Perth Modern School
| Perth Modern School | |
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French: Savoir C'est Pouvoir
Knowledge is Power
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| Location | |
Subiaco, W.A, Australia  |
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| Coordinates | 31°56′42″S 115°50′16″E / 31.9450°S 115.8377°ECoordinates: 31°56′42″S 115°50′16″E / 31.9450°S 115.8377°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Selective, Boarding School, Public, Co-educational, Day school |
| Established | 1911 |
| Principal | Lois Joll |
| Enrolment | 932 (21 April 2011)[1] |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colour(s) | Blue, Yellow & Red |
| Website | www.perthmodernschool.det.wa.edu.au |
Perth Modern School is an academically-selective co-educational public high school located in Subiaco, an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
The school, established in 1911, now caters for students with high academic ability.
Perth Modern School has a specialised music programme for students in Years eight to twelve. The school also offers a specialised ballet course through its Graduate College of Dance.
In 2010 The Age reported that Perth Modern ranked equal fourth among Australian schools based on the number of alumni who had received a top Order of Australia honour.[2]
Fourteen Perth Modern graduates have won Rhodes Scholarships from the University of Western Australia.[3]
Contents |
[edit] History
Perth Modern School was established as the first government senior secondary school in Western Australia in 1911, after lengthy representations to the State Government. Selection from 1912 was by scholarship. Both male and female students studied science and modern languages as part of their courses.
The sphinx, representing wisdom and knowledge, was adopted as the school symbol; together with the motto "Savoir c'est Pouvoir" ("Knowledge is Power").
In 1958 Perth Modern School ceased operating as an academic scholarship school and became a comprehensive high school. Academic standards, the traditions of the past and the establishment of the special Music Scholarship in 1968 continued to have significant influence on the school.
The decision by the State Government to return Perth Modern School to a fully selective government school has attracted record enrolment enquiries. Parents of students enrolled at Perth Modern School, and the wider community, have recognised that by gathering students of high ability in the one school encourages students to “be themselves” with like-minded peers allows opportunity for the development of higher-order thinking skills[4] and meets the social, emotional and educational needs of gifted students.[5] The gifted program is based on Professor Francous Gagne's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent.[6]
[edit] Campus
The School is based around five main areas:
- the original Perth Modern School (the West Building and Oval, but also incorporating the new, purpose-built Music Rooms)
- newer extensions (formerly the Joseph Parsons Memorial Library now demolished and replaced), the East Building, Administration Building, old Canteen (place), Gymnasium, Metal and Woodworking Rooms (now the Table Tennis room and Phys Ed Department office).
- the Visual and Performing Arts Department (the old Photography Studio, Fitness Centre, Ballet Studio, old Performing Arts Theatre and the Graduate College of Dance)
- the Thomas Street Building (originally the Thomas Street Primary School, established in 1904).
- new (2009) buildings, including the Library/Café, Art/Photography/Home Economics Building, Design and Technology Building and the new Performing Arts Theatre.
Perth Modern School's West Building, built in 1911 in Federation Arts and Craft style, was entered into the Heritage Council of Western Australia's Interim Register of Heritage Places in 1992 and the Permanent Register in 2001.[7] Notable details of fine design and craftsmanship in the West Building include the stained glass transom windows and fanlights, executed in Art Nouveau style, fitted to the north front of the building and inside the entrance foyer. The buildings were designed by the chief architect of the Public Works Department, Hillson Beasley.[7]
The West Building was refurbished during the late 1980s. The refurbishment has won several awards and the building is now recognised as one of the premier venues for chamber music and general ensemble performance in Perth. The West Building is linked by a covered walkway to another Heritage Listed building which currently houses the Society and Environment classes.
Perth Modern School's East Building is listed as a fine example of Post-War International style. The building is attached to the new Administration Building, which provides lift access to the first floor of the East Building.[7]
Much of the school has undergone construction to expand its facilities between 2007 and 2009, the project being overseen by Roger Stubbs, former mayor of the City of Armadale.
[edit] Music
Perth Modern is one of two public schools in Perth with a special selective music program, the other being Churchlands Senior High School. The music program at Perth Modern School encompasses the Kodály methodology in its teachings. Most aural and theory concepts are taught with the aid of the philosophies of music by Zoltán Kodály, in which hand signs are used as a way of representing musical notes by holding the hand in a certain position for each note.
The music program places an emphasis on singing. It is a requirement that all students in the programme are in at least one vocal ensemble. The school also has four wind orchestras, three standard orchestras (two string and one symphony) and two classical guitar ensembles as well as various other instrumental groups, chamber choirs and jazz ensembles.
Perth Modern is the host campus of the Western Australian Music Festival (ABODA), which is normally spread over two days; where schools, various orchestras and music groups from Western Australia come to perform to the public. The event is held in a competition format where groups are adjudicated by professional musicians who provide feedback through a detailed report.
With the move to a fully selective school, enrolments in the specialist music program have increased, with over 130 auditions for Year 8, 2011.
[edit] Dance
Perth Modern School hosts the Graduate College of Dance, from which a number of acclaimed high profile dancers have graduated. The Graduate College of Dance is one of Australia's leading vocational dance schools. In conjunction with the Department of Education and Perth Modern, the College prepares talented dancers aged 9 to 17 (year 5 to 12) for the dance profession. The College's comprehensive curriculum combines professional dance training with an academic education to tertiary level.
[edit] City Beach Residential College
Students coming from regional, rural, remote and international areas attending the school can board nearby, at City Beach Residential College, located in Bold Park next to the ISWA (the International School of Western Australia. It contains 72 beds and was funded by a grant from the government. Students have their own large rooms, in 6 bed units, each with 3 bathrooms, a kitchen and recreation area with TV.
[edit] Latest additions
Five new buildings have been constructed as part of the redevelopment of Perth Modern School. These are the library/cafe, art/photography/home economics, design and technology, performing arts centre and administration building. When the library/cafe building was completed, the canteen and library were relocated to the new building, with the old canteen being closed down and the old library being demolished. These buildings were officially opened on the 26th of November 2009.
The Fitness Centre equipment has been moved next to the new Phys. Ed. office, located in the old Design and Technology area. The former Fitness Centre was located in a heritage-listed building, behind the library. The Fitness Centre is open to students at lunchtime, recess and before school.
[edit] House system
In 2007 Perth Modern School introduced a new house system to provide competition and recognition of achievement. The houses are named after the first four school principals and are:
- Brown House (Blue)
- Downing House (Yellow)
- Parsons House (Green)
- Sampson House (Red)
[edit] Notable alumni
Some notable ex-students of Perth Modern School include:
- Caitlin Bassett, member of the Australian Netball Team
- Margaret Battye (1909–1949), lawyer and politician
- Kim Edward Beazley (1917–2007), politician, federal Minister for Education
- Mathew "Cheeky" Cheetham, musician (Downsyde)
- H.C. "Nugget" Coombs (1906–1997), the first Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Hackett Scholar
- Ross Garnaut, Professor of Economics at Australian National University
- Rolf Harris, performer
- Sir Paul Hasluck (1909–1993), 17th Governor-General of Australia
- Bob Hawke, 23rd Prime Minister of Australia, Rhodes Scholar
- John A. Hay, Vice-Chancellor, University of Queensland, Hackett Scholar
- Janet Holmes à Court, philanthropist
- Anthony Jones, AFL Footballer Fremantle Football Club, 2007 Sandover Medalist Claremont Football Club
- Betty Judge, athlete
- Malcolm McCusker QC, 31st Governor of Western Australia[8]
- Ken Michael, 30th Governor of Western Australia, former Chancellor of University of Western Australia
- Paul Ridge (aka Drapht), musician
- Sir Fred Schonell (1900–1969), Vice-Chancellor of University of Queensland, Hackett Scholar
- Alan Seymour, playwright and author, wrote One Day of the Year
- Joe Starke (1911–2006), member of the League of Nations secretariat, Professor of Law at Australian National University, Rhodes Scholar[9]
- John Stone, Secretary to the Treasury, senator for Queensland, Rhodes Scholar
- Eric John Underwood (1905–1980), prominent research scientist, Dean of Agriculture at University of Western Australia, Hackett Scholar
- Daryl Williams, federal Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Communications, Rhodes Scholar
[edit] Rhodes Scholars, UWA List
- K R Allen 1926[3][10]
- Keith Leo Cooper 1927[3][11]
- A E C Smith 1928[3][10]
- John La Nauze 1931[3]
- Joseph Starke (formerly Staricoff)1932[3][12]
- A E Finn 1933[3]
- E L Barr 1937[3]
- Harry Ross Anderson 1938[3][13]
- Edmund Ernest Jarvis 1939[3][14]
- John Stone 1951[3]
- John Robert Hall 1952[3][15]
- Bob Hawke 1953[3]
- Brian de Garis 1962[3][16]
- Daryl Williams 1965[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Education Department of Western Australia, Alphabetical List of Western Australian Schools
- ^ Topsfield, Jewel (4 December 2010). "Ties that bind prove a private education has its awards". The Age. p. 11. http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/ties-that-bind-prove-a-private-education-has-its-awards-20101203-18jx0.html?from=age_sb..
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Western Australian Rhodes Scholars" (doc). University of Western Australia. http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/rhodes?f=192731. Retrieved 2011-04-26.
- ^ Higher Order Thinking
- ^ DET WA Gifted and Talented
- ^ NSW AGTC: Francois Gagne's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent [1]
- ^ a b c "Perth Modern School" (PDF). Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Documentation. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 2001-12-14. http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/P-Q%20-%20A-D/Perth%20Modern%20Schl%20(P-AD).PDF. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
- ^ "McCusker Charitable Foundation". http://www.mccuskercharitable.com.au/about-the-foundation/default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ Farquharson, John (2006-03-27). "Starke, Joseph Gabriel (Joe) (1911–2006)". Sydney Morning Herald. http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/starke-joseph-gabriel-joe-932. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
- ^ a b "Rhodes Scholars - West Australians' Careers". "The West Australian, Wednesday, 27 January 1932, p. 10." Trove Australia Digitised Newspapers, National Library of Australia. encrypted. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/32407026. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
- ^ http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/35160317
- ^ "Scholar Congratulated". "The West Australian, Saturday, 30 June 1934, p. 15." Trove Australia Digitised Newspapers, National Library of Australia. encrypted. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/32957376. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
- ^ "Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition". Australian National University. 2005 updated continuously. p. alphabetical listing. http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130059b.htm. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
- ^ "Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Documentation". The Heritage Council of Western Australia. 22 November 2005. p. 2. http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/16789%20Nth%20Pth%20Primary%20(P-AD).PDF. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
- ^ "Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Documentation". The Heritage Council of Western Australia. 22 November 2005. p. 2. http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/16789%20Nth%20Pth%20Primary%20(P-AD).PDF. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
- ^ "School Social Sciences and Humanities". Murdoch University. 15 June 2004. http://www.ssh.murdoch.edu.au/dirs/8335.html. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
