FRANKSTON HIGH SCHOOL IS TURNING 100
Optima Semper - Best Always
The above photo was taken on the first day of 2024, with VCE students, Year 7 students and the majority of staff. The picture was taken via drone, by a Year 11 Student Blake Alford Ryan (with support from a staff member).
The hard-fought battle for a high school in Frankston FRANKSTON High School turns 100 on February 12 2024! We take our large local schools for granted nowadays but they haven't always been here. While primary schools were established fairly quickly, (incidentally Frankston Primary School aka Davey Street turns 150 this year) the push to establish schooling for older students took some time. This was largely due to the prevalent opinion that most young people would be better off working
and it was seen as the employer's responsibility to teach them the necessary skills for their particular job. There was also a bit of a bias against children from working class backgrounds....what did they need an education beyond Grade 6 for? But Frankston mothers refused to accept this. They began to lobby the Education Department to insist that a secondary school be built in the area. A referendum was held by the Shire of Frankston & Hastings (combined population in 1921 of 3843!) and a
majority of 560 voted to hand land in Cranbourne Rd over to the Education Department. The new Minister of Public Instruction, Sir Alexander Peacock, was 'ambushed' on his way back from holidaying in Portsea to hear the latest about Frankston's efforts to build a secondary school. But the fight was worth it. Frankston High School opened at The Masonic Hall in Young Street on February 12, 1924, with a total enrollment of 64 pupils. But conditions
were Spartan. There were no desks, no blackboards, no inkwells and the children had to sit on rough benches till the furniture arrived. There were three forms, with two classes being taught in the one room, separated by a material divider. Mr Chapman was the Headmaster. He was an ex-officer from WW1 and evidently was very 'military' in his bearing. The hall was tin on the outside, painted cream, with just dirt surrounding the building.
Frankston High School is turning 100 years!
By the end of 1924 80 pupils attended FHS and additional premises were rented. The Rechabite Hall in Thompson Street was used for typing classes. Bond's Market, on the corner of Wells and Thompson Streets, was a classroom four days a week and a fruit and vegetable market on Friday! (Source: "Optima Semper Frankston High School 1924-94" by Mary A Evans, Heather Murray, & Jenny Evans. 1995)
We have some exciting activities planned including our official opening of our new building, our book launch of “100 Years, a 100 Voices: FHS Centenary Book,” former staff luncheon, various alumni events, alumni as guest speakers to our students, tours through our museum and student led activities, with our BestFest festival at the end of the year. We look forward to celebrating with our current and former students and staff, as well as with the wider community.
BOOK NOW
FOOT STREET FRANKSTON VIC 3199 9783 7955
for our Centenary Celebrations via our website: www.fhs.vic.edu.au/ centenary-celebrations
Optima Semper - Best Always Frankston Times
13 February 2024
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