Adelaide High School

Coordinates: 34°55′33″S 138°35′12″E﻿ / ﻿34.92577°S 138.58661°E﻿ / -34.92577; 138.58661

Public school in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Adelaide High School

Address

West Terrace

Adelaide

South Australia

5000

Australia

Information
Type| Public
Motto| Non scholae sed vitae
(Not only for school, but for life)
Established| 1908; 114 years ago (1908)
Principal| Cezanne Green
Enrolment| 1500
Campus| Urban
Colour(s)|
Affiliation| Sports Association for Adelaide Schools
Website| http://www.adelaidehs.sa.edu.au/

Adelaide High School, viewed from near the corner of West Terrace and Glover Avenue

Adelaide High School is a high-achieving coeducational state high school situated on the corner of West Terrace and Glover Avenue in the Adelaide Parklands. It was the first government high school in South Australia[1] and the first public high school in the Australian Commonwealth.[2] It currently has an enrolment of approximately 1,500 students.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Curriculum
* 2.1 Languages
* 2.2 Facilities
* 3 Sport
* 3.1 Houses and Special Sport Programs
* 3.2 Exchanges
* 4 Head Master / Principal
* 5 Notable staff and students
* 6 Further reading
* 7 References
* 8 External links

## History[edit]

In 1879, John Anderson Hartley, Catherine Helen Spence and others created the Advanced School for Girls in Grote Street, Adelaide. It was the first public secondary school in South Australia. The school was combined with the Adelaide Continuation School, and on 8 April 1908 the name was changed to Adelaide High School. This was the same year the South Australian state high school system was launched.[3] Adelaide High School was officially opened on 24 September 1908 by the premier of South Australia, Thomas Price. It was the first public secondary school in the Commonwealth of Australia.[4]

In 1927, it had an enrolment of 1,067 students, making it the largest school of its kind in the Commonwealth. By 1929, due to increasing enrolments, the school occupied two sites; one site was at Grote Street and the other was at Currie Street (now part of the Remand Centre). Due to the increasing enrolments, it was decided that a new building was required for Adelaide High School. The current site of the school on West Terrace was originally set aside for an army barracks in 1849, but in 1859 an observatory was built instead, which then became the Bureau of Meteorology in 1939.

Based on an award-winning 1940 design, a new building was erected on the site from 1947 to 1951. This became Adelaide Boys High School while Adelaide Girls High School remained in the buildings in Grote Street. An application was made to have the building listed as a Historic Building on the Australian Register of the National Estate. The nomination was on the basis of the building's "Art Modern" style and significance in Adelaide education. It had not led to the building's listing on the register as of 2007.[5] The original Grote Street school buildings were listed on the register as a Historic site in 1980. As of 2007, the buildings were used as a centre for the performing arts.[6] The buildings were considered to be among the Nationally Significant 20th-Century Buildings in South Australia.[7]

In 1977, due to decreasing enrolments at both the Boys and the Girls schools, amalgamation began with Adelaide High School operating on two campuses – one on Grote Street and one on West Terrace. This arrangement ended in 1979, when all students were on the West Terrace site. In 1979, Adelaide High School became South Australia's Special Interest Language School, with students able to study up to seven languages: French, German, Latin, Modern Greek, Chinese, Spanish and Italian. Latin ceased to be offered in 2004 and was replaced by Japanese. Auslan was added as the eighth language in 2018.

In 2008, Adelaide High School celebrated its centenary 100th birthday.[2]

Adelaide is part of the longest-running sporting exchanges with Melbourne High School and Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, both in Melbourne.

## Curriculum[edit]

### Languages[edit]

Adelaide High School is especially known for being a Special Interest Language School, offering students outside the zone to enrol through one of the three Special Entry Programs (Languages. Cricket and Rowing).[8] It offers its students eight different languages to study:

* Modern Greek
* Mandarin Chinese
* Japanese
* Italian
* French
* Spanish
* German
* Auslan [9]

The school is also a Centre for the Hearing Impaired and an Associate School for Students of High Intellectual Potential.[10] It has a Special Entry Program in its special interest cricket and rowing programs.

Adelaide High School is South Australia's only Special Interest Language School,[8] and currently has sister schools around the world, including:

* Asahi High School in Osaka, Japan
* Heriburg Gymnasium in Coesfeld, Nord Rhein Westfalen, Germany
* Lycée Saint Sauveur in Redon, Brittany, France
* IIS Quintino Sella in Biella, Italy
* IES La Sisla in Sonsecas, Spain
* Jinan Foreign Language School in Jinan, China
* Qingdao No 9 School in Qingdao, China
* 7th High School of Corfu, Greece [11]

### Facilities[edit]

Facilities that students have access to include a library, gymnasium, tennis, basketball and netball courts, cricket nets, four ovals (shared with the Adelaide City Council), Performing Arts Centre, science labs and lecture theatres. The school also has a boatshed on the bank of the River Torrens which holds the school's many rowing boats and where the school's rowing crews train. It also has a shared rowing facility at West Lakes with Unley High School and Norwood Morialta High School. A new wing, the Charles Todd Wing, was added to the southern side of the school in 2015. Building 4, previously housing the Languages, Art and Library areas, was upgraded and now contains the Languages, Maths and Arts learning areas. In 2019, the school self-funded a Performing Arts Centre Refurbishment and in 2021, also saw a $24 million build in the centre of the school, in order to accommodate for the large intake of Year 7 students into the school.[12]

## Sport[edit]

### Houses and Special Sport Programs[edit]

The school has four "houses" which students represent in sporting and other events within the school. The houses took their names from past principals of the school. The house names are: Adey (Red), Macghey (Blue), Morriss (Green), and West (Yellow). Sporting events include the intra-House Swimming Carnival and Athletics Carnival. The houses compete for the SJ Dowdy Cup, named after former Principal Stephen Dowdy.

Adelaide High School has a range of girls' and boys' sporting teams and offers Special Interest Sporting Programs including cricket and rowing. The Adelaide High School Cricket Program provides the opportunity for talented cricketers from outside the school zone to enrol at the school, similar to the Adelaide High School Rowing Club, which incorporates a talent identification selection process whereby students from outside the school zone can apply to enrol at the school.[8]

Both Special Entry Programs participate in games and regattas throughout the year which lead up to the main events. The 5 Highs Cricket Carnival is held in December against Melbourne High School, Sydney Boys High School, Brisbane State High School and Kent Street Senior High School. The major rowing event is the Head of the River Regatta held in March or April. This regatta was jointly founded in 1922 by Adelaide High School and St Peter's College. Other sporting trips have the volleyball teams travelling to the Australian Volleyball Schools Cup in Melbourne, in December.[8]

### Exchanges[edit]

Since 1913, Adelaide High has taken part in a sporting exchange with Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and since 1910, Melbourne High School. This is the longest-running sporting exchange in the state. Both Exchanges compete for the Prefects' Cup.[13] The exchanges are held in early Term 3 and each year the venue swaps. There are competitions in many sports such as: Australian rules football, soccer, tennis, rowing, basketball, netball, softball, chess, debating, theatre sports, volleyball, cross country /athletics, badminton, table tennis and hockey. Sports previously played against Melbourne included lacrosse, baseball and field hockey.

Adelaide High School is a member of the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools (SAAS).

## Head Master / Principal[edit]

Name  | Years  | Ref(s)

|
|

William Adey | 1908–1920 | [14]
Reginald A. West | 1920–1948 | [15]
Cyril M. Ward | 1948 | [16]
Alfred E. Dinning | 1949–1954 | [17]
Wybert M. C. Symonds | 1954–1962 | –
A. H. Campbell | 1963–1968 | –
W. J. Bentley | 1969–1977 | –
Colin H. Brideson OAM | 1978–1987 | [18]
Peter Sanderson | 1988–1997 | –
Stephen Dowdy | 1998–T1 2011 | –
Anita Zocchi | T2 2011–T1 2017 | [19]
Michael Gurr | T2 2017 | –
Cézanne Green | T3 2017–present |

## Notable staff and students[edit]

* Sir Don Anderson (1917–1975) – Director-General of the Department of Civil Aviation[20]
* Lynn Arnold (b. 1949) – South Australian Premier[citation needed]
* Nick Bolkus (b. 1950) – South Australian Senator and Cabinet Minister[21]
* Shaun Burgoyne (b. 1982) – AFL footballer[citation needed]
* Ralph Clarke (b. 1951) – South Australian Deputy Opposition Leader[citation needed]
* Hugh Cairns (1896–1952) – First Nuffield Professor of Surgery, Oxford University[22]
* John Stuart Dowie (1915–2008) – Artist[23]
* Sia (b. 1975) – Pop singer and songwriter[24]
* Anne Haddy (1930–1999) – Actress (best known for her role as Helen Daniels in Neighbours)[25]
* Barbara Hall (b. circa 1931) – Physicist[26][27] in 1956. one of two women first to receive a PhD from the University of Adelaide;[28] mother of Hugh Possingham[29]
* Bob Hank (1923–2012) – Dual Magarey Medallist[30]
* Margaret Hubbard (b. 1924) – First woman to win the Hentford Scholarship for Latin at Oxford[27][31]
* Tom Koutsantonis (b. 1971) – South Australian Treasurer[32]
* Simon Lewicki aka Groove Terminator – Electronic music artist[citation needed]
* Brian Ross Martin (b. 1947) – Chief Justice of the Northern Territory[33]
* Sir Mark Oliphant (1901–2000) – South Australian Governor[34]
* Neil Page (b. 1944) – Australian baseball representative/player[citation needed]
* Greig Pickhaver – aka H.G. Nelson, actor, comedian and writer[citation needed]
* Chris Sumner (b. 1943) – South Australian Attorney-General[citation needed]
* David Vigor (1939–1998) – South Australian Senator[citation needed]
* Lou Vincent (b. 1978) – New Zealand Test cricketer[citation needed]
* Brennan Cox (b. 1998) – AFL footballer[citation needed]
* Oswald Rishbeth (1886-1946) - Geographer, taught at Adelaide High in 1910[35]
* Riley Thilthorpe (b. 2002) - AFL Footballer

## Further reading[edit]

* Adelaide High School Council (1983). Adelaide High School: 75th anniversary, 1908–1983 souvenir book. ISBN 0-9593880-2-8. OCLC 220259206

## References[edit]

1. ^ Peddie, Clare. (29 July 2008). "History lesson", The Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia. p29.
2. ^ a b "About Adelaide High School". Adelaide High School. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
3. ^ Kwan, Elizabeth (1987). Living in South Australia, a social history (Volume 1, from before 1836 to 1914 ed.). Adelaide: South Australian Government Printer. pp. 145–175. ISBN 0-7243-6493-5.
4. ^ Government of South Australia (2008). Adelaide High turns 100. Archived from the original on 25 July 2005. Retrieved on 12 January 2013.
5. ^ "Adelaide High School, West Tce, Adelaide, SA (Place ID 16566)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
6. ^ "Adelaide Girls High School (Advanced School for Girls) (former), 101 Grote St, Adelaide, SA, Australia (Place ID 6430)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
7. ^ 120 notable buildings – Australian Institute of Architects Archived 13 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 8 May 2014.
8. ^ a b c d "Special Entry Programs". Adelaide High School. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
9. ^ https://adelaidehs.sa.edu.au/resources/publications/AHS_curriculum_guide_2022-no-VET.pdf[bare URL PDF]
10. ^ "Centre for Deaf & Hard of Hearing". Adelaide High School. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
11. ^ "Sister Schools and Exchanges". Adelaide High School. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
12. ^ https://adelaidehs.sa.edu.au/resources/publications/SCHOOL-CONTEXT-STATEMENT-2022-29.4.22.pdf[bare URL PDF]
13. ^ Adelaide High School (2007). [1]. Retrieved on 25 September 2015.
14. ^ Condon, Brian (2006). Adey, William James (1874–1956). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Online Edition. Retrieved on 16 November 2008.
15. ^ Pash, J. H. (2006). West, Reginald Arthur (1883–1964). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Online Edition. Retrieved on 16 November 2008.
16. ^ "Education Department". The Chronicle (Adelaide). Vol. LXI, no. 3, 148. South Australia. 21 December 1918. p. 20. Retrieved 13 February 2022 - via National Library of Australia.
17. ^ "Probable Head Of Adelaide High". The News (Adelaide). Vol. 51, no. 7, 781. South Australia. 13 July 1948. p. 8. Retrieved 13 February 2022 - via National Library of Australia.
18. ^ Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia (2008). Medal of the Order of Australia: Mr Colin Herbert Brideson Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Page 21. Retrieved on 16 November 2008.
19. ^ "International Women's Day – leading South Australian women to watch". Adelaide Now. The Advertiser. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
20. ^ Gunn, John, "Anderson, Sir Donald George (Don) (1917–1975)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 2 February 2015
21. ^ Bolkus, Nick (14 November 2007). "Don Dunstan Foundation: Don Dunstan Oral History Project: Nick Bolkus" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by George Lewkowicz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015.
22. ^ "The Rhodes Scholarship, South Australia" (PDF). The University of Adelaide. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
23. ^ Dowie, John (2001). Lock-Weir, Tracey (ed.). John Dowie: A Life in the Round. Wakefield Press. p. 82\. ISBN 1862545448.
24. ^ Harry, Michael. "Sia Sensation" (PDF). The Adelaide Advertiser: 24–26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2010.
25. ^ Hayward, Anthony (8 June 1999). "Obituary: Anne Haddy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012.
26. ^ "S.A. Woman Brilliant Scientist". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. 95, no. 29, 386. South Australia. 17 December 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 21 May 2016 - via National Library of Australia.
27. ^ a b ""Old Girls" Will Honor Their Headmaster". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. 97, no. 29, 900. South Australia. 13 August 1954. p. 15. Retrieved 21 May 2016 - via National Library of Australia.
28. ^ Blake, Alastair, Physics in Adelaide 5 May. 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
29. ^ Possingham, Hugh, My genius mother, Barbara Possingham Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist, 24 February 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
30. ^ Henschke, Bob (June 2012), Letter to the Editor: Adelaide High School Old Scholars Association (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2016
31. ^ "Girl Wins Tennyson Medal". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 13 January 1940. p. 22. Retrieved 21 May 2016 - via National Library of Australia.
32. ^ Tom Koutsantonis MP, SA Government, archived from the original on 5 March 2016
33. ^ WELCOME CEREMONIAL SITTING FOR THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE B.R. MARTIN: Transcript of proceedings (PDF), Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, 2 February 2004, archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2012, "Your Honour was educated at Adelaide High School"
34. ^ Cockburn, Stewart; Ellyard, David (1981). Oliphant, the Life and Times of Sir Mark Oliphant. Adelaide: Axiom Books. p. 19\. ISBN 978-0-9594164-0-4.
35. ^ Craig Campbell, "Adelaide High School: Inventing a state high school", Dehanz, March 6, 2019.

## External links[edit]

* Virtual Tour:[2]

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Members of the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools, South Australia

* Adelaide High School
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