Marie Cawthen-Black

After teaching at Moonta High School from 1939 to 1940, Strathalbyn 1941 and 1942 and Victor Harbor until July 1949, I was brought into the girls’ technical schools, as a senior, to introduce commercial subjects that could be examined at Intermediate and Leaving PEB level. My first girls’ tech was at Croydon, then in Cedar Avenue. The technical school was part of a two storey building shared with the primary and infant schools. The domestic arts centre (later to be called home science) and the dressmaking rooms were reasonably equipped and used for night classes. The classes were divided into first and second years, Intermediate and Leaving. The headmistress was Miss Zena Williams who had also been a high school commercial teacher. As a point of interest I took her place in 1941 at Strathalbyn High as an assistant.

With my special task in mind, Miss Ruth Gibson (Inspector of Girls Technical Schools) formed a Commercial Curriculum Committee, of other recently appointed seniors, which I chaired. Miss Gibson took me with her into other technical schools to look at their centres and to offer suggestions in the commercial field. The Commercial Curriculum Committee met regularly to keep up with modern trends and to amend the old commercial programmes to suit PEB requirements. If I remember correctly I was often asked to help her in the assessment of commercial teachers. A Commercial Teachers Association was formed, meetings of which were attended, after school hours, by teachers from both high and technical schools.

Soon after 1950 a site on Torrens Road was selected for the building of a new Croydon Girls Technical School. As each building was completed, so we gradually moved sections of our school to the new site. The primary school was over-crowded as were we, so it was important to move as soon as we could. This arrangement meant much movement of staff during school hours to fit in with the timetable. Indeed, in some instances, whole classes were on the move. Inconvenient, but we managed to survive. I remember that by 1958 we were all settled into a very modern and very well equipped school.

Discipline in girls’ technical high schools was very strict and very easy to maintain. Uniforms were of great importance and I believe helped in the integration of Greek and Italian families in those years. No distinction was made between Australian and migrant girls. We expected them all to respect each other and the staff. Co-operation between staff and students was very marked. We did all we could to make the New Australians and Australians one happy school. Morning assemblies and saluting the Flag were standard procedures.

Physical education, music and other cultural interests were also of utmost importance. Combined sports days and competitions were encouraged between the suburban technical schools on a regular basis.

In September, the Adelaide Show was an important part of the school year. Girls were encouraged to enter their work from the home science, dressmaking and art centre. Supervised class visits to the show were popular.

And so I remained there until I was transferred in July 1959 to Thebarton Girls Technical High School where Miss Zena Williams had been transferred at the beginning of the year. Once again we shared the area with the primary school. However our buildings were not shared. We occupied the two-storey building facing Henley Beach Road. Some temporary class rooms were built behind the main building and adjoining a back lane. These included a large music room equipped with a stage.

The enrolment of the school was very similar to that of Croydon – mixture of Australian and Greek and Italian girls. At one stage there was a hostel further down the Henley Beach Road and we enrolled five Aboriginal girls. We all came to love them, as did the rest of the students. They fitted in so well with the similar kind of discipline and treatment we had adopted at Croydon. At Leaving PEB level one of these girls topped the Leaving class and went on to become a fully trained nursing sister.

Weekly assemblies became an important part of our routine. We were given the use of the Thebarton Town Hall adjacent to the school but necessitating crossing the South Road. We marched in twos and to the tune of the piano the girls entered this vast hall. The assemblies brought the staff and students together. An interesting programme, which included the talents of the girls, set the standard of discipline which was expected and, indeed, maintained at all times.

The annual Speech Night was a most elegant occasion – the girls wearing white dresses and the staff dressing in long frocks and some of us, in fact, wearing long white gloves. Our guest speaker was always a gentleman of importance from the Education Department, followed, of course, by a supper in the main school for the School Council, prefects, staff and outgoing students. Hours of practice went into these functions which included choir items, short plays and dancing which formed part of the daily curriculum. However, I feel it was very worthwhile particularly as it brought the migrant families in touch with the Australian. Music was an important subject and together with physical education and competitive sport, organised with the introduction of the house system, resulted in an excellent school spirit.

A debutante ball, held during the year for final year students, was always received with enthusiasm by the School Council and the Parents’ and Friends’ Association, again bringing friendships and good relationships with the old and the new Australians.

The Commercial Curriculum Committee continued to meet regularly and commercial subjects became increasingly popular in the technical schools. At Thebarton we aimed for good speeds in shorthand and typing with emphasis on successful English and social studies marks. Dressmaking was also emphasised as a subject of value to girls whether they pursued a business or a home career. Our girls found little difficulty in showing good manners, good taste and politeness to each other in the class room and, indeed, at all times whether at sport, leisure or in the learning environment.

I was delighted to find that Thebarton boasted a receptionist-clerk so that I was no longer to keep the accounting records and be the school clerk in my position as senior for commerce.

During my term at Thebarton I applied to be deputy headmistress but my application was unsuccessful. I appealed against the decision and lost. I was called into the Superintendent’s office and, over a cup of tea, was told that it was because I was married. No discrimination today! In December 1963 I was informed that I had been transferred to Vermont Girls Technical High School as deputy headmistress to commence duties in 1964.

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