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Sport and physical education have always occupied an important place in education. Participation provides physical, social and moral benefits to students, and successes enrich the school’s reputation and spirit.
The boys’ gymnastic class in 1901. The teacher standing on the left is Stan Polglaze, teacher at Princes Hill School 1901-3.
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At some time or other, Princes Hill has been successful at most sports against other schools. Perhaps inspired by the overshadowing Carlton Football Club, the school’s forte has been football. Its prowess in that sport was evident during the 1891 season. Having defeated the individual football teams of all the Carlton schools, ‘The Hill’ met a Combined Carlton Schools team at Royal Park on Monday l9July l9 July 1891. The keen local interest in the battle was well rewarded. Princes Hill won, 3 goals 13 behinds to 3 goals 5 behinds. Kidney was named best man on the ground24 The tradition continued. Coached by Mr Bock, the school collected district premierships and trophies in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, and the team’s arrogant victory song,
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was sung ad nauseam. Similar feats were performed in the 1950s and 1960s, when the school annually fielded Lightning Premiership Teams, and the 1980s, when they remained undefeated district premiers. Princes Hill did suffer some losses. At one stage in the 1920s, the team was defeated in the Metropolitan final by Essendon.26 Another difficult team was Errol Street. The team’s older brothers threw stones at the opposition from the boundary, and on occasion slipped the additional one, two, three and four illegal players onto the field.27 Another period of sporting supremacy was in the early years of the high school. Athletics, football, and almost every other sport in the school programme benefited from the enthusiasm of the sports master, Tony Knight. One factor in the success was the annual training camp at Torquay, where athletes trained for a week among the sand dunes, lifted weights, held discussions about the individual and sport, and learned to live and work together as a team.28 Besides the success of school teams, Princes Hill has had many individual competitors who excelled in their chosen sports, and went on to perform professionally or in State and national teams. Some of the cricketers and footballers are listed in the next chapter. In 1959, Heather Rice was the Under-l3 13 All High School Swimming Champion for backstroke and freestyle. In 1960, Chester Polglaze represented the Northern Division schools in the All High School sports competition in running, broad jump and swimming. At the Inter-School sports in that year, he won every event he entered. In 1961, two boys reached the zone final of the schoolboys’ cycling championships of Victoria. Success in athletics were enjoyed by Chris Hilton, who broke record after record, year after year at the State level. Arnold Zable won the Cross-Country Championship in 1962. In 1964, Peter Wallis participated in the Victorian Schoolboy Golf Championships, and in 1966, Neil Watson and Ray Caldwell were selected as State representatives in basketball. In 1965, Chris Hilton, Peter Re and Angelo Martini attracted the attention of Melbourne sports journalists with more record-breaking efforts.29 In 1963, Debra Hilton emulated her brother and Toni Adams joined the Schoolgirls’ State Basketball team. Margaret Woolhouse and Barbara Rubinowicz threw javelin and discuss; Julie Moxon swam.
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Besides watching theatre and music, the students of Princes Hill have also enjoyed fame as performers and creators on their own account. The School Band gained immense acclaim during its brief history. Better known during Headmaster Mylrea’s period, the band was established by Head Teacher Sebire. Wishing to copy the school orchestras that had been successfully instituted among NSW schools, Sebire purchased drums, bugles, violins and instruction books, and arranged for tuition for band members. Classes were held after hours.45 Mylrea, however‘, provided the impetus. Slick uniforms - navy blue with green and gold trimming - sparkling brass instruments (paid for by the Mothers’ Club), an experienced bandmaster and long hours of practice, all brought results. The Brass Band won many Metropolitan and School Competitions, including the State Quick-Step Championship. During the football season, the band entertained Carlton football spectators at halftime. It performed to great applause for one week at the Old State Theatre (the Forum).46 In October 1930, the Band performed in Ballarat; at Easter 1936 it travelled to Adelaide, where it played for schools and hospitals. Its two-hour public recital of marches, overtures and waltzes won the praise of old bandsmen.47 Interest in the band saw its numbers grow to 71 members by 1933, and more were waiting to join.48 Among its many members, Ron Davies played the solo Cornet, Maurice Jacques the solo tenor horn, Fred Freer the bass drum, and Charlie Goodwin, the bandmaster’s son, the double bass.49 The school band was resurrected in the 1980s. As well as playing in annual competitions, it performed at the First Open Day at Government House in 1986.
The Princes Hill Brass Band, c.1929. Ernest Mylrea, Head Teacher 1925-36, is sitting in the front row, and Mr Goodwin, the bandmaster, is standing.
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