John James Sheehan

Ballarat High School was honoured to host the book launch of Mark Sheehan’s "𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘐𝘕 𝘉𝘈𝘓𝘓𝘈𝘙𝘈𝘛, 𝘈  𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦  𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 (𝘑𝘑) 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘯" on Tuesday 17th April.

JJ Sheehan taught at BHS from 1947-1952 and returned to the school as Principal in 1972 - 1976, a building at the school is named in his honour.  The book, written by JJ Sheehan's son Mark, was officially launched by the The Hon. Steve Bracks AC in the historic Peacock Hall.

About the book:

"JJ Sheehan lived a life that touched on some of the great moments of 20th century Australia but always with Ballarat in his mind's eye. A gifted scholar and one of his generation's finest public speakers who commenced his legal career in the Depression but found his lifelong passion as a teacher. After service in the Pacific in WWII he returned to Ballarat and was elected MLA for Ballarat during the tumultuous Split of the Labor Party when he was appointed Housing Minister. He returned to teaching after politics with his final role as Principal of Ballarat High School and continued his ideals of service to the Ballarat community until his death in 1984. 

In his condolence motion to the Victorian Parliament, the Premier John Cain, who had known JJ Sheehan since boyhood, said: “This state, and Ballarat in particular, has lost an outstanding citizen and contributor to community life. Ballarat has lost a gifted son who did much for its youth.” 

The book is available for purchase from the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute.