Penrith High Towers-Alumni

The Alumni made an overwhelming return to PHS on 2 July. It was such an enlightening evening for years 11 and 12 and the advice given to them by the Alumni was very much appreciated. As well, the Alumni really seemed to enjoy sharing their experiences and are looking forward to the next Alumni event.

Additional photos of the night are showcased later in the newsletter.

Those present on the night were {1st row l-r} Bob Grace (left in '66), Paul Hansen (class of '68), Matt McCarron (class of '98), Peter Mannering ( class of '64), Kyle Sawyer (class of '99), Mirachael Racela (class of 2014), Harold Dulay (class of 2008), {2nd row l-r} Melinda Giles (class of 2006), Nikky Van Der Meer (class of '98), { 3rd row l-r} Jude Holroyd (class of 2005), Tyrone Peters (class of 2005), Holly Evans (class of 2008), {top row l-r} Dr. Dinesh Selvakumar (class of 2005), Jolien Deller (class of '82) and Dr Jurriaan Beek (class of '59).

A warm welcome to our second edition of the Towers Alumni Newsletter.

The first edition, last term, was a wonderful insight into the school’s rich history as both a comprehensive and selective high school. Your emails to say thank you, to share your stories about where you and your classmates are and even a lovely phone call about the upcoming reunion for the class of 1958 which has resulted in the group coming to visit us for a morning tea in October this year, have all been much more than we could have hoped for. We know from the statistics on facebook and the newsletter platform that over 2500 people read the first edition.

In the last week it was a pleasure to welcome back a number of former students for our first Alumni Night. We asked for former students who had left the school at least 3 years ago to join us in the hall along with many of our Year 11 and 12 students to share their insights about study, work and life beyond school. On behalf of the students, their parents and the staff, thank you to everyone for making such a big effort to give back. It was great to see and hear so many stories, tips and insights shared that night.

We used the mailing list to directly contact Alumni for the evening. Please sign up using the link in this newsletter so we can contact you when special events are on as well as directly sending you the Towers Alumni Newsletter at the end of each school term.

Many thanks again for your support of the school and now that we know about the reunion for the class of 1958, we’d love to help share upcoming events for any year groups and even include some photos from your events. Please feel free to email them directly to the school.

Warm regards,

Mark Long

Principal

Our students recently welcomed the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, and Education Minister, Rob Stokes, as they continued on their visit to Penrith Public School.

On 5 July PSHS had its 2018/19 Prefect Induction Ceremony where we not only said goodbye to the outgoing Captains and Prefects but introduced the new student leadership team. The new Captains are Soham Desai and Aryenish Kavarana, the Vice Captains are Jem Herbert-Rice and Amber Vella and the Senior Prefects are Abraham Song and Zamanda Song along with a very strong prefect body. A huge thank you to Adam Evans, Grace Faulder, Peter Nichols, Sujin Kim and the 2017/18 prefects for such an excellent job they have done throughout the past year and Good Luck in the upcoming HSC examination.

Recently many of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award winners returned for the unveiling of the new Honour Board for the Gold Award winners at a special assembly to commemorate the day.

Congratulations and Thank You for making this event so memorable!

As part of the Western Sydney University Solar Car Challenges the team will be competing in the US version known as the American Solar Challenge which will see them travel 2700km across the centre of the country.

Previously the team had participated in the World Solar Challenge in October 2017. This challenge focussed on ultimate speed and efficiency whereas the ASC is more about testing the capabilities of the cars in a variety of real world driving conditions. The American Solar Challenge will include overnight stops and a mix of city and highway driving. The WSU team, consisting of Saamiul Bashar(an ex-student of Penrith Selective High) as well as Jon Marsden, Mario Trape and Max Mammone is expected to be a top contender having competed at biennial World Solar Car Challenges in 2013, 2015 and 2017. We wish them well.

PETER J MANNERING

Graduation Year: 1964 Leaving Certificate

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Just enjoyed school and had great teachers

Degree/s and University/ies:

UNSW

Penrith TAFE

Western Sydney University

Brief Work History

1964 – 1975 Land Surveying

1975 – 2014 Accounting and own practice

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

• Plan where you want to be in five years. Then plan what you need to achieve this year to reach that goal. Then reduce this to next month and then next week.

• Then at the end of the five years, plan the next five years using the same method.

• Then each five years ahead for the next eight plans so that you reach retirement you will be able to relax and enjoy the following thirty years.

PAUL HANSEN

Graduation Year: 1968

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

• Opportunities for personal growth in many fields including leadership, social and sporting and a wide variety of educational opportunities.

• Participated in a wide range of activities - debating, public speaking, Prefect, School Captain with Prue Charlton, House Captain, many sports, all contributing to an enjoyable tertiary education across a variety of disciplines.

• Meeting my life long partner and now wife of some 44 years.

Degree/s and University/ies:

BE Civil USyd 1974

MEng Science (Geotechnical) UNSW 1984

MA (Complexity – Chaos and Creativity) UWS 2002

Brief Work History:

Civil & Geotechnical Engineer 1974-1984

Materials & Transportation (Crash barriers) Engineer 1984 – present

Managing Director & CEO 1993 – present

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

• Seize every opportunity

• Always be truthful and true to yourself

• Respect other people’s opinions for you only know in part (incomplete knowledge) and the other person may well know more than you think

• Love life and always wear a smile – even on bad days there are many worse off than yourself

• Detail your calculations and always keep a diary

• Be prepared to defend your actions in a court

• Dress well, speak well, spell accurately

• Keep your knowledge current, express your arguments coherently and above all listen carefully then speak concisely

• Treat everyone – and I mean everyone – with respect

• Competition does not – repeat not – exclude collaboration! Teamwork often achieves the best and most efficient outcomes.

• Always seek to inspire others with your actions and your words, to raise their spirits, open their horizons and just to make their day better for having met you.

KRISTIAN WREN

Graduation Year: 2000

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

I simply remember 6 years of stimulating learning, under the tutelage of supportive teachers and alongside fellow students who challenged me to do as the Altiora Peto motto says and strive for the highest.

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Construction Management, UWS/WSU

Brief Work History:

Retail Department Manager, Koorong Books, 2008-present

Sales Estimator, Onesteel Reinforcing, 2007

Various volunteer responsibilities at my local church (music director, youth worker)

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

Be prepared to experience every conceivable emotion, every up and down moment, in your life after school. There'll be joy, happiness and many times where you feel a sense of achievement and success. But there will also be times of sorrow and disappointment, and you might find yourself somewhere other than where you wanted to be and ask yourself what could have been. Whatever the emotion, don't keep it to yourself...especially if you're in a down moment. Friends and family are key in ensuring that those moments don't get the better of you.

KERRY WILSON

I left Penrith HS a few years before 2014.

I can say that I have very fond memories of my years at PHS, my teachers, friends, and the preparation that this experience presented in setting me on my life's journey.

After leaving PHS I completed studies in accounting, and have a career as an internal auditor and internal audit manager - and am extensively employed in education at UWS, the NSW Dept Education and now with Catholic Education in the Diocese of Parramatta.

MATTHEW MCCARRON

Graduation Year: 1998

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Making great (and lifelong) friends whilst being challenged in a very supportive environment. I was also School Captain in 1998.

Degree/s and University/ies:

• Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Organisational Behaviour), University of New South Wales

• Masters of Business Administration, Australian Graduate School of Management, University of New South Wales

• Graduate Diploma (CAANZ), Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

Brief Work History:

Upon leaving Penrith High School, I commenced a cadetship with KPMG, the global professional services firm and worked across a variety of roles in Australia and the United Kingdom. I was admitted as a partner of the firm in June 2012.

In April 2017, I left KPMG to take a role as Chief Financial Officer of the Lewis Land Group, one of Australia’s largest privately-owned property groups.

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

I’ll offer two pieces of advice:

1. I am a strong believer in the power of networks to provide both opportunities and a source of advice. Capturing and nurturing networks at an early stage of your career, provides strong support as well as skills that will be invaluable regardless of where your career takes you

2. The era of the linear career is over! Businesses are increasing looking for people with varied experiences and who have demonstrated a willingness to experiment. Be prepared to roll with the punches and be open to moving in new directions in order to grow.

MIRACHAEL RACELA

Graduation Year: 2014

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Variety Night 2012-2013

Degree/s and University/ies:

• University of NSW

• Bachelor of Science(Chemistry Major)/Bachelor of Education(Secondary)-due for completion at end of 2018

Brief Work History:

Education related – none

Placement RHHS (4weeks) teaching Science

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

Sometimes life will bring you to a crossroad, you will need to make a pivotal decision. Do you go forward, left, right, or make your way back the way you came?! Maybe you’ll find yourself stuck with no guidance as to where you want to go. In these cases, do the unexpected – move forward. If you want something, go for it. If you don’t know yet, that’s okay. You still have another 60-70 years to get somewhere.

HAROLD DULAY (Wilson Harold Quintans Dulay)

Graduation Year: 2008

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

There were many highlights when I attended Penrith HS. They include the following:

1. I was a Leader of the Environment Committee

2. I was part of the Stream Watch Group

3. Participating in various Amnesty events

4. Participating in various Environmental Initiatives and Activities

Degree/s and University/ies:

1. Macquarie University – U@MQ Partners Scholarship – Environment

2. Institute of Management – Diploma in Project Management

3. USQ (Bachelor of Laws) – Part-time

4. UTAS Bachelor of Arts and Science (Honours) – Undertaking Honours Thesis Currently

Brief Work History:

• Replenishment Team Manager – Woolworths Ltd

• Policy and Council Support/Governance Officer – Penrith City Council

• Team Leader – ICT Systems – Penrith City Council

• Team Leader – Business Solutions Delivery – Penrith City Council

• ICT Solutions Architect and Project Manager – Penrith City Council

• Senior Business Analyst – Western Sydney University

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

• Explore various career options (don’t lock yourself into a pre-planned pathway) as you may find a career path that might interest you which you never previously considered.

• Think about the fact that many jobs now will not exist in the future. Consider the jobs for the future and position yourself both in academia and industry to take advantage of the jobs of tomorrow (or to be enterprising and create these new jobs).

TYRONE PETERS

Graduation Year: 2005

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

• Making lifelong friends

• Being part of the highest achieving alumni cohort in terms of HSC results even though focus was on winning the lunchtime basketball / cricket games

• Who could also forget the awesome discos J

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney

Brief Work history:
Associate Director – Macquarie Group

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

Be open to learning and view every experience as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

MELINDA GILES

Graduation Year: 2006

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Too many great memories to choose from. Penrith High was a wonderful school, providing us students with the opportunity and support to grow, find our strengths and succeed.

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws at Macquarie University

Brief Work History:

Process Analyst – Tyco Fire and Security

Research Ethics Support Officer – Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network

Research Ethics Officer – Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

• Have courage to pursue the career you believe in and want to dedicate your time to.

• Don’t worry if you don’t have all your future plans figured out. Sometimes it takes life experience and trying different job roles / organisations to identify your career goals and what you value in life.

NIKKY VAN DER MEER (nee Bailey)

Graduation Year: 1998

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

The culture of the school when I went through was great – learning and achievement was something to be proud of.

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Business (UTS)

Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting (Institute of Chartered Accountants)

Brief Work history:

2015- Current - Chief Financial Officer (Parramatta Leagues Club & Parramatta Eels)

2006 – 2015 – Financial Accountant (Penrith Rugby Leagues Club)

1999 – 2006 – KPMG

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

I’ve had a very clear career path from leaving school, obtaining a cadetship with an accounting firm, obtaining my qualifications and working my way up the ranks. This is what worked for me.

Not everyone takes this path and my way is not the only way to get there. You may change your mind along the way (sometimes multiple times) or do something else for a while. Doing something that makes you happy is all that matters.

JOLIEN DELLER (nee Op ‘t Land)

Graduation Year: 1982

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Being voted in as Prefect, representing PHS at the Zone Cross Country, being editor of “The Towers” in 1981 and receiving the award for the Highest Scaled Candidate in the HSC 1982

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Education (Secondary) S.I.E. Sydney University

Brief Work History:

1. Secondary Teacher NSW Department of Education

2.Teacher Maximum Security Parklea Prison

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

Do what you love rather than what you got the marks for! I achieved the HSC results to get into dentistry and law but always wanted to be a teacher and I still love teaching to this day!

I also wanted to mention that I admin. the PHS reunion page/facebook group in case students eventually wanted to add their info/join etc

The link is https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=penrith%20high%20school%20reunion%20group

HOLLY EVANS

Graduation Year: 2008

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Learning to think critically and creatively, wonderful supportive teachers and development of lifelong friendships

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Arts – Psychology with first class honours from Macquarie University Currently enrolled in a PhD in the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales

Brief Work History:

• Current: Research Officer with the Behavioural Sciences Unit of the Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital
• Former: Research Assistant at the Brain and Mind Research Centre, Sydney
• Former: Research Assistant in the School of Psychology, Macquarie University

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

Don’t give up when there are bumps in the road to your planned career. There are always alternative ways to get to where you want to go, don’t just take ‘no’ for an answer!

JUDE HOLROYD

Graduation Year: 2005

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

My 6 years at Penrith High were some of the best years of my life. The friends that I made are still my best friends today. The teachers who supported us are still greatly loved and respected. If I could go back and do it all again I would! My highlight would have to be being elected School Captain and represented a peer group that I was very honoured and proud to be apart of.

Degree/s and University/ies:

Bachelor of Physiotherapy University of Newcastle

Brief Work History:

• Graduate Physiotherapist at Nepean Physiotherapy Centre 2010-2013

• Sole Trader Waringah Medical Centre 2013-2014

• Director and Part Owner of The Healthy Body Company Jordan Springs 2015-2018

• Australian, NSW and Regional Touch Football Physiotherapist 2011-2018

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

• Find out who you are, what are your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest about them, don’t try and fit a square peg into a circle.

• Set goals and targets, dream big!

• Make a plan as to how you will achieve those goals and targets, try and stick to that plan.

• People are important

• Make connections and keep in touch with friends.

• Branch with different social groups, this will allow you to learn about different people, different journeys and different perspectives.

• If you only surround yourself with likeminded people you will be closed off to the world. Try and socialise with someone that you normally wouldn’t. Everyone has something interesting to offer.

• Listen. When you meet someone spend more time listening then talking!

• People are important money isn’t.
  

DIANA VAN DER ZANDE ( nee Stewart )

Graduation Year: 1959 …...no, that’s not a typo!

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

Preferred Sports to Academics! On school teams for Vigoro, Softball, Hockey and Cricket, House Captain ( Lawson ) Prefect, School Captain 1959 ( with Brian Lewis )

Degree/s and University/ies:

Registered Nurse (Bowral and District Hospital, NSW)

Registered Midwife ( Royal Hospital for Women,Paddington, NSW)

Brief Work History:

Nursed in NSW, England and Canada.

Now Retired.

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

Always remember the meaning of Altiora Peto --- so be proud, be patient and be persistent and you will achieve your goals….worked for me!

Graduation Year: 1959

Highlight of your time at Penrith:

A lifelong interest in Mathematics and all matters Science, due to Mr Fairburn who taught me Mathematics, Mr Baguley who taught me Physics, and Mr Bayfield who taught me Chemistry.

Degree/s and University/ies:

BSc. (Hons Physics 1967), MSc. (Physics 1973), MB BS (Medicine 1976), all at UNSW.

Was awarded an OAM in 2014 for services to rural medicine.

Brief Work History:

Industrial Chemist at BHP Port Kembla (Wollongong) 7 years.

Research Physicist at ACI (Australian Consolidated Industries – Glass manufacturing) 4 years.

Medicine – Rural General Practitioner (including Obstetrics) for the past 38 years. Conjoint Senior Lecturer School of Medicine, Western Sydney University.

Presently in general practice in Casino NSW. Also a VMO (GP Obstetrics) at the Lismore Base Hospital, Lismore. Presently member of the RANZCOG Board of Examiners, Diploma level.

A key message for our current Year 11 and 12 students as they plan for life beyond school:

The importance of integrity, as well as a social awareness and recognition of the needs of those less well off in our increasingly divided community.

Equally important these days, is the ability to be able to critically analyse current affairs and be able to distinguish fake news from factual news.

Both Maree and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark, and the students of PHS for allowing us the opportunity to participate in the Inaugural Alumni Night.

It was a wonderful experience to revisit my Alma Mater, and revisit the Hall from wherein I was farewelled all those years ago.

I have always greatly appreciated my education at PHS, without which I would not have had the opportunities in life that I have enjoyed.

I hope that my participation at the Alumni Night motivated the senior year students to go to greater heights, by being able to identify with with one of their own, who left PHS in 1959.

Maree, formerly a secondary English/History teacher, (though not a PHS alumnus), found herself talking to the students about the role teachers play in creating a better society, a topic close to her heart.

In short if ever you have another such get together we would most certainly consider it a privilege to be invited.

Wishing the school and all the students all the best for their future.

Jurriaan Beek

Thank you for the invitation to the Alumni. I was pleased to speak to the students who I found were very attentive and polite. I received lots of questions, that I was able and happy to answer. Not having my background in the program, was a good idea. I told them all, my hard work started when I left PHS. Happy to help out in future alumni gatherings.

Bob Grace

The students I found them delightful. Well presented, well spoken and engaging with good eye contact.

As a presenter I hope that there was a gem or two for most to take away. The students all smiled politely and shook hands expressing thanks at the end of each session. At least I had the feeling that they were interested. The student survey will be interesting.

Observations

(1) The vast majority of questions were about my life experience at secondary and tertiary levels, career development, move into management and a (surprising) number about being a CEO and that role. This led to discussions on life and the importance of perspective : that the HSC is a 5 min drama & not to lose sleep over it, that the primary tertiary degree is not the end of the game, and that personal development (whether formal or informal education to improve self) is a life long objective. That the idea has to be to enjoy every day, to learn everyday and to improve the lot of those around you : that is, to have a fulfilling life experience.

(2) I impressed on every group that everyone here tonight has leadership potential and to always think as a leader; to recognise what is the problem when there is an issue (and the real problem is not always obvious); to communicate to his team what is the actual problem and then work with the team to develop solutions and finally to ensure recognition tag the team to own the solution (not just the leader). That the leader’s thinking often needs to be on different levels, moving back and forth until there is clarity about both the problem and the solution.

(3) I told my personal experience of failure at the HSC in 1968 to demonstrate that life does not end with a bad result. I had failed Science in 1968 HSC, the first year of computer marking the Science paper (which was all multiple choice questions answered by colouring in the correct square) and had to resit the entire set of exams in February at the University of Sydney Matriculation Examination. By that time all the Law allocations were filled and only my last option Engineering was available, which I took up. On 10 April 1969 I received a telegram from the Department of Education that I had passed Science at the HSC on a remark : I was simply not good at colouring in the squares!

Paul Hansen

I would like to congratulate you on the event held last night. It was surreal to come back after so long and see so much hasn’t changed!

The questions from the students were plentiful and indicated that many of them have a real concern that which university they choose will have a significant impact on their future success. I hopefully played some part in calming their fears, but I’m sure that conversation will continue on…

I’m happy to play a part in future events, assist with work experience, or help any students who are interested in a career in accounting (or the sports/hospitality industries).

Nikky Van Der Meer

Last Monday, July 2, Penrith High School hosted its Inaugural Alumni Night. This was an invitation to former Penrith students to return and answer questions that current senior students had. Questions were centred around jobs, industries, university courses and career paths. A huge thank you to the 15 alumni who gave up their time to attend, and provide our year 11 and 12 students with invaluable information about life outside of school. Additionally, we would like to thank the 113 senior students who attended, and made the night such a resounding success. We hope that this is the first in a long tradition of alumni events at the school, and that our former students can become more involved with the school community in the coming years.

Adam Evans and Grace Faulder - 2017/18 School Captains

*The feedback from the students has been extremely positive with all students saying they had an extremely enjoyable night and learnt so much from the Alumni. A point that stood out was that many Alumni did not always settle for their first choice but ended up changing their career paths.

Hello everyone! My name is Janette Power, and I was born on December 4, 1942. I went to Penrith Infants School from Kindergarten to 2nd Class and Penrith Primary School from 3rd Class to 6th Class. From 1954 to 1957, I was a student at Penrith High School. I left high school on the day of my fifteenth birthday, on December 4, 1957. I got a job the next day in the major department store of that era called Fletchers.

I’ve long forgotten the uniform we had during summer, but I remember that the winter uniform for girls was a brown, box-pleated serge belted tunic with brown stockings, brown shoes, a yellow shirt and a brown tie. I wore brown ribbons in my hair. I had a brown Globite school case as my bag, which we polished each day with brown boot polish. I took my lunch to school each day in greaseproof paper inside my school case. I would have had a Vegemite, egg or peanut butter sandwich, and a piece of fruit if we were lucky. Some of the poorer children had their lunch wrapped in newspaper or white paper that they asked the local butcher for. One day a week, I was allowed to buy a meat pie from the Canteen. I used to write my name on the brown paper bag, pay my money and pick it up at lunch time. The Canteen and the School Hall are still exactly as I remember them.

I loved Spelling, Social Studies, Compositions and Art. It was compulsory for all girls to do Cooking and Sewing. Cooking was awful, as we had to eat what we had cooked. Oh, boy! The Sewing Teacher and I didn’t get along very well, because my own mother was an exceptional sewer. One day I took a note home which said we had to buy one yard of fabric to make something called ‘scanties,’ or underpants. My mother said, “There’s no way I’m buying one yard of material to make a pair of scanties for you. You don’t need that much material!” When I went to my next sewing lesson, I took my little sewing box with needles, pins, cotton, scissors and the material that my mother said I needed. The teacher got angry at me, telling me to go home and tell my mother that she didn’t know what she was talking about!

I was always told on my School Reports that I talked too much in class and had a habit of chewing on the wooden rulers! I passed all of my subjects, but my best results were in the subjects I really enjoyed. We didn’t have Parent and Teacher nights in those days. The only communication with our parents was through our reports or phone calls. I remember that Mr Arthur Street was one of my teachers.

Sport was ok for fun. We played Tunnel Ball and Cricket. I rode my bike to school every day. We didn’t have a School Band, only one piano. Each year we always had an ANZAC Day service in the centre of the playground which we called the quadrangle. A Christmas Carols event was always held each year as well. We didn’t have any school camps at that time, although I remember bus trips to Warragamba Dam, Sydney Opera House and Taronga Zoo.

I was very happy at school. I loved talking to the bigger boys! We had a School Dance at the end of each year. I would wear my best shoes, which were black patent leather, Mary Jane-style with a little heel. There were a lot of poor families at the school, and many students would have to wear their school shoes to the dance. I was lucky that I had a pair of shoes to go out in, as many didn’t. I was also well dressed because my Mum was able to make all of my clothes.

I’m very proud that my Grandson, Marc, is now a student at Penrith High School. I meet him at school every Tuesday afternoon. The Principal, Teachers and Office Ladies all make me feel very welcome. It makes me so happy to be back on old ground. The students that pass me each Tuesday afternoon in the foyer always greet me with a smile and say hello. The respect that they show to an elderly person is wonderful and something I am very grateful for.

Brief interview between Shirley Bennetts (89 years) and Danielle McLoon

Great Aunt of Marc Mumford

July, 2017

Memories of Penrith, Penrith Public and Penrith High School

___________________________________________________________________

Currently resides in a retirement village in Sydney.

Started school at Springwood Public School, aged 5 years. She was only there for one year, as her father (Marc’s great Grandfather) was a steam train driver and received a transfer from the Blue Mountains to Penrith.

Aunty Shirley was 9 years old when the Second World War “came.” This is an interesting choice of words. I’ve come to understand through our discussion that, for a seven-year-old child, the war “came”; it didn’t begin. It was a terrifying, dark unknown that felt like the coming of a monster for a very young child.

She remembers her mother (Marc’s great Grandmother) using coupons to buy everything: school shoes, uniforms and food.

Her mother made paste out of starch (“bottles and bottles of it”), as many families did, to give to the school. The school would then cut up mosquito nets, and use the paste to stick the netting to the windows of every classroom in the school to render them shatterproof. Aunty Shirley remembers that all students, including her, had to get up on ladders to help.

Air raid shelters were built in the grounds.

Regarding the curriculum of the day, Aunty Shirley said, “The first important thing was the times tables, then English.”

Aunty Shirley loved English and History.

Aunty Shirley’s overwhelming memory of school is that it was a quiet time, in that “there was just so much worry” (even though she also has memories of kissing boys behind the toilet block!). Her father would insist on the wireless being on at all times at home, even when she was trying to do homework; just in case any vital information was given about the war.

The war finished when Aunty Shirley was 15 years old. According to her memories, girls and boys left school to work in factories to support the war effort, and then when the war ended, continued to do so to help get the country back on its feet.

Aunty Shirley wanted to leave school in 1945, aged 15 years. She learnt shorthand and typing, but “hated it.” She was in Martin Place on D-Day, the day allied victory was declared and the war was over. Of this day, she recalled, “Everyone went mad. It had been a long war.”

She recalls that it took years for local schools to recover after the war. Rations were still in use in schools and the community. Her family received only one pound of butter per week for 4 people, which they could choose to receive at once or ration over a week.

Aunty Shirley remembers that it was compulsory for girls to do cooking, and she “hated cooking!”

Her favourite activity with her friends at school was to collect pictures of movie stars from the newspaper.

She recalls her History teacher at PHS being her favourite teacher of all her schooling years, saying, “She spent a lot of one on one time with me.”

Aunty Shirley remembers that many of the teachers at PHS were old, as the younger teachers had to leave school and support the war effort.

RALPH SHEENS

Graduation Year: 1958

Some 51 of us sat for the Leaving Certificate in 1958 and some 3 years ago I started the ball rolling in locating these members. We have been successful in locating all but 1 ( one girl married a Michael Brown) and of our numbers 7 are deceased. Having accomplished this we began searching for those who began with us in 1A (1954) and moved on to another school or left after the Intermediate or joined the 4C Commercial typing class or joined us from another school somewhere along the line. Added to these are those who progressed up the line from lower classes (particularly 1B) and even one who joined us having started in class 1E. To date 12 of these have been located with about 20 to find.

The search, as you would appreciate, is a laborious one as after 60 years we are scattered throughout the country. However in the time remaining we hopefully will find most of them.

I am adding a few thoughts that may be of interest:-

Prior to 1954 the closest High School west was Katoomba and east was Parramatta.

In 1A one of our girls travelled from Leura and one lad travelled from Doonside.

Most pupils travelled by train (steam) - For them there were no alternative bus services to Penrith at all.

Construction of Warragamba Dam and the Munitions area at North St Marys were in full swing. (2 buses - one a double decker- brought children in from Warragamba, Wallacia and Mulgoa).

In 1958 there were approx. 1000 pupils in attendance ( much the same as to-day?)

Classes were graded and ran from 1A to 1L. Pupils in J, K and L classes, some with special needs, were accommodated in portables near the Primary School - had classroom teachers and their own playground area.

No children drove to school - (not a lot of families had a car). Large cycle racks were necessary for children living locally.

One of our group, Jim Mather, was Deputy Principal of PHS in the early 80s.

Should you need to contact me - Mobile 0428 608981 Home 42375140

- Email frankgundy@hotmail.com

(Yes, there is a story about that email address - the Gundy part refers to a one teacher school I was in charge of for 5 years in the 60s. Pupils ranged from Kinder to 3rd year at High School - a challenge! I have kept in contact with those folk ever since - many of whom have now deceased.)

60 Year Reunion of Class of '58 will be held on Wednesday October 17.

Ralph Sheens (organising committee member)

Recently the 1953 - 2005 Sports Honour Board has been restored to its former glory.

As well the more recent Sports Honour Board will be updated for 2018 in December near Presentation Night 2018.

Hello, my name is Lydia Cheung and I am currently a year 12 Penrith High School student. As part of the HSC course for the subject Society & Culture, I need to complete a Personal Interest Project (PIP), where I have chosen to study the differing values, impacts and implications of selective schools compared to non-selective high schools.

As part of the primary research, I was wondering if you, as a selective school alumni equipped with unique personal insights and experiences, can spare 5-10 minutes to complete this survey:

https://goo.gl/forms/lgspbZi8dUoHjGQM2

Survey results will only be seen by myself. Any information, including statistical data or direct quotes, collected that may be used in my PIP will be quoted anonymously. After I finish my PIP, and submit it in for marking, all rights of my PIP will be given to NESA.

I would really appreciate it if you can complete this survey! Thanks for your time J

Lydia

Email: penrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Website: web3.penrith-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/home
Location: 158-240 High Street, Penrith NSW, Australia
Phone: 4721 0529
Facebook: facebook.com/penrithselectivehs/