Historical: Marryatville High

Marryatville Boys High
By the time the much-needed extensions to the craft blocks came in 1968, the school's population boom was over.

Headmaster Dowdy retired and in 1969 Mr G B Payne was appointed to a school of 698 students. This dropped to an enrolment of 316 by 1972 when new headmaster Mr J Deer announced plans for the school to be converted to a comprehensive high school.

The announcement did nothing to stem the dropping enrolments and when the school was renamed Marryatville Boys High School in 1974 the numbers had dropped to 290.

The following year the amalgamation was announced with Kensington and Norwood Girls High School. A public meeting was held in July to clarify the amalgamation process.

Deputy Principal Kevin Seipolt was appointed to the new school from Norwood High and was given the task of promoting the school at all the nearby primary schools.

Advertisements had been put in the Education Gazette requesting applications for the special music programme and when Glen McArthur called an extraordinary school council meeting on 8th December 1975 he was able to report that

"The calibre of applicants for the position of head of the music school was very high."

 

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