R.W.A. ‘Wal’ Fisher

After years at Port Adelaide and Le Fevre, in 1955 I was transferred to Norwood High School where I was regarded as second-rate because I came from a ‘tech’. As senior master I was given social studies to supervise and arranged visits to Parliament House where Don Dunstan showed the students around the chambers.

I got on well with the staff but not with Alex MacPherson, the head. I had been given a Leaving Honours history group with six girls in the class. When everyone passed, Alex MacPherson congratulated me but added ‘in that subject they could pass by themselves.’ Alby Jones, then an inspector, congratulated me without any such reservation. One of the girls gained a credit in history at university in the following year.

However, it was a long way from my home at Largs Bay and at the end of 1957 I asked for a transfer. In 1958 I joined Bill Richards at Croydon Boys Technical High School. A likeable man, Bill was not as efficient as Fred Vickery. Croydon was not strong academically but was very strong in practical work. The practical side of technical schools was very valuable but it was not recognised by the boys at the top. I was at Croydon until 1965.

One of the greatest things we did at Croydon Tech was the joint schools’ experience in a Gilbert and Sullivan production. It was the finest thing I did in the Education Department. We had a specially gifted teacher, a very great singer, Richard Watson, renowned in the world of music in Adelaide, who was eager to work with students in music of all kinds. I was the manager of the production. Peter Davies, an English teacher, played Ko-Ko, Glen Schultz, woodwork teacher, was the Mikado and Richard Watson was Pooh Bah. Students of both schools worked so well together in this and other productions, like HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance.

When The Mikado was performed in the Estonian Hall at North Adelaide, Johnny Walker came as a guest and didn’t believe that we had made a profit of £84. He said, ‘You don’t make money on these productions.

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