Shepparton High School

Shepparton High School (SHS) was a public high school in Shepparton, Victoria, Australia. It opened in 1909 as Shepparton Agricultural High School – the first high school in Shepparton and one of the first public high schools in Victoria. It closed in December 2019 to make way for the construction of Greater Shepparton Secondary College, which is scheduled to open in 2022.[2]

Shepparton High School
Address
31-71 Hawdon Street

Shepparton
,
Victoria
,
3630

Australia
Coordinates36°22′19″S 145°24′55.5″E
Information
TypePublic high school
MottoLabour Conquers All
Opened20 April 1909 (1909-04-20)
ClosedDecember 2019 (2019-12)
PrincipalChristine Cole
Years offered7–12
Enrolment638[1]
Colour(s)Navy blue and white   
Websitewww.shs.vic.edu.au

History

The school was first opened on 20 April 1909 as Shepparton Agricultural High School, with a roll of 31 students.[3] The Governor of Victoria, Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, formally opened the school a month later, on the 20th of May. The ceremony was attended by the Director of Education, Frank Tate, the Minister for Education, Alfred Billson, the Minister for Agriculture, George Graham, the Clerk of Parliaments, Sir George Jenkins, and various others.[4] It was the first high school in Shepparton,[5] and one of the first public high schools in the state of Victoria.[6]

As one of the ten agricultural high schools created from 1907 to 1912,[5] its agricultural aspect was intended to address a perceived need for better technical education in rural Victoria following the nationwide depression of the 1890s.[6] To this end, each school was supplied with agricultural equipment and farmland with which to teach these skills.[6] While Victoria's first high schools were vocational in name, their curriculum was still considerably academic.[5][6] Besides the agricultural course, a more general course was also available to students, and was seen as a continuation of the state's existing primary education system.[6]

A lack of local interest in the agricultural course meant that it did not last long.[5][6] By 1914, only 9 of the 129 students enrolled at the school were taking the course. It was eventually replaced by a single subject, Agricultural Science, requiring little practical work,[5] and by 1918, even the word "Agricultural" had been semi-officially dropped from the school's name.[6] The school's farm fared better, proving valuable to the farmers and horticulturists of the area through its agricultural experiments. The farm also made a profit, which was unique among Victoria's agricultural high schools, and ensured its continued support throughout the 1920s.[6] The Great Depression of the 1930s saw an end to that success,[6] and the farmland was finally put up for sale in 1939.[7]

Sports

The SHS Football Club's under 14s played in three consecutive grand finals (2004–2006), winning in 2005 and 2006.

Notable alumni

References
  1. https://www.goodschools.com.au/compare-schools/in-Shepparton-VIC/shepparton-high-school
  2. Carey, Adam (4 September 2019). "Shepparton super school for 3000 kids to be built on site that has 500". The Age. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  3. "Agricultural High School". The Argus (19, 579). Melbourne. 21 April 1909. p. 8. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Visit of State Governor". Geelong Advertiser (19, 381). 21 May 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "School History". Shepparton High School. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  6. Martin, Rodney Albert (1977). The Victorian agricultural high schools: origins, development and failure (M.Ed.). The University of Melbourne. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  7. "Classified Advertisements". Shepparton Advertiser. 4 (95). 8 December 1939. p. 16. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.


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