Manning River Times

Included here are cuttings and articles relating to Chatham High School that have been published in the Manning River Times Newspaper. Some scans have proven of too poor quality due to discolouration from ageing newsprint, so Optical Character Recognition has been used to enable publication.

Chatham High School Supplement

Manning River Times - Tuesday, 5th April 1966

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp13

Chatham High School, the towns second, is now functioning in its own buildings opening a new era in education in Taree. This supplement published to mark the opening of the school on Thursday, March 31st, 1966 is the preface to the Chatham story, a story which will be written by succeeding generations of students who pass through its doors.

Art, craft, music and physical education are integral parts of the course followed by every child, so we find provision of increased facilities for the proper development of all these courses.

Designed To Meet Education's Special Needs

By Mr. L. W. KELSEY, Principal, Chatham High School

CHATHAM High School is designed to meet the special demands and changed pattern of secondary education as embodied in the Wyndham Report.

Art, craft, music and physical education are integral parts of the course followed by every child, so we find provision of increased facilities for the proper development of all these courses.

The woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing rooms provide for it wide range of activities for the boys, and the home science and needlework rooms will be equally well equipped for the girls. The roomy art section will meet the new demands for the extension of this subject. with specialised equipment for those whose interests lie in that direction. The music room has generous storage space, and appropriate furniture and equipment.

The library is fast coming to be accepted as the focal point of the school, so the Chatham library unit extends the full length of the south side of the first door of Block 2, Here there is a spacious main reading room, with a library annexe, which can serve as a full sized class room, if necessary, leading off from one end, while at the other end of the library is a smaller group study room along Accent on the natural side the librarians office and work room.

In senior years there is such increasing emphasis on individual or group study that periods tor such are integrated into the timetables for each student. The ability to make effective use of such periods is worthwhile in itself for every young adult, and is particularly important in their preparation for later university studies.

Group Study Periods

Training for effective use of free or group study periods must of course begin in the junior classes, and the immediate provision of adequate library facilities is of paramount importance. The government establishment grant of books selected by the School Library Services, the timely and substantial share of 2RE's Tangletown competition held last year for Wingham and Chatham High Schools, together with generous donations from P&C's in some of the feeder areas of the school have all helped provide the nucleus of a good library. This is an area where any help by well wishers of the school would be greatly appreciated.

The two large well equipped science laboratories which flank the science store and preparation room, with the refrigerator and other specialised equipment will provide the conditions for meeting the increasing demands of the new science curriculum. The pupils will benefit from the schools share of the science equipment and reference books provided by Commonwealth grants.In line with the current trend in the teaching of agriculture in the schools, the farm plot is small but is conveniently placed near the science laboratories. A shed for housing farm machinery and incorporating change rooms for both boys and girls will be built and a modern spray irrigation system has been approved. Visits to local farms to see the practical application of the theory the classes study has become an important feature of current practice in school agriculture. However the normal expansion of the agriculture courses at the school will depend in part on the acquisition of additional land convenient to the school and it would be a tragedy if land nearby that is presently underdeveloped is not acquired before it is too late.

Facilities for physical education in the school are outstanding. The football and hockey fields, when completed, will be invaluable assets as they are conveniently placed. The twin paved courts can serve for tennis, badminton or mens basketball by changing the position of moveable posts.

The shelter areas adjacent to the tuckshop can double as a mens basketball court. Representations have been made to have gymnasium equipment fitted in this area so that classes can carry on purposefully and comfortably in all weathers. The dressing rooms, each supplied with ample quantities of hot water for showers, are in keeping with the high standard of appointments throughout the school.Energetic Committee

The tuckshop has met with the approval of the energetic ladies committee that was in business when the first classes moved in on Thursday last.

In various parts of the school some equipment is still to be delivered – and much will have to be provided by the school. I feel confident that the school will prove as functional as it is attractive, and well equipped to turn out good citizens for Taree and district.

The teaching staff and pupils have had a very long wearying wait for the buildings but the frustrations and disappointments have been greatly eased by the generous hospitality extended to us by Taree High School, by the cooperation we have received from men on the job, by the consideration that has been shown to us by so many people, and by the support we have received from the parents of the pupils.

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp14

Accent On The Natural

The emphasis has been kept on natural finish for the exterior of the three new buildings which compromise Chatham High School.

Exterior walls are brick and off the form concrete, exterior woodwork is oiled and windows are aluminium framed.

This theme has also been carried to the interior, where many of the walls are plain brick. But this natural finish enhances the beauty of the buildings in their bushland setting. Many of the natural trees remain on the site. and buildings look out over undeveloped land to the north and west. Foreman, Mr Trevor Hammond, said he believed that the new high school was one of the best appointed in the State. It was one of a number of schools being built to a new pattern.City, Country

The first of these was built at Turramurra, the second at Dubbo and a number of others, with Chatham high on the list, have followed. The buildings were designed by the same team that were responsible for Taree’s Blacket Award-winning technical college, under the supervision of Government architect, Mr E. Farmer. An unusual feature of the school is that it contains only six ordinary classrooms, while all others are for specialist studies. These include music, art, technical drawing, domestic science, needle work, science, library, metal woodwork and woodwork rooms.And all of these are well-equipped for their particular phase of instruction.

The woodwork rooms are equipped with four large lathes, the metalwork room with lathes, vices, anvils and all the necessary equipment, and the art room has even a pottery wheel and kiln.

Between the two art rooms is a folding door, on the back of which is a blackboard for when the rooms are used individually.

Instead of the normal chairs and desks, the music room is equipped with chairs, with a large flat armrest for note-making.

All buildings are joined by covered walkways. When block 4 is built, it will be possible to walk from one end of the school to the other without getting wet, despite the fact that it is housed in four separate buildings.

Block 3, which is on the eastern side of block 1, features the canteen, a large gym. 84 feet by 40 feet, storerooms and 3 showers and toilets for boys and girls.

Two hundred and forty gallons of hot water is available to each of the shower sections.

To the east of block 3 are the playing fields. Football and hockey fields are being made, but not yet complete.

A concrete playing area can serve a number of purposes. It can be used as either two handball courts, two basketball courts, two tennis courts or six volley ball courts.

Although they have not yet completely grown, all lawns surrounding the school have been planted, including the ones in the centre courtyards of blocks 1 and 2.

The assembly area is overlooked by the headmaster’s rostrum, which is surrounded by a railing of 12 inch by three Pacific Maple.

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp15

Skills Of 230 Went Into Job

About 230 men were engaged in the building of the new Chatham High School.

From the turning of the first sod, a daily average of 36 or 37 men attended the site.

Most of the men were employed by R. J. Burg Pty Ltd or local subcontractors.

Elapsed time on construction of the new buildings was 16 months. The bill of quantities for the $404,000 project covered 232 pages.

The three buildings stand on land with a perimeter of 3,300 feet (1,006 metres).

To provide foundations for the building about 10,570 cubic yards (8,081 cu metres) of earth and rock were excavated. Each classroom block measures 103 feet three inches (31.5 metres) square.

The equivalent of 274 trucks of ready made concrete, 1,648 cubic yards (1,260 cu metres), was used in foundations and floors.

Fifty eight tons (58.9 tonnes) of steel were required to reinforce this concrete, while the total structural steelwork, including columns and roof beams, weighed 93 tons (94.5 tonnes).

A total of 321,000 bricks, or 1,284 tons (1,305 tonnes) weight were used in the buildings. Timber used in the buildings amounted to 58,617 super feet (138.3 cu metres).

The roofs cover an area of 29,000 square feet (2,694 sq metres). Floors are covered with 2,100 square yards (1,756 sq metres) of vinyl tiles, of 13 tons (13.2 tonnes) in weight. The vermiculitis sprayed ceilings measure 2,469 square yards (2,064 sq metres).

The longest windows, of which there are five, measure 96 feet four and a quarter inches (29.4 metres).

There are 3,300 square yards (2,760 sq metres) of concrete paving and 10,300 square yards (8,637 sq metres) of lawn. Two hundred keys are required for the locks in the buildings and 300 gallons (1,364 litres) of oil and paint were required.

Twenty Two On Staff

Chatham High School has a staff of 22, headmaster, deputy headmaster plus 19 teachers and a clerical employee:

Headmaster: Mr L.W. Kelsey

Deputy Headmaster: Mr K. W. Harrap

Clerical: Mrs L. Hardy

Librarian: Miss R. Toohey

English: Mr A. Plesker (Master), Mr K. Proctor, Miss B. McBean

Mathematics: Mr D.A.C. Cameron, Mr M. Garland

Science: Mr A. Browning, Mr F. Catt, Miss J. Owen

Commerce and Social Studies: Mrs V. Carr, Mr I. Finlayson

Manual Arts: Mr D. Bruce, Mr J. Letchford

Domestic Science: Mrs M. Pryor, Miss L. Ianna

Physical Education: Mr D. Ferguson

Art: Mr R. Mellen

Music: Mrs R. Allen

French: Miss D. Sproule

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp16

The Flick Of A Switch

Electrical equipment in the new Chatham High School is most modern, and compromises a major part of the work in the new school.

The work was carried out by W. Dwyer, a co-contractor with R.J. Burg and Company.

Contract price for the electrical work was $19,400, of which $4,800 was for switchboards.

A total of 50,000 yards (45.7 kM) of cable, about 28 miles was used in the light and power circuits.

The work was carried out under a separate contract to the builders. Mr Dwyer said that this would be one of the last of the major works carried out by the Department of Public Works

for which co-contractors were engaged.

Future electrical contracts will be under the sub contract to the builder.

Mr Dwyer said that two of his men had been working on the job full time for about 12 months and seven had been engaged in putting the finishing touches on the work for the past few weeks.There was a problem with the electrical installation in block 2, when a conduit system had to be designed before the installation took place.

Provision has been made for a lot of additional and future work.

About 1000 feet (305 metres) of two inch (50 mm) water pipe has been laid for future extensions.

The main switchboard for the present work is in the incinerator block. This supplies the power to distribution boards in each block.

Although lighting is not provided in classrooms at this stage, the buildings have been conduited to provide for adequate lighting at a later stage.

Where lights have been installed, for example in the library, the most modern fluorescent fittings have been used.

Forty rooms have been installed in the buildings. These comprise a concrete block, with a thermostatically controlled unit working on off-peak power.

Called Thermicons, they radiate heat like a big stove.

Chatham On The Rise

Clearing of the site for the new Chatham High School and establishment of levels started in September 1964.

By April last year, the footings and drainage for all buildings were completed.

This was about 20 percent of the work of stages 1 and 2

The first steel, on Block 1, was erected in January 1965.

Block 1 was completed in August 1965 and Block 3 in November

The finishing touches were put on block 2 on Thursday, the day the first students moved in.

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp17

Active Parent Support

Mr Ray Dobbs' association with the Chatham High School goes back to the period when he was president of the Chatham Public School P and C Association.

In those days, the public school P and C Association could see the need for a high school at Chatham, because of overcrowding at Taree High School.

To further their aim for a second high school at Taree, a planning committee, headed by Mr Dobbs was formed.

This was not called a P and C Association because there was at yet no school formed.

One of the main objects of the committee was to get the Department of Education to see the need for a high school.

Another was to fix the site for the school. A location marked for school purposes had been taken off an old map of the town.

Access

Once the site was determined, the planning committee battled for access. During their campaign, they made many approaches to council and sent a number of petitions.

The late Mr Les Jordan, then member for Oxley, was a great help in having tenders called for the new school.

These were called, and the tender was awarded to J. Burg and Company. Work on the new buildings started in 1964.

Also late in 1964, shortly before the school enrolled its first students, Chatham High P and C was formed with Mr Dobbs at the helm.

Access was given to the school along Vincent Street, but then the P and C could forsee a traffic problem if Davis Street was not built.

They again made presentations to council, which eventually consented to do the work. The Department of Education gave financial assistance on both Vincent Street and Davis Street.

The need for Davis Street was great, because about 75% of students for the new school would come from out of town. This would mean that they would have to travel by bus, and would need to be dropped near the school in inclement weather.

The association has now seen a school built to house students from the area, instead of two schools being housed at Taree High School.

They have also been promised that tenders for Block 4 will be called alter this year. This block is needed for future expansion.

Mr Dobbs, who has seen the project through since its beginning, has lived in Taree since 1948. He is the father of three children. One attends Chatham High School, one Chatham Public School and the other has yet to start school.

Message

Mr Dobbs said yesterday: "I am highly delighted to see that the new Chatham High School is now in use. It will be the realisation of a lot of peoples dreams. My thanks go to the foundation members of the planning committee and the P and C for their support for the project. Only with this support can we emerge as a force to point to the department what is needed at the school. When the fourth block is completed, the school will hold its own with any on the North Coast. Nothing will surpass it. Equipment at the new school is good, but as a P and C we will have to work to see that the school is better equipped. It will be a pleasure for children to go to school in the new buildings. If a child can't learn in these surroundings, he will never learn".

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp18

Women Are On The Job Daily

A week before Chatham High School received its first classes, a group of women was busy preparing for the coming of the students.

They were the energetic team from the canteen committee.

Headed by Mrs Max Wright, they attended the school daily, stocking the canteen and getting everything ready for the first customers.

The canteen is run on a voluntary basis and the committee hopes to eventually have a paid supervisor.

President, Mrs Wright, said that the response to the canteen roster was disappointing at this stage, but she felt more would take part when the school was operating. The canteen caters for the schools 400 children.

Experience

Mrs Wright, said that most of the women on the canteen roster had experience in the work at Taree High Schools tuck shop.

The Canteen is very spacious, and has two refrigerators. One was supplied by the department and the other was bought by the committee.

Other equipment includes a food slicer, three hot plates, a 90 pie heater and a milkshake mixer.

Taree High School Tuck Shop Committee gave their Chatham counterparts $40 to help them with the equipment.

The canteen is completely flyproof and has roller shutters and gauze doors.

All benches are laminex topped and the canteen has a double bowl sink. Proceeds of the canteen will go to the school.

Mrs Wright said that the committee hoped to make a substantial annual contribution to the school. Secretary of the committee is Mrs Halpin and treasurer Mr I. Finlayson.

Long Association With Building Industry In Taree

General Foreman on the Chatham High School job, Mr Trevor Hammond, is well known in the Taree building trade.

He started with the firm Schmitzer and Burg, later to chage to R.J. Burg and Company in 1949 and has been with the firm ever since.

Mr Hammond started in the building trade before World War II when he was apprenticed to Mr Ralph Chequer. He was then away for five years with the 7th Division.

When he returned to Taree after the war, he took up where he left off. When he did his training, technical colleges were not as common as they are today, and most learnt the trade by job experience.

Interest In Training

However, he now takes an interest in this method of training, and is secretary of the Taree Technical College District Committee and part time teaches homecraft woodwork at the college.

Mr Hammond has had considerable experience in major building works. He twice supervised extensions to Woolworths, the Taree Literary Institute, Chatham Public School and Buladelah High School.

He has also designed and prepared specifications for a number of buildings in the town.

He is a married man, and father of two children, Guy, 16 and Vicki, 12. Guy is interested in aviation, and Vicki was last year dux of Taree Primary School.

Mr Hammond said that he found the Chatham High School a challenging and fascinating job. He was amazed at the flexibility of the design. It was well thought out, he said.

Mr Hammond said the staff employed on the job had worked well and given a high standard of workmanship. "They have given close attention to all stages of their work, and I am grateful for their efforts." he said.

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp19

230 New Keys

The Keys to the New Chatham High School were handed over at the first official assembly of the new school.

The builder, Mr R.J. Burg, handed over the keys to a senior student, Lynette Hopper.

Their First Assembly

Headmaster, Mr L. Kelsey, officially welcomed the guests, including district inspector of schools, Mr H. Hurrell; town clerk, Mr C.H. Powditch; Mr Burg; foreman Mr T. Hammond; plumber Mr A. Chapman; Health inspector, Mr W. Davidson and Messrs A.W. Thompson and Mr H. McCrindle of 2RE, to the ceremony.

Mr Burg congratulated Lynette on being chosen to receive the keys of Chatham High School.

"I hope you have long memory of your schooldays", he said. "May the school bring many successes".

Lynette expressed appreciation of the part that R.J. Burg and Company played in the building. She said that it was a pleasure to move into the new school. "We have waited a fair while to enjoy this moment", she said.

Mr Burg then presented the master keys of the school to headmaster, Mr Kelsey.

He wished the staff and students success and happiness and said that the students would be proud of having spent their schooldays at Chatham High School.

He thanked Mr Kelsey for his cooperation with the foreman, Mr Hammond. "With cooperation, everything can be achieved", he said. Mr A.W. Thompson presented a cheque for $463.27 to the school library. The amount was half the proceeds of the Tangletown competition conducted by the station.

The other half was given to Wingham High School for the library.

Mr Thompson congratulated the school on moving into its new premises. He said that he realised that education had to be as wide as possible.Tangletown enabled 2RE to take part in community affairs and bought to public notice the organisations that needed support.

Brian Everingham, who received the cheque, said that the money would be wisely spent. He said this would help the school a great deal.

District inspector of schools, Mr Hurrell, said that this was a historic occasion. The students must feel a sense of pride at being the first group in the new school. "They will establish the traditions", he said.

Town Clerk, Mr C.H. Powditch, said that when the school grew, the students would feel proud that they were there on the first day.

Manning River Times Supplement 05 April 1966 pp20

Symbol Of Our New Era

By the HON. C. B. CUTLER, MLA,Minister for Education and Science.

The opening of Chatham High School has provided good grounds for the feelings of satisfaction and pride which have been engendered in the community that it serves.

Chatham has now taken its place among the great secondary schools of the State.

It is appropriate that this fine school should be situated in a thriving and prosperous district where it has become a symbol of local progress.

At this period stages one and two of the building operations have been completed, and work on stage three will begin in the next financial year.

Work carried out on the undertaking to date has entailed the Government in an expenditure of $425,770, and the completion of stage 3 will cost an additional $120,000 with another, $15,000 to be spent on playing fields.

Six Classrooms

Expenditure on stages one and two has provided six classrooms, music room, double art room, administrative suite, two science laboratories, descriptive geometry room, needlework room, cookery room, staff studies, and library with library annexe. A metalwork and woodwork room and armoury are included in the building complex.

Extensive playing fields are in the course of construction.

Work on stage III will provide four classrooms, one metalwork room, two form masters’ studies, one science laboratory, storerooms, two shelter areas and two conversions.

All in all it can be seen that a very extensive job of work has been carried out.

The commodious accommodation that has now become available has been designed to meet the existing and future needs of the school.

Last year Chatham High School had an enrolement of 256 pupils.

I have no doubt that the construction of this fine school will enjoy the wholehearted endorsement of everyone concerned with the development of the educational services of this State.

Schools First Principal

Mr L. W. Kelsey, Principal of Chatham High School, is a graduate in Arts from Sydney University. Born in Corowa, he attended schools in Corowa, Sutton Forest and Bowral.

His first teaching appointment after leaving Sydney Teachers’ College was at North Newton Demonstration School. Other staffed schools in which he served were Fort Street Junior Technical, Wagga District Rural, and Stanmore Commercial Schools. Mr Kelsey also had three and a half years service in one teacher schools in the Cowra and Hay districts.

After two years as deputy headmaster of Narrabri Intermediate High School he was headmaster successively at Tullibigeal, Coledale, Bellingen, Maclean and Tenterfield. During his thirteen years at Tenterfield he was involved in the planning and building of the Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School.

Transfer to Chatham

Tenterfield High School, however, continued to occupy the old buildings in which the centenary celebrations were celebrated appropriately in buildings which are over 80 years old.

His transfer to Chatham in 1965 has meant a continuation of accommodation and building problems that he hopes will end with the completion of the third stage of Chatham High School early in 1967. There is some significance in the fact that Mr Kelsey decided to buy rather than to build a home when he came to Taree.

Mrs Kelsey was a teacher on the infants staff of South Wagga School before her marriage, and both their daughters are teachers. Janet was on the infants’ staff of Downer Public School in Canberra before she went overseas in 1964, and Patricia was on the staff of Lyneham High School, also in Canberra, before she sailed for overseas early this year. Each plans to spend two years abroad on a working holiday.

Training Citizens

By Mr D. B. COWAN,Member for Oxley.

Taree now has two high schools offering a high standard of secondary education to the town and surrounding districts.

The opening of Chatham High School is in company with the growth of the area and giving the type of education necessary to equip our young generation for their responsibilities.

Through our education system young people are encouraged to develop a better knowledge of advantages and possibilities in education, The system is geared to inculcate in them a sense of responsibility, initiative and leadership.

Citizens, especially parents, should avail themselves of every opportunity to visit schools and become familiar with todays modern trends in education.

Differs

The system differs greatly to that of 20 years ago.

Taree is sharing in this changed system and the provision of this new high school in Chatham will meet increased demands and most importantly provide our young folk with educational amenities and a standard of education equal to anywhere elsein the State.

The new buildings have good appearance, are modern, well situated and an acquisition to the town.It is now occupied and we may look forward to tenders being called for the final section of the school in three months time.

The Chatham High School P&C Association are to be commended upon their active interest in this new school. An energetic P&C Association is an important adjunct to a successful school.

Means a great deal...

By Mr A. M. DUNCAN, Principal Taree High School

Thursday 31st March marked the beginning of a new era in education in Taree.

On that day, the students of Chatham High School moved to their own building, and a second high school, badly needed over the last five years, opened in Taree.

The prescence of a new and very modern school with the latest in design and equipment means a great deal to Taree. Since January 1965 Chatham High School has been accommodated at Taree High School, and it is difficult to imagine that two schools should have worked so harmoniously in one and that inadequate building.

We have to thank Mr Kelsey, his staff and his students for their part in making what could have been an awkward situation into a very pleasant one. Chatham takes away with them our very best wishes for a happy and successful future and we look forward to years of happy cooperation with them in interests of the youth of Taree.