PARENTS, CLUBS & COMMUNITY
PARENTS' & CITIZENS' CLUB AND MOTHERS' CLUB ACTIVITIES
1954-1994 - 2022
In the early years of the school, funds were raised at the annual school fair - usually by the Parents' & Citizens' Club and the Mothers' Club along with the ex-students. These funds were spent on improvements to the grounds and facilities. Parents also attended regular working bees in the grounds.
The Parents' & Citizens' Club was formed in July 1954 when fathers were invited to form an association. Mr. J. Breen was President from 1954 - 57. Working bees did a variety of jobs - gardening, painting, drainage, concreting, making noticeboards. The P&C worked with the Mothers' Club and Advisory Council at school fetes which were held annually to raise funds. Various stalls were run by students, ex-students and clubs.
The Mothers' Club was formed in April 1954 to raise funds to provide subsidized equipment for the school. Inaugural President was Mrs. W. Drechsler. The club also assisted at school sports meeting and functions as well as holding regular card evenings, making lunch for students (before the canteen was built).
Also in the 1960's, a co-operative was formed to sell bricks in order to build the assembly hall which was first used in late 1964/early 1965. The Mothers' Club raised considerable funds for the assembly hall fund and for the provision of school trophies - through luncheons, outings, coffee mornings, sale of school bags, staff at the fair, fashion parades. Mothers volunteered to staff the school canteen on a regular basis.
In April, 1960 the Mothers' Club held a retirement afternoon tea for Miss Briggs and presented her with a marcasite brooch in the form of a Scotch thistle. Attendance at meetings and outings increased considerably due to having interesting speakers.
Over the years, the Mothers' Club provided curtains for staff rooms, film equipment, library books, items for the new Assembly Hall and funds for books for a Malaysian school. A further 250 pounds was donated to the Assembly Hall Trust Fund.
The hall was finished in 1964 at a cost of 47,000 pounds. The Education Dept contributed 30,000 pounds, the remainder from a SSB loan to the McKinnon High School Co-operative Ltd. And from cash in hand.
In 1988, The Mothers' Club and P&C combined to become the Parents' Club but was discontinued in 1994.
In 2002-2003, bricks were sold to individuals and families to enable the building of the Alan Lawrence Theatre.
In 2022 bricks were again sold for the building of the new gymnasium at the Walnut St. end of the playing fields.
