Mount Hawthorn Primary School

Statement of Significance

Mount Hawthorn Junior Primary School is a good example of an Infants and Primary School in the Interwar Art Deco style, which before the Second World War was a model of its type. The history of the school mirrors the development of the area and the changes in primary education over the past seven decades.

Physical Description

The single storey building has Art Deco influences, particularly evident in the entrance porch. This is reached by a flight of steps with curved metal rails, which projects forward of the building. The entry has a flat roof and a moulded entry with deco decoration. The words 'Mount Hawthorn Infants' School' are centered above the entry. The buildings have large hipped roofs, the facades are rendered above the window sills and red face brick below, and the casement windows are multi-paned (4 squares per sash). High setback location above the road, with landscaped gardens. Adaptations to facilitate ongoing function.

History

Mount Hawthorn Junior Primary School began as two classrooms constructed in 1933 for the infants' section of Mount Hawthorn Primary School . The Primary School (originally known as Hawthorne School) opened in 1906 in the Mount Hawthorn Congregational Hall with 43 students, and moved to its present site, Reserve No. 10948, in 1908. In 1912 there were over 100 pupils and by 1933 the school had an enrolment of over 700. That year, two classrooms were built on land fronting Scarborough Beach Road, below the Primary School. They were occupied by the infants' classes. In 1936, a third classroom was added. In 1937 these three classrooms became the core of the new Mount Hawthorn Infants' School. By 1937 there were 770 children on the roll and the following year local church halls were in use as classrooms to cater for the large increase in numbers. A fourth classroom, a room for the head teacher, a staff room, stationery store, cleaner's storeroom and open-air teaching space were added, and a new façade and front entrance were created. The provision of a staff room was a departure from past custom and the school was considered a model of its type. The new Infants' School opened in February 1938 with 187 pupils. Two more classrooms were added in 1939 and 1944 (making a total of eight). In 1947, an RAAF hut was added and named Nimmo House after the education minister. This was in response to a post war baby boom, which resulted in student numbers climbing again to around 650 in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1966, the Infants' School was renamed Mount Hawthorn Junior Primary School. The school celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1981. An estimated 3,000 students, parents and past students attended a ceremony held at the school, including John P. Tuke (then 95), who was headmaster in the early 1940s. The old school bell (believed to have been cast locally) was rung at the commencement of the proceedings which included a talk on the history of the school by the current Principal, J.J. Waters. The 100th anniversary celebrations in 2006 included the presentation of 550 cup cakes by Perth MP John Hyde '“ one for every student at the school. A very large number of people involved in the school community '“ past and present '“ also attended these celebrations. In the 1970s the school was classified as 'disadvantaged'. An ethnic teacher was subsequently employed and lessons and events were held to encourage understanding. In 1999 it was reported that the school catered for students from Kindergarten to Year 3 and provided specialist programmes in 'music, Italian and physical education, which are all conducted in school hours. After school programmes include tennis, dancing, hockey, piano and live skills.' (Voice News 22.10.1999, p.13) There was also an out-of-school care facility which operated from 3pm to 6pm. Major renovations carried out in 1985 included the addition of a library. In 1990 an undercover assembly area was constructed but the next new building was not until 2005/6 when a new library resource centre was constructed. It was named 'The Harbeck Resource Centre' in honour of Miss Muriel Harbeck, who was the headmistress from 1944 to 1963. Miss Harbeck was an active member of the local community and lobbied for the establishment of the Library and Mount Hawthorn Civic Centre on Scarborough Beach Road. A $49,000 upgrade of the school's playground was carried out in 2007, which included cycle paths, landscaping and safe areas for the children to enjoy. There were also further changes to the school buildings in 2007/8 with the construction of a new Upper Primary toilet block, an administration building and staff facility designed by Finlay & Rumble Architects Pty Ltd. The cost of the work, which included the demolition of two existing brick and tile toilet blocks by Brajkovich Demolition Pty Ltd, was $2m. With the construction of a new administration area, the old one was recycled, thus increasing the number of classrooms from 16 to 19. The Principals at that time were Dale Mackesey and Dorothy Treasure. On 31 December 2007 the Mount Hawthorn Junior Primary School amalgamated with the Mount Hawthorn Primary School (Matlock Street). The schools, which are less than 100 metres apart, from then on operated as the Mount Hawthorn Primary School with Dale Mackesey as its principal.

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.