Barry J. Harris

My solid memories of Adelaide Technical High School are these. First a solid work load, constantly being reminded that Adelaide Technical High School scholars were the best selected from the top three at primary school, and they were.

We were constantly reminded that ATHS students always were in the top 20% of the Public Exams and they were more than often first. Some whole classes of 30 gained 99% credit/ distinctions at PEB. We were constantly tested by written testing and exams on our own ability, not on group work. Sports skills in tennis and football on Saturday mornings and, always, self-motivation.

The technical side of the education programme gave me different, very valuable skills for my life.

I met ATHS scholars throughout my working life. All were successful and a very high percentage gained administrative positions where they worked.

The high expectations of manners and dress in public outside of school hours, and penalties, if you were seen not in school uniform, were very good.

There was an excellent attitude. The Karmel Report changed all this for the worse I fear.

If it hadn’t been for ATHS I possibly wouldn’t have been a teacher, a deputy principal in the area schools and a science coordinator (state wide) and a science adviser. I had skills in physics and chemistry at ATHS and followed them through to Leaving Honours. Science was always my best interest and there was excellent teaching of chemistry at ATHS with high class chemistry teachers.

All students from ATHS gained their results individually. There was no sharing, collaboration, co-operative group work where one could ‘copy’ and gain false results as is the case today. No allowances for work done in the term either. Just a straight one off test by yourself.

Return to contents Buy A Broader Vision	© Erica Jolly and individual authors