SENIOR SCHOOL
History really does repeat:
This year marks the 50th anniversary
of the Forward magazine and to celebrate
the occasion, we look back to the very first
edition, which was written in May 1964.
Forward turns
50
The first edition of the Forward magazine
marked the 50th anniversary of the
consecration of the School Chapel and was
therefore celebrating the foundation of the
School as well as a recently published book
entitled “Guildford Chapel”.
That year the School welcomed a new
modern clock and bell after the departure
of Mr McIntyre, the first Housemaster of
Harper House, who was known for having
incredible accuracy in tolling the School Bell.
The Parents and Friends Society of the
School was nearing its 10 year anniversary
and was well respected for its efforts in
acquiring extra amenities for the students,
specialised teaching aids, a cricket
scoreboard and a hull for the School
speedboat!
In that year, there was a headline story
highlighting that the School was going to
sponsor and host two dinners for the year.
This makes for an interesting comparison
when we consider how many functions the
School hosts each year now!
The new St George’s House building was
opened by the Rt. Rev’d Bishop R E Freeth
on May 14. This building later became
what is now known as the Senior Boarding
House.
Sport was similarly a serious business
amongst students and the School, with
the events calendar dominated by football,
hockey and rugby fixtures, and nothing else.
The School was experiencing constant
growth, much like it is now, and because
of this, new sporting facilities were being
introduced. Roberts Oval had previously
been referred to as “the New Field” and
experienced a large volume of sport, so
an area on the lower flats, next to where
Pexton Oval is now, was being used.
However, it was noted that in the winter this
field became more suitable for swimming
than for rugby.
The 50 metre swimming pool and the
gymnasium had been introduced and were
helping to establish Guildford Grammar
School as the leading swimming, lifesaving
and gymnastic school in the state. The year
the magazine was released, the School had
come a close second in the interschool
swimming competition, the Darlot Cricket
Cup and the interschool rugby competition.
The first edition of the Forward magazine
is a timely reminder of the history, progress
and development of the School and reminds
us of what the school has experienced
and what it is re-experiencing today.
Some common threads include Chapel
celebrations, with the 50 year celebrations
in 1964 and the 100 year celebration this
year; sporting ground developments in 1964
and new classroom developments in 2014;
the release of the book “Guildford Chapel”
in 1964 and the release of our new Chapel
history “A Goodly Heritage” this year.
The School has celebrated many
achievements in its history and the
first edition of the Forward magazine
is a reminder that we will continue to
experience many more in the future.
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