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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-23 Daily Xml
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ST LEONARDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:46): As some may remember from my maiden speech, as a boy I attended St Leonards Primary School from 1943 to 1949. I am proud to say that this year St Leonards is celebrating its 90th anniversary, and I rise today to speak about this fine school and share a little of its history.

St Leonards Primary was officially opened on 6 May 1921, six years after initial requests to establish a state school at St Leonards (now known as Glenelg North) were made to the minister of education. The school initially had an average of 240 children aged six to 12 enrolled for the first year. By 1953 the school was reclassified, which allowed for an infants department to be included in the school, and enrolments ballooned to 798 the following year.

By 1967 the school had 958 children enrolled, the increase in students predominately attributed to the commonwealth government's migration policy and the fact that St Leonards Primary School was located near the North Glenelg hostel, which housed many new migrants. For many children, St Leonards Primary was the first school they attended in Australia. The school currently has approximately 240 students enrolled.

From the 1940s, an innovative woodwork and home science area was built at the school. Students from many areas, including Camden, Forbes, Ascot Park, Henley High and Black Forest, came to St Leonards Primary to undertake lessons in domestic art and woodwork.

I remember attending St Leonards Primary during World War II and the trenches which covered the school oval and the air raid drills when we would have to head to those trenches. I also remember the headmaster during my time, Mr E.A. Lapidge. I remember him well because he had a bullet wound behind his ear, which he sustained during World War I, and because he threatened me with lashings of the cane. Undoubtedly, St Leonards Primary is a very different school today.

The school recently held an open day as part of its 90th anniversary celebrations. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend; however, my parliamentary adviser, who is also an old scholar of St Leonards Primary, attended and was amazed at how much the school had changed in the 16 years since she had left. I am sure that had I attended I would have been even more amazed at the changes that have occurred in 62 years since I left.

The technology used by the school and its students are far beyond anything I could have imagined while I was a student there. The school recently opened a new library which features new state-of-the-art computers. Every classroom has an interactive whiteboard, and senior students have the opportunity to produce short science videos, which are submitted online for a national competition.

Notably, St Leonards Primary old scholars include the former deputy premier, the Hon. Roger Goldsworthy MP, who was instrumental in the initial signing of the Roxby Downs Olympic Dam indenture agreement; former Australian test cricket captains Ian and Greg Chappell and their brother Trevor; former international golfer Bob Tuohy; Elfin racing car designer and builder the late Gary Cooper; national baseballer Don Rice; former coach of Port Power Mark Williams; and international model and LPGA pro golfer Anna Rawson.

As briefly mentioned, the school is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2011. As part of the celebrations old scholars have been invited to purchase a commemorative brick, which will be laid in the school grounds. Celebrations also included a wonderful assembly on the open day, which was managed predominantly by the students. A celebration evening is planned for this Friday, where current students will each perform a dance from a decade, spanning the past 90 years.

Given the close community, which seems to come hand in hand with this school, I hope this evening will give me the opportunity to catch up with some old friends, and I look forward to the centenary celebrations in 10 years' time.

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