with wing-Commander L.L. Johnston, D.S.O., R.A.F. (Ret'd) as guest speaker
• Cadets marched at Civic Anzac Ceremony in Southport
• September - Inspectors visit
• Drama Club presented its first full-length production "Pygmalion"
• Radio Club was formed under guidance of Mr Hinrichsen – keen interest during lunch hour
• Fencing Club established under guidance of PE instructor Mr Parton and assistance from Mr Sichel
• Expanding Sports programmes –boys football and cricket plus girls and boys basketball, tennis, athletics, softball, volley Ball and girls hockey

Principal's Report - The Magazine

• 1963 Enrolments 772 - slight decrease from 1962 of 842 caused by new Miami State High enrolment of all sub-juniors in the Surfers Paradise-Coolangatta area. However, another new block planned for record increase of approximately 300 Grade 8 students in the New Year
•  New Manual Arts block built providing spacious work rooms and machine room
  
• Junior Scholarship Scheme–parental financial support to encourage students to stay at school beyond Junior
• Inclusion Junior Agriculture Course containing core subjects English, Mathematics and Science to entrance requirements to Gatton College and lead to matriculation in agriculture at University. The programme offered to all 8^th Grade pupils
• Promotion Miss Cran, B.A. to new position of Principal Mistress
• Commencement Chess Club – approximately 24 enthusiasts

Principal's Report - Triton

• 1964 Building of Science block – installation television, regular telecasting secondary programmes - new era  classroom practice
• Total enrolment 1008 -270 Grade 8 pupils – no more preparation for the old Scholarship Public Examination
• Group Activities given definite place in time-table. Very high standards in Annual Oratory Competition -Both Magazine Committee and Coaster Newspaper met regularly throughout the year
• P & C & Ladies Auxiliary – Tuckshop support major contributions – televisions, six tennis courts, tape recorder, record player, slide projector, electric duplicator and 30 garden seats
• Debutante Ball achieved aim in proving a great social success plus small profit
• 1964 Jan Taylor, Miss Australia 1963-64 visits the school – Del Durden (Head Prefect) presented bouquet of flowers and prefect's badge making her an honorary prefect
• Job Information Display arranged by Commonwealth Employment Service, sponsored by Rotary
• 4 basketball courts facing Brooke Avenue are a welcome addition to sport facilities
• Keith Grainger Senior student 1957 was awarded Commonwealth Scholarship in Medicine at University of Qld. Keith accepted naval scholarship in Bachelor of Surgery - Melbourne Surgeon-Lieutenant in the R.A.N. Keith is first old boy to graduate in medicine
• Cadets – Numinbah Valley Bivouac – annual camps Canungra and Greenbank continue
• Guidance Officers visit – conducted tests – ascertain students' ability - advice as to the best career or to continue further studies
  
• First game Australian Rules football with Miami High
• Recognising Qld representative 17 years old Trevor Brimslow has represented his State 4 times in Rugby League from 1959 to 1962 when he toured NSW with Qld State Secondary School Open team
• Periods for sport and growing activity clubs – typing, needlework, Scottish dancing, mechanics, photography, woodwork, stamp collecting and correspondence, weight lifting and body building, model building and archery
  

D Principal's Message to Students, Message to Girls from Principal Mistress & President P&C Association - Triton

• 1965 Sport Houses – Cook (Yellow) Flinders (Lilac and Green) Oxley (brown) Phillip (red and white)
• Ever growing Activities and Clubs – Music Appreciation, Black and White Drawing, Handiwork (sewing & knitting) Cake Icing and Contract Bridge (mostly seniors, few juniors)
• Introduction Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme – persons between 15 - 21 – Gold, Silver and Bronze - 4 sections – Public Service, Exploration, Hobbies and Physical Fitness
•  Australia/U.S.A Foreign Exchange Students - under the Rotary Scheme – SSHS Kay Donnan and Susie Bear from Sharon in Pennsylvania
•  P & C projects - completion re-conditioning 6 Tennis Courts and Cricket Practice Wickets

Principal's Report - Triton

• 1966 The School Motto "RESPICE FINEM' "Look to the end" – i.e. Have a goal, a purpose to which you should strive, and work hard to achieve it. (There should be no unplanned aimlessness) printed Triton Magazine
•  Messages from head Prefects Genny Pearce and Barry Farrell (School Captain)
• Construction Senior Science Block
• P & C & Ladies Auxiliary/voluntary mums provide successful Tuckshop - biggest and costliest project  completion second oval plus re-grassing first oval and basketball courts top-dressed
• Full Assembly Owen Park – Farewell Governor General Sir Henry and Lady May Abel Smith
  

Thoughts and Recollections Principal Mr. L.W. Lewis, B.A., M.A.C.E & Tributes from ex D.P. and now Principal Warwick State High  Mr. R.C. Hamilton, Principal  Mistress E.M Cran & the Magazine  Committee

• 1967 Principal Mr. L. W Lewis retires
• Welcome D.P. Mr R. Walker B Ed - Farewell D.P. Mr. J.R. Henry B.A., A. Ed 
• Roderick Miller Dux 1965 -5^th State Mathematics competition – 1966 won Bursary in Qld Science contest 1966 Senior Public Examination gained 5 As and 1B awarded Open Scholarship and placed 11^th in State won B.H.P. medal presented to candidate in Senior examination who secures 1^st place in State in subjects Mathematics 1, Mathematics 11, Chemistry and Physics. Presently undertaking Engineering degree at UQ

Principal's Report–Welcome new Principal Mr. D Mackintosh , B.A.–Triton(Coaster Magazine–publication ceased)

• 1968 Enrolments still growing 1177 – nearly 400 Grade 8s However only 80 enrolments in Sub-Senior (only 1 in 5 students gets to University)
• To support students who struggle with more academic Junior subjects will provide in Grade 9 (1969) courses alternative to Junior course including English Expression, General Mathematics, Social Studies and General Science
• Admirable School Spirit seen in student body as a whole
• Ladies Auxiliary successful Fashion Parade - help from sub-senior girls – propose annual event
• P & C proposal to build Assembly Hall
  
• Careers display by Rotary and Department of Labour and Industry
• Triton pays tribute to achievements of John Patterson 10 years on –Graduated BSc Honours from Adelaide University – won Research Scholarship to Australian National University in Canberra. Conducted research in field nuclear physics and gained PhD in Science - Post-graduate research nuclear physics in California Returned Australia to take up lectureship Department of Physics at Adelaide University. Caught up with old classmate Dr Tom Levy Registrar Surgical Clinic University of Munich also returning home to join father Dr R Levy in his Southport practice
• Formation Instrumental Group – piano, violin, melodicas, clarinet, guitars and tambourine -supervised by music teacher Mrs Rose
• Lifesaving Certificate – basic techniques – before school for girls at Olympic Swimming Pool

Principal's Report – Triton

• 1969 4 new class rooms erected and tenders called for new Commonwealth Library to be in operation 1970 in conjunction with Commonwealth grant for library books
• Maximum enrolments 1270 – next year expected to reach 1400 – new students arriving from other States and other parts of Qld
• Staff numbers now 54