The end of schooling each year is celebrated with festivities: excursions, parties with cakes and ice cream, and Father Christmas bearing gifts, and the gleeful chorus of ‘No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks’. Pupils of year 12 celebrate the completion of their secondary education one week before the commencement of examinations with a day of antics, dressing up and getting drunk.

Finishing school in past years was celebrated with the annual presentation of prizes on Break Up Day. Everyone attended: students, teachers, parents, and members of the Carlton Board of Advice. Classrooms were decorated; children dressed up in holiday attire; and a happy atmosphere replaced the ‘sombre dry as dust’ tone of the school.¹ Books were awarded to pupils of grades 2 to 6 in a variety of categories: general proficiency, history, physical geography, mental arithmetic, penmanship, elocution, exercise, composition, attendance, science, spelling, singing, dictation, fellowship, athletics, good conduct, sewing, writing, good progress, French and English.² The Dux of the School was awarded the gold medal and second place received the silver. Graduates were awarded the Education Department’s Certificate of Merit, introduced in 1890.³ By the 1930s  the Certificate of Merit had become a prerequisite for banking or clerical work.⁴

Despite the school’s humble beginnings, the seeds for Princes Hill’s academic renown had been laid by Head Teacher Russell in 1890. In one year, the pass rate had increased from 75 per cent to 90 per cent, and students of Princes Hill had been awarded three of the four Departmental ‘higher education’ scholarships won by Carlton schools.⁵

Russell’s successors continued the tradition. Preceded by an excellent reputation for his work at SS Yarra Park, Head Teacher Robinson was followed to Princes Hill by senior students living outside the district, who were eager to compete for senior scholarships.⁶ The school’s results for 1892 were exemplary. The twenty Certificates of Merit awarded to Princes Hill students completing grade 6 were described by M.Pennington JP as ‘superior to those of any other school in the colony.⁷

The long teaching experience of Head Teachers Skewes, Sebire and Mylrea ensured continued high academic success. Edward Scales’ grade 6B of 1907 is indicative: twenty four students were awarded the Certificate of Merit; five failed Arithmetic only; another sixteen, who had previously gained the Certificate of Merit but were under the legal leaving age of fourteen, again passed in all subjects. Five graduates gained Continuing School Scholarships, two were awarded Mining and Agricultural Scholarships, one girl won a full scholarship to Methodist Ladies’ College, and three scholars received half-scholarships to University High School. Similar results were achieved in 1908.⁸ In 1925, ten students entered University High School.⁹

The Certificate of Merit marked the end of state elementary education. Although many graduates of Princes Hill School would have wished to continue onto secondary education, only a small number could. The majority left school to find work - some because of lack of finance, others because secondary school places were scarce, or because their parents believed that education was not for girls.

In 1910, the amended Education Act introduced secondary schooling in Victoria. Many elementary schools were granted higher elementary status, and a small number of high and technical schools were instituted. By 1921, however, there were only five metropolitan high schools north of the Yarra. Before the explosion of high-school education in the 1950s, only Coburg High, MacRobertson Girls High, Melbourne High, University High, Northcote Boys High, and a number of technical schools were in reasonable proximity to Princes Hill.¹⁰ The elevation of Princes Hill to Central School status in 1944, specifically to feed University High School, intensified competition among students for the limited places available at that school.

Although primary education had been free since 1872, and although the Education Department in the 1910s and 1920s encouraged students to continue with secondary education,¹¹ some of the cost was borne by individuals. School fees of £6 per annum were charged by high schools (except University High School); in 1932, the fees increased to £12.¹² Even presenting for examinations was costly: ten shillings for the examinations, plus five shillings per subject; six subjects were compulsory.¹³ Consequently, without scholarships, children of poor families had little chance of higher education. Nor were scholarships readily available; and competition was fierce. In 1920, Vera competed for one of only three scholarships available to the school.

The difficult economic circumstances confronting many working-class children of Carlton and Princes Hill were compounded by the depressions and world wars. Ray’s story is indicative of many: he left school at the age of fourteen and went to work in a textile factory because of the hard times. Under these conditions, even some of those who had commenced high school were forced to leave and find whatever work they could.

A third obstacle confronted female students. Further study or a career for working-class women remained generally unacceptable until the 1960s and 1970s, and many young girls were forced by their parents to abandon schooling when they reached the legal age. Those girls who continued with schooling generally pursued practical courses such as millinery and sewing at the Brunswick or Bell Street Domestic Arts Schools, or secretarial studies at one of the private Business Colleges or at the Working Men’s College (now the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology).¹⁴

The available data presents an interesting, albeit confusing, picture. In 1928, 128 students finished elementary schooling at Princes Hill. Of these, 74 (57.8 per cent) are listed as ‘unknown destination’. Of the remainder, ten sought employment, four intended to remain at home, and forty (75 per cent) pursued further education: eleven continued onto University High School; seven to other high schools; thirteen to technical schools; eight to Domestic College; and one to Business College.

For 1931, we only know the destination of 66 (33.7 per cent) of the 196 students leaving Princes Hill. Of these, 75 per cent went on to further education: twelve to University High School and twelve to other high schools; nine attended technical schools, nine Domestic College and one Business College. Eleven went to a Boys’ Home, seventeen went to work and two remained at home.

In 1941, only 73 (56.6 per cent) of the 129 students leaving are listed as ‘unknown destination’. Of the remainder, 94.6 per cent continued onto further education. Nineteen went to University High School, ten to another high school, seventeen to a technical school, six to a Domestic College and one to a Business College. Only two said they were leaving to go to work, and only one remained at home. In 1946, 88 of the Central School graduates continued on to University High School and 23 to another secondary school.¹⁵

Because the available data from the school’s register of students leaving Princes Hill list a very high number as ‘unknown destination’, any interpretation of that data is questionable. I think, however, that we would be safe to presume that the majority of those listed as ‘unknown destination’ would have sought employment, rather than continue their education. The arrival of Jewish migrant children at Princes Hill intensified academic competition and further contributed to Princes Hill’s image as an academic school. The Jewish students had high academic standards, they worked hard, and they quickly rose to the top of the class. This trend, which started in the 1930s, was exemplified by the refugee children of the late 1930s and throughout the Central School and first years of the high school.¹⁶

Academic success was the only means poor migrants striving for a new beginning in an alien land had for social advancement and economic security. As a consequence, parents of Jewish children also maintained a positive attitude and keen interest in their children’s schooling, regularly visited the school, and welcomed teachers to their homes.¹⁷

The burden to succeed was gravely felt by many young students. One Jewish boy was so deeply concerned about the sacrifice he believed his parents were making for him to attend high school, that nerves afflicted him during examinations. Only the reassurances of his understanding teacher broke the tension.¹⁸ Other students have not been so fortunate; falling victim to intense parental pressure to excel, they collapsed with nervous breakdowns.

Bent on social mobility and economic success, the majority of Jewish students entered professional, high-paying, status-laden careers, such as the law, medicine, and accountancy. Pressed to conform and succeed, only a few have broken from the cultural mould to pursue private dreams.

In principle, Southern European migrants at Princes Hill during the 1960s and 1970s shared the same high aspirations as Jewish children, but without the same pronounced academic success rate. Gaining a higher standard of living, bettering oneself, were also cherished reasons for education among Italian and Greek students, and many also pursued professional careers.¹⁹ More, however, not academically inclined, but preferring commercial entrepreneurship as a barometer of success, have become prominent businessmen. Circumstances forced many, even those who would have liked to learn, to leave school and earn a living. The debilitating frustration experienced by young people with language difficulties was obvious even to their peers.²⁰ Low achievers from poorer socio-economic backgrounds often lacked the necessary encouragement, financial or psycho logical support and understanding. Not that all parents were disinterested or uncaring about the future of their children.²¹ But the post-war immigrants were largely uneducated: the majority had not even completed primary school. Work, the language barrier and ignorance about the Victorian education system left many parents feeling in capable of assisting their children: ‘What do we know; you know best’, was a common reply. Students were left to make their own decisions about their schooling. The uncertain value of education, the seeming irrelevance of the curriculum, boredom, questionable teacher attitudes, and school and discipline restrictions²² were added obstacles. Students left school of their own volition, or were asked to leave. The increased dropout rate at the end of 1962 was partly because pupils who did not reach pass standard were refused promotion.²³

Unfortunately, many of those who were promoted in the first years of the Princes Hill High School left anyway, siphoned off by the annual ingrained transfer of Princes Hill’s better students to University High.²⁴ This loss, together with the large classes, inexperienced and temporary teachers, and a high proportion of newly arrived migrant students, were having detrimental effects on the school’s examination results.²⁵ The loss was felt most acutely in form 3, which was left with the weaker students. Data about the 133 students departing from Princes Hill High School in 1959 (forms 1 to 3), are interesting. Among the boys, eighteen went to University High School, eighteen to other high schools, eleven to work and six to other various destinations. Eighteen girls went to University High School, 24 to other high schools, eight to Business College, 27 to work, and three to ‘other’ destinations. The figures for 1964, the last year this type of information was provided, show only one male and no female of the 186 students who left Princes Hill (forms 1 to 4) continuing on to University High School. Thirty-two boys and 27 girls went to other high schools - many went to Elwood and Caulfield High Schools, emphasising the migration of Jewish families to the southern suburbs; eleven boys and nine girls to technical schools, five girls to Business College, 34 boys and 46 girls went to work, and twelve boys and nine girls went elsewhere.²⁶ In 1964, 34 students remained to form Princes Hill High School’s first matriculation year. The milieu of the school, the friendly, open environment, the close rapport between students and teachers, and the excitement of being part of a pioneering group fuelled Princes Hill High School’s first students with a deep commitment and responsibility to help each other succeed. The first matriculation year, enthused with tremendous classroom atmosphere, worked and supported each other to confront the examinations. According to John Ireland, who taught them history, ‘I have never taught in a school where the students were so co-operative and so hard-working. Princes Hill buzzed with work. It was the most stimulating school I have ever been at.’ , According to Arnold, one of the class of 1964, the lessons the students learned that year transcended the classroom. The sense of purpose, the sense of experimentation, the non-competitiveness and sharing among students created an environment conducive to academic success, not only at the matriculation examinations but also at tertiary level. He and his friends were better prepared than students from traditional, conservative schools who had been nurtured through secondary education. Princes Hill Secondary College continues with this tradition. According to John Stirling, the ‘toughening out’ experienced by students at the school equips them well for tertiary study. The positive attitudes to learning encourage students to fend for themselves.

Past Students and Old Friends

The strongest link any school has with its community is its pupils. Every school, like a proud parent, enjoys parading its successful children. The Princes Hill Schools are no exceptions. Most of the schools’ ex-students live ordinary lives. Many still live in the area and send their children to school at Princes Hill. A large number of ex-students have achieved recognition, status and fortune in their chosen fields - as doctors, barristers and solicitors, businessmen and entrepreneurs, artists, poets, writers, film-makers, photographers, academics, teachers, musicians, engineers, civil servants, sports players and politicians.

The list that follows is not exclusive, and certainly not exhaustive. Like any such list, it is based on the information that is most accessible, and there are many omissions. A number of ex-students have achieved academic distinction. Dr Paul Redner, who came to Princes Hill from Poland in the late 1940s, was a political scientist at Monash University. Graham Pascoe, a student between 1940 and 1947, lectured in marketing at Charles Sturt University. Dr June Factor, an earlier contemporary, is a writer, historian and folklorist. For a number of years she was Senior Lecturer in English at the Institute of Early Childhood Development in Melbourne. Much of Dr Factor's work reflects interest in the lives of children, especially their folklore and language. Emeritus Professor Louis I. Landau AO, MD, FRACP. Hon D Litt. was medical advisor to the Western Australian Department of Health. Professor Landau was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at The University of Western Australia for nine years and was Professor of Paediatrics at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth. He was the founding Chairman of the Institute for Child Health Research, and served on committees of the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee, the Australian Medical Council, and the National Asthma Campaign. Professor Landau was awarded Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1996 for his contribution to paediatrics and research in respiratory medicine.

Sir William Brunton, Australian politician, and Lord Mayor of Melbourne was one of the earliest alumni educated at the precursor school of Princes Hill State School. John Mann MD, at Princes Hill Primary School in the early 1960s, is the Paul Janssen Professor of Translational Neuroscience (in Psychiatry and in Radiology) and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. He is Director of Research and Director of Molecular Imaging and the Neuropathology Division at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr Mark Medownick, his contemporary, is Medical Director at Medownick Laser Eye Surgery Clinic. Arnold Zable was one of the first form 6 graduates at Princes Hill High School. He is a writer, novelist, storyteller and human rights advocate. Two other writers, Amirah Inglis and Lily Brett, both passed through Princes Hill - Amirah in the early 1930s and Lily in the late 1950s. Sam Lipski, celebrated journalist, political commentator and editor of the Jewish News, and Dr Clifford Pannam, celebrated Queen’s Counsel and racing identity, both attended Princes Hill Central in the early 1940s; Sam came from Lee Street and Clifford from Errol Street. One of the contemporaries was Jack Faigenbaum, another Queen’s Counsel. All three continued on to University High School. Another journalist was Alan Dower, who attended school in the early 1920s. After service as a commando officer he attracted attention as a war correspondent and writer. He took direct personal action to stop the executions of communist women and children in the Korean War. Annette Klooger was only one of a number of Princes Hill students who found fame in the world of entertainment. She was one of the first singers to appear on television. Russell Hitchcock, one of the first generation of the high school’s students, has won international renown as the lead singer of the rock and roll band Air Supply. Wendy Saddington was an Australian blues, soul and jazz singer, and was in the bands Chain, Copperwine and the Wendy Saddington Band. She also wrote for teen pop newspaper Go-Set from September 1969 to September 1970 (Lily Brett also worked at Go-Set). Don Battie, at Princes Hill School in the 1940s, and Bill Murdoch, another of the first-generation high-school students and subsequently a teacher at the high school, are directing and producing in theatre and television. Ben Lewin is a celebrated director. John Bluthal, who was one of the refugee children referred to by Head Teacher Bryant in 1940, won international recognition as a stage and cinema actor. He has worked with Sir Peter Hall at the National Theatre, played Fagan in a London production of Oliver, recorded Goon Shows with Spike Milligan, and played roles in many films including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Return of the Pink Panther, Superman III, The Fifth Element and the Cohen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! He appeared in The Vicar of Dibley from 1994-2007. Steve Bastoni is a well known actor. He is best known for his role as Constable Yannis 'Angel' Angelopoulos in Police Rescue and as Steve Parker in Neighbours. Kelvin Coe, who came to Princes Hill in the late 1950s, was a celebrated principal with the Australian Ballet Company. Roy Sparkes, a student in the late 1930s, was a well-known Melbourne musician. Joseph Brown, who arrived at Princes Hill School in 1933, was one of many students to receive encouragement and help from Head Teacher Mylrea during the 1930s depression. He was one of the foremost private collectors and dealers of Australian art. One student who won renown as an artist was Quentin Sutton (1906-1980), a prominent mural painter and finalist for The Archibald Prize in 1932. Ivor Evans, dux of the school in 1901, co-designed the Australian flag. A number of Princes Hill students have entered politics and the public service. David White, MLC for Doutta Galla from 1976 to 1996, was Minister for Health in the Cain Labor Government. Ian Macfarlan was an Australian politician, deputy leader of the Liberal Party of Australia in the state of Victoria, and the 35th Premier of Victoria. Medical entrepreneur and past owner of the Sydney Swans AFL club, Geoffrey Edelsten, was a student at Princes Hill in the 1950s.

David Smith, AO, CVO, CStJ, Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia and who read the proclamation on the steps of Parliament House dismissing the Whitlam government in 1975, was a student at Princes Hill in the early 1940s. Frank Hardy, another ‘old boy’ and a long-time friend of the school, was a Councillor with the Melbourne City Council. Alec Cook, son of Councillor Cook and a student in the 1920s, was Secretary of the Harbour Trust. A. R. McKenzie, a student in the early 1900s, became President of the Harbour Trust. Whitehead was Chief of Melbourne Fire Brigade. Mr Jessop, his contemporary, was Director of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. W. Rowe, a student in the 1930s, was Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary of the Health Department. Dr Lachlan Strahan joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1993 after completing a PhD in history at Monash University and has served as Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi and High Commissioner to Solomon Islands. One female student of the late 1960s, who must remain anonymous was an agent with Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation. In the world of business, the Smorgons have built a large empire encompassing meat, paper, steel and electronics. Victor Smorgon, the doyen of the family, only attended Princes Hill for a few months, while Simon Smorgon stayed longer. John Polglaze, a student and a founding member of the Princes Hill High School Advisory Council, was a senior executive with Australian Paper Mills. Walkley Award winning photographer Les O'Rourke attended Princes Hill and recorded the images of the aftermath of the 1970 fire which destroyed the 1889 building. Neil Comrie AO, APM, was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 1993 to 2001. Chris Löfvén created the iconic 'Eagle Rock' music film clip and Australian music history. Tony Birch is a well known Indigenous Australian author, academic and activist. He was head of the Honours programme for creative writing at the University of Melbourne before becoming the first recipient of the Dr Bruce McGuinness Indigenous Research Fellowship at Victoria University in Melbourne in June 2015. In 2017 he became the first Indigenous writer to win the Patrick White Award. George Apostolidis won acclaim as the Professional Photographer of the Year in 1983. Andrew Panna and Manny Garantziotis are highly regarded QCs at the Victorian Bar. Co-founder of Hardie Grant Publishing, Sandy Grant has a distinguished career in book publishing a nd media. He was formerly MD of Heinemann, Octopus and Reed Australia, and CEO of Reed Books UK. Maria Vamvakinou attended Princes Hill in the 1970s. She is an Australian politician and currently ALP member for Calwell in the Parliament of Australia. Actor Matt Day also attended Princes Hill for a time in the 1980s as did Adam Richard, Australian comedian, actor and media personality. Another actor, Angourie Rice graduated in 2018. She has had roles in films such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and The Nice Guys. She has also appeared in television series' Black Mirror and The Doctor Blake Mysteries. Michael Goldsworthy, songwriter, keyboard & bass player for the UK band Years and Years was a PHSC student of the 1990s. Another musician, Gretta Ray, Australian singer-songwriter, graduated in 2016. In 2016 she was the winner of the national Triple J Unearthed radio competition for bands and songwriters, and the 2016 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition.

In the eyes of many Melburnians, the most famous sons of Princes Hill have been the champion footballers who have donned the Carlton navy blue: Jack Hale, Alan and Fred Jinks, W. Dunn, Paul Smith, Alan Crawford, Les Vaughan, Vince Cattogio, Paul Meldrum, Spiro Kourkoumelis, Andrew Cavedon and Ang 'WOOF' Christou. Footballers who were students at Princes Hill but who did not play for Carlton have included Noel Alford, John Dugdale and Arnold Briedis, who played for North Melbourne. In 1950, Alford was awarded the Morrish Medal as best and fairest player in the VFL Under-19s. John Dugdale, one of North Melbourne’s most famous players, holds the club record for matches, was captain of the team and a member of the elite All Australians team of 1958. Brandon Ellis who completed his studies in 2011 played in the Richmond Football Club premierships of 2017 & 2019 before moving to the Brisbane Lions in 2020. Carlton cricketers have included George Parsons, Les Blasford, Frank Warne, Dickie Collins and Fred Freer, who also represented Australia in 1946. In l935, Jack McGregor and Tom Jackson were selected to play in the State cricket team against Queensland. Attila Abonyi, was a member of the Australian national association football team for the 1974 FIFA World Cup and third highest goal scorer in international competition for Australia. Ian Watson and older brother Ray played basketball for Australia at the Olympic Games.