meet some of our former students

I was a school captain at Enfield Public School. There were 4 captains (2 boys and 2 girls), and we were given many responsibilities. We used to collect mail, raise and take down the Australian flag, collect and present awards at assemblies and much more.

In year 6, we had a few different teachers in the same year. One of my experiences was very negative. Afterwards, we received a new teacher, Mr. Tam. He was one of the best teachers I have had, and this made me want to be a teacher (which I am).

In Year 6, I was involved in a school magazine. This was created by the students and was printed and released to the community members at the school. We had some lunchtimes where we could talk over the school speakers and had a lunchtime radio! I was also part of the debating team. I had one teacher per year, apart from Year 6, where my class had three different teachers. A regularly used punishment was sitting outside the staffroom. We used to have a reward system where we worked up to receiving a principal medal. Once we received this, we got to have lunch with the principal - which I did.

We never had devices in our classrooms. We had to go to the computer room if we needed to use technology. Our teacher had to book a time for the class to use the room. There were only computers. We mainly used computers to publish writing or to practice typing. Every Friday afternoon, Years 3-6 would play sports together. It was a game called Macnet (I can’t quite remember). We had teams for the year and would verse each other.

I was the school captain in 1997 (Year 6). At the time, we had 2 captains (one boy and one girl) and 2 vice-captains. In Year 5, I was sports Vice Captain for Boronia.

I remember that part of my leadership role was that we had the school bell that we were responsible for ringing. The bell was rung before class, recess, lunch and home time. I think we also had SRC in our younger years (maybe Year 4 onwards). These meetings are where we would discuss whole school activities and general upcoming school events. 

As captain, we also hosted presentation days, gave out principals awards and hosted assemblies like ANZAC day. 

Some of the teachers' names I can remember from my time at Enfield are Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Accaria. I remember Mr. Accaria telling me that I should continue studying and going to university. He made an impact on me and I did end up going to university and studying for a Bachelor of Business Degree. Today, I run a finance business and remember the important message of encouragement I was given by this teacher. 

I enjoyed the sports carnivals days and still enjoy watching and playing sports today.

At school, we had a canteen area and an old shed next to the canteen where all the sports equipment was kept. We would do sporting activities either on school grounds or sometimes, we would go over to Henley Park and use the facilities there. We didn't have a school hall, just a main building. We used this area also to host our school sports carnivals. We had a few basketball camps where the school organised for players from Sydney Kings to come and visit the school. We had a few sessions with the players, which I remember were really fun and a highlight! We also had a sports teacher from outside the school come to run sports sessions at one stage during my time at Enfield. I remember he was a rugby league player and played for Manly in one of the grand finals. We were also lucky enough to have a school visit from the Sydney Olympic Soccer Team. The main soccer league at the time was NSL before the A-league existed. 

At the end of the year, we would have an important award ceremony. At this ceremony, the school would give us medals for academic achievement and sports achievements. At this assembly, the leadership team for the following year was also announced, including the school captain. This was usually held at Burwood Girls. 

Although this wasn't necessarily a rule, there was a school prayer that students were encouraged to say before school. It was something along the lines of - I pray for the strength of character to be an honest, caring and helpful member of my school, my family and my community. 

An important rule that did exist was the no hat, no play rule! This meant that if students didn't have a hat on their heads to protect themselves from the sun, they were required to play in the shade.    

I do remember that there was a sand pit on the school grounds. We didn't have any soccer goals but the kids got creative and used trees as pretend soccer goalposts! We did have monkey bars, which were fun to play on during break times. 

 A highlight and memory of mine from my time at Enfield is that one of our teachers (Mrs Taylor) created a time capsule. We all put something into the time capsule and then it was buried at the front of the school near the flagpole at the main entrance gate. I also remember it being located near the tree that was planted as a memory of Maryanne, a student who passed away from heart issues. The purpose of this was so that one day in the future the time capsule could be pulled out and looked at to remember old memories. It will show what life was like for students at the time of us burying it! I hear it will be opened on the 100 year anniversary next year! How exciting!

Mr Bacchus owned the shop where I bought lunch every Monday. He knew us all by name. I ordered a Big Ben pie and it was delicious. On the opposite corner of Shelley Street and Portland Street was another little shop called Jurds where you could buy your lunch. There was also another shop next to the school catering to the kids on that side of the school. When Mr Bacchus closed, the mums took over what is now the staff room. You could order pies or sausage rolls, but you had to order in advance; you couldn't buy anything at lunch or recess. Then it skyrocketed and it became a full-time canteen. There used to be a long line every Monday, with kids waiting to pick up their lunches.

I think Mr Robinson was the boys' principal and Ms Davis (who was Scottish) was the girls' principal. In infants, boys and girls were together, but in primary, we were separated. The girls' department was up Liverpool Road end and the boys' department was on the opposite end. There was no canteen. We had a tuck shop once a month that parents put on. At that time, the OC classes were there as well. The tuck shop eventually became a kindergarten. Before that, there was a deaf school there. A fence divided the playground, with boys on one side and girls on the other. The girls wore navy blue box tunics, and the boys wore grey. Milk was delivered every day in glass bottles with silver lids that you peeled off, though it sometimes turned unpleasant due to being left in the sun.

The girls' side of the yard had trees all along the fence line, and we used to play hide 'n' seek, what's the time, Mr Wolf?, Skipping and a couple of different ball games were popular too. In winter, we had open fires in the classroom. Initially, the blackboard was on a big easel and took two people to turn it around. The girls' toilets were where the current play equipment is, and the boys' toilets were behind where the canteen is now. Weather sheds were past the pagoda where the grass starts, with separate ones for boys and girls, each equipped with bubblers.

We wore a white blouse under our tunic, which was the starting uniform. Previously, the uniform had been khaki and grey for winter. The boys played cricket, marbles, and card games with cricket cards. The boys played cricket as sport while I played basketball. There were swimming and sports carnivals, with the latter held behind the houses next to what was previously a brickworks. A paling fence divided the boys' and girls' playground.

We used pencils and slate cards for cursive writing. School magazines came once a month. Sewing lessons were part of the curriculum, where we made placemats and aprons by hand. Inkwells were on top of the desk, fitting into a hole. Pens were dipped into the ink, and the nibs could be replaced. Blotting paper was used to dry the ink.

I was a sports captain, but my sister and cousin were school captains. The teachers I can remember are Mrs. Cacapado, Miss Spence, Mr. Reid, and Mrs. Sleeman. My principal was Mr. Wright. All classes were compulsory. There were no classes only for girls and boys.

When I was younger, I did not want to be a teacher. I did become one, but my school experience did not affect what I wanted to be when I was older. I don't really remember there being any big changes to the school, but there probably was; I just don't remember.

There were no specific programs that I could really participate in, so for that reason, I was not involved in any. The Winter and Summer PSSA sports were Soccer and Netball for Winter, and for Summer, there was T-ball.

The major events held annually were Award Night and Christmas performances that each class did on the stage.

I went to zone, regionals, and state for cross country, but I didn't go to state because there was a lot of pressure, causing me to be nervous. Girls were expected to only wear dresses every day, so we went to school in a dress. There weren't any BLAST awards, and we didn't have a BLAST system.

I do know people who attended EPS and are now successful. They are my cousins and sister.

During my time at Enfield, there were seven teachers, and there were around 300 kids when I attended EPS. I don't know any teachers who taught me to this day, but I know Mrs. Sleeman, and she taught my sister.

There were specific dress codes, different for boys and girls. Girls wore dresses and skirts, while boys and girls did not get the option to wear shorts. In every event, a certain number of parent volunteers were needed. My mum did banking for students, and most kids had a DollarMite account.

There were two halls inside the main building: one in the 5th and 6th area, and the other was the area outside the kindergarten room, which is called the kindy area. Our normal punishment was staying in the classroom during lunch and recess. There was not as much play equipment, and there was a toilet block where the chickens are now. We had assemblies every Friday upstairs in the main building. My family and friends, along with all cousins and siblings, went to Enfield with me. We had swimming and dance classes, which were extra activities not everyone had to attend. I remember that one of EPS's past students planted all the trees that follow along to the back gate.

It was a very positive experience for me, and everything about my experience was amazing.

I was a sports captain for Waratah, which was a red sports house.

Mrs. Lamasni was my school principal, and my classroom was adjacent to her office, and the class was called 6L. We called her the headmistress. Even though she was our principal, she also taught my class.

Most subjects were essential, e.g., math, English, writing, etc., however, the girls did knitting, sewing, and needlework, and the boys did woodwork. We were all involved in sports; however, the boys did more sports than us girls.

The boys weren't allowed to do needlework, and the girls weren't allowed to do woodwork.

When I was younger, I didn't really want to be a teacher because I thought that their job was way too hard. But now that I look back at it, I see that all the kids have such a wonderful connection with their teachers, so I think that might encourage the students to want to be a teacher when they grow up.

There weren't many changes to the school. For example, where the kindy classroom is now, that was the toilet block and where the toilets are. My kindy classroom was there, so in the afternoon, I would look out of the windows and wait for my mum to come and pick me up. I also remember that in kindy, we had little naps on these mattresses in the afternoon.

There was no library like there is today. We had to walk up to the local library and go read there. Another thing that would inform us was a radio in each of the classrooms, and it would speak to us in the afternoon. What we also had were these books, and in these books were songs, and the lad on the radio would sing them, and it was heard by all the classes.

Some major events that were held every year or so were the Fancy Dress Frolic, Book Week, Dollen Toy Parade, and Education Week. Because we didn't have a hall, these events would usually take place in Greenwood hall.

In athletics, I was able to make it to Zone, which is the next level, but because Enfield Aquatic Centre was right down the road, there were a lot of good swimmers.

Most of the time, girls were expected to wear either a tunic or bloomers every day, and the boys wore normal shorts and t-shirts.

We didn't have BLAST (Be Safe, Learn for Life, And Show Respect Together); we just had normal academic awards like books.

My three kids went to Enfield Public School, and I still know them and their friends to this day. My kids' names were Laura, Tara, and James. One of Laura's friends was Thandi Phoenix, who is now a famous singer. Another famous person who went to school here in Enfield was John Singleton.

There were at least two classes for each year, e.g., 4A, 4B, and the letter that was after the class year was always the teacher's initial after the year. There were no composite classes, e.g., 5/6T; there were only straight classes.

The classes were larger when I attended; for example, there were 25 kids in each of the kindy classes, and there were up to 35 kids in the other classes, so there were around 470 kids.

There once was a time when the girls were on one side of the playground, and the boys were on the other side. Another significant memory of mine was when there was a canteen where the staff room is now, and I used to give the canteen lady 30 cents, and then I would get milk for recess.

I started school at 9:25, and school ended at 3:25. In my first year, there were at least 14 classes, whereas now there are 9 classes.

One of my more negative memories was that I wasn't allowed to play soccer.

One of the normal punishments for the kids was to get the cane, mostly only for the boys, and for everyone in general, it would be writing on the board, e.g., "I will not talk in class" 100 times, or you had to pick up rubbish from the playground.

We only had assemblies once a week, every Friday.