Epping Boys High School turns 50
500 former students got together last night to help celebrate this great occasion ,highlight of the night was a visit and a speech From prime minister John Howard . It was all hands on deck for this gala event a real who’s who of business and sporting types it amazing how many achievers have come from the school .
With 500 hungry men to feed they were not disappointed with sushi platters ,prawns spun in potato, brushetta ,spring rolls ,chicken kebabs,and gourmet pies being some of the items on our premium finger food pack washed down of course with a fine selection of wines and beer. Our 24 staff were certainly kept busy with Jimmy our head chef very pleased with all the positive comments and a phone call from Peter Garrard principal confirming a great night was by all
.NEW principal Peter Garrard will concentrate on raising the academic standard of Epping Boys High to even loftier levels.
The school has produced some “outstanding'’ results, but some girls school students have begun outperforming boys in many areas.
Mr Garrard said the key was to understand the role of young men in society, and to value them.
“How can we make young men want to strive for excellence?'’ Mr Garrard said. “They need to feel good about themselves.
“If they feel good about themselves, they will work hard and achieve results.'’ Mr Gerrard is only the ninth principal of Epping Boys, which was opened by the Education Minister in March 1959, although the school had already been operating for two years.
The school’s great traditions were established early.
The school houses, of Darvall, Harris, Midson and Terry, were named after early landowners and pioneers of Epping and Eastwood.
The motto “Strive to Achieve'’ was chosen in 1959, and the school song in 1960, later modified by Col Byrnes in the early 1990s.
The school flag was sewn by the girls’ needlework mistress.
The first principal, Hector McGregor, was head of a small staff, which taught 275 boys, as well as 130 first year girls, who left for Cheltenham the next year.
Within three years, there were 838 pupils, 42 staff and two clerical assistants.
Today there are 1070 students, 70 teaching staff and 16 School Administration Support Staff.
The original barren, rocky site of almost five hectares was also improved and augmented with land purchased next to Vimiera Rd.
By 1960, the school sat on nine hectares and Parsons’ Pathway commemorates the work of one Manual Arts teacher and a team of boys who cleared a path through the scrub so that students could board buses in Vimiera Rd.
An old orchard had been bought by the Education Department and parents for sporting fields, on which Epping Boys have since won a hard-fought reputation for excellence.
Mr Garrard said scholarship goes hand-in-hand with achievement on the sporting field, in cultural pursuits and by community service.
He attributes the present success of the school to the “very hard work'’ of the staff.
“There’s also a very positive relationship between staff and students,'’ Mr Garrard said.
Mr Garrard started teaching 33 years ago, working mainly at schools in western Sydney, including a stint at Asquith Girls in the mid 1980s.
He was appointed a principal in 2002, working at the co-educational Doonside High School.
He said while Doonside High served a more disadvantaged community, the educational challenges were just as great in the leafy northern districts.
, all suburbs catering, Caterer News, sydney function catering
The easiest way to get to Parramatta Stadium this Saturday night when the Roosters take on the Eels is on the club’s supporters bus, only $10 for Tricolour Members and $15 for Non-Members. Tickets for the bus and the game can be purchased at Sydney Gameday, Bondi Junction Mall. If you can’t make it in before Saturday, simply call Roosters Marketing on (02) 9386 3222 to reserve your seat.