South Sydney High School

South Sydney High School
150px Latin: Spectemur Agendo Let us be known by our deeds
Location
Maroubra, New South Wales Australia
Coordinates
Information
Type	Public, co-educational, Secondary school
Established	1953
Principal	Robyn Matthews
Enrolment	556 (7–12)
Campus	Paine Street, Maroubra
Colour(s)	Green, gold and red
Website	South Sydney High School

South Sydney High School is a public school located in Maroubra, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1953 for boys, it is today a co-educational high school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training for students from years 7 through 12. It primarily serves those coming from South-Eastern Sydney and the Eastern Suburbs regions.

History

Following the Second World War, it was determined that the Maroubra Junction Technical School would be crowded out of its premises on Anzac Parade. A site for a new school, bounded by Paine Street in the north, and Walsh and O'Sullivan Avenue in the south, had been selected in 1945. This area was originally taken over by the Commonwealth Government for defence purposes. It was cleared as early as 1948 and preparations made for what was to be known as South Sydney Technical School. The building foundations were laid on 27 May 1950 by then Minister for Education, The Hon. Robert Heffron MLA, who would later become the Premier of New South Wales.

Due to long delays the first portion of the school was not ready until July 1952, with the school not being occupied until February 1953. On 5 April 1954, South Sydney Junior Technical High School was officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales, Lieutenant-General Sir John Northcott. The opening ceremony was accompanied by the commemorative planting of trees, a few of which remain today along the O'Sullivan Avenue frontage.

At the beginning of 1959 it was decided that South Sydney Junior Technical High School would be renamed South Sydney Boys' High School. The End of 1961 saw the retirement of Mr William Dutton, the school's first principal. In his place Mr. Thomas Tasker was appointed. In 1962 the School magazine, "The Southerner", was published for the first time. That same year, in honour of the contribution made to the school by Mr Heffron, the library was named the "R. J. Heffron Library".

In August 1980, the Minister for Education, The Hon. Paul Landa MLA, announced that South Sydney Boys' High School and Maroubra Junction Girls' High would be partly co-educational in 1981 and fully co- educational in 1983 to become South Sydney High School and Maroubra High School respectively.

Principals

Years	South Sydney Boys' High School
1953–1961	William Dutton
1962–1969	Thomas Tasker M.Sc. Dip.Ed.
1969–1973	Ray Cocking B.A. L.T.C.L.
1973–1975	E. Barnett
1976–1977	J. Frederick
1978	A. Moore
1979–1983	D. Brown
Years	South Sydney High School
1983–1986	D. Brown
1987–1996	T. Edwards
1997–2005	Lindy Taylor
2006–2013	Ross Fitzpatrick
2013 - Present	Robyn Matthews

Houses

By the early 1960s all students were divided into four houses named after one representative from each:

• Science - BANKS - botanist, Sir Joseph Banks
• Literature - LAWSON - poet, Henry Lawson
• Defence - NORTHCOTT - Governor of New South Wales who opened the school.
• Education - DUTTON - First headmaster

Controversies

In July 2011, South Sydney High School made headlines after a staff member allegedly attacked a 12-year-old female student. There was also an incident in 2005, where a brain damaged student was attacked by school bullies. The attack was widely publicised, as well as being the subject of a question in the New South Wales State Parliament.

Notable alumni

• Adam Liberman, General Counsel for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) since August 2006.
• Col Loughnan, former member of The Delltones, and Ayers Rock, and later a Jazz musician, and lecturer in saxophone at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 1978.
• Michael Whitney, former Australian Test Cricketer and television personality.
• Alex Perry, fashion designer.

External links

• South Sydney High School website
• South Sydney High - National Education Directory
• New South Wales Department of Education and Training - South Sydney High School