"We were the children of the Depression, yet that time is so wonderful in retrospect.
Is it because youth always looked rosy from the standpoint of middle-aged responsibility -
or because those were the years before World War II cast its shadow over us all,
before, with the rest of our generation, we were jerked into shocked adulthood?"
wrote Evelyn M. Brown, one of a proud group of 1930s students whose recollections
are recorded in the 1963 Jubilee edition of "Phoenix"- the school magazine.
Evelyn Brown's fond reminiscences are typical of the students who had passed
through Parramatta High School by 1933 (within a very few of 4000 according to
the first headmaster "Tommy" Atkins in his farewell address).
Certainly Evelyn Brown is not alone in enjoying the memories of "those sunny High School
Years" . Dulcie Mortier (1933-1937), despite being "seized with a sentimental
nostalgia that clouds lucid thought" savours the treasured memories of
"the school which has meant so much to us all as a training ground for life"
Both Evelyn and Dulcie recall Dymphna Cusack, their English teacher,
"the now famous authoress". These memories are always affectionate -
"Her reading of 'Wind in the Willows' will live in my memory always.
How we pored over early books and plays when she left the school!" but,
at the same time, the students seemed to recognise that she was destined
for other things - "for sometimes she seemed, in our adolescent opinions,
not quite 'with us' ".
The proud academic tradition for which Parramatta High School was to become famed,
by the 1930s was firmly entrenched. - "Not that we didn't produce our
quota of mathematicians - Peg Meyer, Colin Ralph, Alan Towsey, Jack Gate,
Lewis Raine - all these I remember as leading lights." Of interest, in these
days of integration of students with physical or intellectual disadvantage,
is the story of George Best (1933-37), who, blind from birth,
gained a good Leaving pass at Parramatta High. His success was due in no
small part to Miss "Rose" Macauley, renowned for unfailing cheerfulness and
helpfulness and her prowess as a hockey coach, as the librarian, and a teacher.
"Rose", described as a "fine teacher of German" by Miss Mackaness -
the legendary Maths mistress of Parramatta High,
brailled George Best's text books, read him his English and History texts,
taught him to paint chairs, work in the garden, and even took him to the pictures.
Miss V.Doubleday |
Science with Mr Howard, with its "shabby dark wooden benches",
the "elegant, immaculate, quietly spoken English Mistress,
Miss Doubleday" and Art with the redoubtable "Aunty May" Crouch
are two very important parts of the picture of academic life at
Parramatta High School in the 1930s. |
Aunty May Crouch |
The story of Parramatta High in the '30s continues on page 5.
