Holloway at 75

By the middle of the 1960s, Sandringham Technical School was well-established with a healthy enrolment of students in the boys’ school and the girls’ school.  In 1965 the Education directed the school to become co-ed so that boys and girls had access to a wider variety of subjects and facilities.  Speaking of facilities, the school at this stage comprised of the original brick building, the brick workshops, the workshops in the back corner (built in 1952), and the girls’ school which was built in 1958-59.  One might call these facilities ‘sparse’ given the number of students that were onsite and clearly, new buildings were required.  Mr O. Bayliss, then Principal, saw a need for new buildings and in 1964 the School Council had early plans drawn up for an Assembly Hall.

Construction commenced in 1966 with the hall designed to facilitate as many multi-purpose activities as possible – so not just for assemblies but also for some sporting activities and performing arts.  Funding for the hall saw the school seek assistance from the Education Department with the Public Works Department overseeing the site works outside the building.  Alongside the financial assistance from the Education Department, the school also accepted donations from the local Council, parents, local industries and business connections.  Nearly one hundred thousand dollars was needed to fund the construction.

The students could also see the benefit of having a new hall, not just for raising the status of the school, but also for the more practical uses such as being able to hold assemblies out of the weather.  Said student Ivan Molloy of class 3A in the 1966 Yearbook, “…it will also be welcomed by many of the students, including myself, who have waited a long time to assemble in a hall, instead of being drenched and almost suffering from sun-stroke during the year’s assemblies.”  Ivan also mentioned the use of the hall for indoor sports, displays, lectures, watch films…do we get the feeling he was enthusiastic about the building soon to be completed?  Being a technical school, the students were fascinated by the construction process, as seen in the photo above of the early construction.  Dare I mention occupational health and safety?

Construction of the hall was completed in just under a year and was officially opened on the 16th of October 1967.  Students Ruth Baxter and Noelene Unwin detailed the opening ceremony in the 1967 school yearbook where they listed the many official guests and dignitaries including the Minister for Public Works, the Director of Technical Education, the President of the School Council Sir Robert Blackwood, and the Madam Mayor of Sandringham.  Performing at the ceremony was the school choir and a trumpet soloist.  The hall was declared open with the unveiling of a plaque.

If the school community has any other stories or photos to contribute or donate (especially Sandringham Technical School yearbooks), please do not hesitate to get in contact with Jeremy de Korte (Teacher-Librarian/School Archives).