Hollywood Primary School

Statement of Significance

The Hollywood Primary School has aesthetic, historic and social cultural heritage significance. It has been an important factor in the educational lives of many thousands of local Hollywood residents since opening in 1935. The large trees on the school site are valued by the community for their aesthetic and shady qualities. A close look at the history of the school shows how its development is reflected in the growth of the surrounding suburbs.

Physical Description

The original brick and tile buildings were built around a courtyard to the north with a wide undercover assembly area facing towards the playing fields. There are later additions to the west and more economical buildings built on the east wing. The most recent addition has been an assembly area built onto the north wing, in keeping with the original style. The original building has little decoration apart from a 1930s style entrance to the administration. On the school site are a number of mature Morton Bay Fig and Eucalyptus trees that are valued by the wider community for their greening contribution to a built up area.

History

Children who lived in the Hollywood locality prior to 1935 attended either Rosalie or Nedlands Primary Schools. The Hollywood Progress Association petitioned the Minister for Education in 1932, demanding a school for their district. Problems that arose for srudents attending Nedlands Primary School were the distance and the hazards of crossing the Stirling Highway (then called the Perth - Fremantle Road). Support for the Hollywood Progress Association's petition came from the Nedlands Road Board and the Nedlands P&C, who wished to alleviate pressure of the enrolments at Nedlands Primary School. The four acre site of Hollywood Primary School was provided by the Nedlands Road Board after the Government agreed to the school's development. The builders of the original two-room school were the Totterdell Bros (also the builders of residence at 39 Birdwood Parade Dalkeith, another place on the City of Nedlands Heritage Inventory). The school was opened on 11 November 1935 with 74 children enrolled. By the new school year which began in February 1936 120 pupils were in attendance. These numbers included children from the nearby Salvation Army Boys Home which had, since 1920, had their own school. In 1938 the Inspectors report was glowing about the progress of the school. "There is an excellent tone in the school; a splendid spirit exists between child and teacher, between head teacher and staff and between staff and parents. The parents are exceedingly proud of this school and have done excellent work. An immense amount of work has been done in the grounds this year. As a result the children have nice lawns to play on. Miss Myrtle Marson is to be congratulated on her well equipped, beautiful school and for the fine happy tone that exists." (Head Teachers Journal 1938) Up until 1941, when the Hollywood Repatriation Hospital was opened, the Hollywood Primary School was surrounded in bushland. 1941 also brought extensions to the school, including a Standard III class, along with air raid practices in the trenches dug where the cricket nets now stand. Political pressure was. placed on the State Government immediately after World War II to increase the school to full primary standing. However, this did not occur until 1954. By 1955 enrolments had increased to 314 students and two new rooms were added to the west wing. Facilities increased with the addition of further playing fields and the cricket pitch in 1961, a library/multipurpose room in 1963, a swimming pool in the 1970s and the Library Resource Centre in 1976. The school was further upgraded in 1981 and an art and craft centre was added to the school in 1982. In 1985, the year of the Golden Anniversary of Hollywood Primary School there were 219 children enrolled at the school. Many graduated to the nearby Hollywood Senior High School. In the 1990s Hollywood Primary School continues to educate the local children. The P&C remain active and new buildings were constructed, including a new library and undercover area in 1995. Activities throughout the year are reported in the annual magazine 'Tree Tops'.

Integrity/Authenticity

High Level of Integrity

Condition

Very Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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