1980's

“The school, in a sense, has grown up.” 

- School Captain, Jullian Rudd at PHGS 25th Anniversary, 1980 (“Blues” 2005)

The school education system has seen tremendous advancements throughout the years, particularly for young women. The 1980s were one of these significant decades, a time of transition and acceptance.

     During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the educational system underwent a transformation, and the concept of multiculturalism was gradually but steadily established following the Racial Discrimination Act, which came into effect on October 31, 1975. By 1982, one third of the school population at Penshurst came from homes where another language was spoken. This sparked events such as multicultural days that showcased diversity within the school, as well as school faculties taking part, with the Social Science Department holding an Asian cultural day in June 1984 to raise and broaden awareness of Asian culture and encourage tolerance through increased understanding.  Aside from foreign cultural appreciation and acknowledgment, the early 1980s also honoured the Indigenous peoples of the country, with the Aboriginal flag flown in recognition in 1983 and Aboriginal studies becoming an integral part of several topics in the school curriculum. As a result, new subjects and projects were introduced to the school curriculum, such as Transition Education and the Participation and Equity Program (PEP), a joint TAFE and Education Department scheme that prepared students for the workforce and aimed to bridge the gap between school and work (Penshurst Girls’ Union, 2005, p. 85). 

Among the new subjects implemented, music and theatre officially became an HSC subject, which was exceptionally popular and best suited to the talents of Penshurst girls, establishing an enormous music and theatrical culture within the school. 

Theatre and Music

Numerous activities were added to the calendar as student-produced musical performances were set up by the school during the 1980s as music and theatre began to take off at the peak of everyone's enthusiasm. Hundreds of Penshurst girls were kept engaged in 1982 as a newly drafted musical play captivated their curiosity. The "Fiddler on the Roof" musical by Jenny and Lionel King, which was generously funded by local businesses, had half the school lined up to audition for casting roles, with 500 students auditioning in all, including boys from Hurstville Boys' High and Narwee Boys' High. Standards were so high that the main leads were often double-cast. Eventually, it came time for the musical performance, the production proved so large that the local newspaper, "The Leader," declared it a "roaring success" (Penshurst Girls’ Union, 2005, p. 88) 

     In that same year of 1982, the Penshurst Girls’ High Choir ranked first place in the St George Eisteddfod, winning a set of encyclopaedia Britannica for the school amongst everlasting pride. 

Acceptance of Differences

The 1980s reshaped the Penshurst Girls' High School system, not just in terms of the education students got, but also in regard to the principles and social constructs taught and ingrained in the school environment. The acceptance of differences wasn’t just limited to cultural background but also applied to minority groups. 

     Due to women gaining greater self-confidence and seeking to turn their ambitions into career paths rather than marriage and domestic duties in the late 1980s, those similar to Faye Glencross, who regretted her lack of education in the early stages of her life, approached the school in an attempt to re-enroll to make up for the opportunities she missed. Fortunately, PHGS welcomed the 26-year-old into year 9 as a mature-age student, with her experience later documented in the local newspaper, “The Leader”, as a satisfying one. Towards the end of the 1980s, Penshurst Girls welcomed another student, Marsha Green, who had been completely blind since birth. She subsequently established herself as an exceptional student and high-achieving athlete (Penshurst Girls’ Union, 2005, p. 87).