Asquith Boys High School
Encyclopedia
Asquith Boys High School, (abbreviation ABHS) is a school located in Asquith
, New South Wales
, Australia
, on Jersey Street. It is a boys high school
operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
with students from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1960 and many of its students have gone on to notable success, some holding high public office.
pioneer family. The name "Asquith" from which suburb north of Hornsby, and subsequently the school, was proclaimed, was named in 1915 after the wartime Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, Herbert Asquith, who was later made the Earl of Oxford and Asquith
. Before the land was acquired by the New South Wales Government in the 1950s, the land had become a cattle and horse paddock. Originally intended to be the site of the Hornsby Technical College
, the Department of Education later decided to build Asquith Boys on its current site instead.
Construction of the school buildings began in late 1959 but it was realised that they would not be finished in time for the school's opening in 1960 and thus the half the first boys were housed in various sites around Hornsby while the other half were housed in Chatswood High School
. By mid 1960, the A Block was finished and the school moved onto its present site on 24 June 1960. By 1961 the school had risen in size to 660 students, which was later to rise to 990 by 1962, and 30 teachers while E Block and the Assembly Hall were also completed. The first Principal was Mervyn Brown, who contributed to establishing school traditions by composing the School song "Grow in Wisdom".
By the time the first Prefects and Captains
were elected in 1964, the school had risen in size to 1073 students and 54 teachers. The school was officially opened on 7 August 1964 by the Director-General of Secondary Education, A.W. Stephens. By 1965 the science, arts and music rooms in G Block had been completed. The Cadet unit
was also formed in 1967, only to be disbanded again in 1973 following the end of Commonwealth funding for cadet units. The 1970s also saw various changes including an expansion of the Library and also repairs to E Block following a classroom fire. Enrolments peaked in the late 1960s but continued to fall following the establishment of other High Schools in the area to around the 500 students it is today.
The Principal of Asquith Boys from 1991 to 2000 was Chris Bonnor. Bonnor later became Principal of Davidson High School
from 2002 to 2005 and was also President of the NSW Secondary Principals Council from 2001–2006 and a Member of the Australian College of Educators
(MACE). On 26 January 2007 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for "service to education through significant contributions to the development of educational policy and practice in New South Wales, the promotion of excellence in school leadership, and advocacy for public education."
Asquith, New South Wales
Asquith is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Asquith is located 26 km north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Hornsby Shire...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, on Jersey Street. It is a boys high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
New South Wales Department of Education and Training
The New South Wales Department of Education and Communities, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsibile for primary schools, secondary schools and Technical and Further Education colleges...
with students from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1960 and many of its students have gone on to notable success, some holding high public office.
History
The site on which the Asquith Boys was built was originally a citrus orchard owned by the Fear family, a HornsbyHornsby, New South Wales
* Highest Maximum Temperature: 42 °C* Lowest Maximum Temperature: 4.9 °C* Warmest Month: January* Coolest Month: July* Highest Precipitation: February* Lowest Precipitation: July-Notable residents:...
pioneer family. The name "Asquith" from which suburb north of Hornsby, and subsequently the school, was proclaimed, was named in 1915 after the wartime Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Herbert Asquith, who was later made the Earl of Oxford and Asquith
Earl of Oxford and Asquith
Earl of Oxford and Asquith is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1925 for the Liberal politician H. H. Asquith. He was Home Secretary from 1892 to 1895, Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1905 to 1908, Leader of the Liberal Party from 1908 to 1926 and Prime Minister of...
. Before the land was acquired by the New South Wales Government in the 1950s, the land had become a cattle and horse paddock. Originally intended to be the site of the Hornsby Technical College
Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE
The Northern Sydney Institute is the TAFE NSW Institute servicing the northern suburbs of Sydney. The institute comprises seven colleges.-Colleges:*Bradfield Senior College*Crows Nest College*Hornsby College*Meadowbank College*North Sydney College...
, the Department of Education later decided to build Asquith Boys on its current site instead.
Construction of the school buildings began in late 1959 but it was realised that they would not be finished in time for the school's opening in 1960 and thus the half the first boys were housed in various sites around Hornsby while the other half were housed in Chatswood High School
Chatswood High School
Chatswood High School is a public, co-educational, semi-selective high school, located in Chatswood, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. By mid 1960, the A Block was finished and the school moved onto its present site on 24 June 1960. By 1961 the school had risen in size to 660 students, which was later to rise to 990 by 1962, and 30 teachers while E Block and the Assembly Hall were also completed. The first Principal was Mervyn Brown, who contributed to establishing school traditions by composing the School song "Grow in Wisdom".
By the time the first Prefects and Captains
School Captain
School Captain is a student appointed or elected to represent the school.This student, usually in the senior year, in their final year of attending that school...
were elected in 1964, the school had risen in size to 1073 students and 54 teachers. The school was officially opened on 7 August 1964 by the Director-General of Secondary Education, A.W. Stephens. By 1965 the science, arts and music rooms in G Block had been completed. The Cadet unit
Australian Army Cadets
The Australian Army Cadets is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. The programme has more than 19,000 Army Cadets between the ages of 12½ and 19 based in 236 units around Australia...
was also formed in 1967, only to be disbanded again in 1973 following the end of Commonwealth funding for cadet units. The 1970s also saw various changes including an expansion of the Library and also repairs to E Block following a classroom fire. Enrolments peaked in the late 1960s but continued to fall following the establishment of other High Schools in the area to around the 500 students it is today.
Senior staff
| Years | Asquith Boys High School |
|---|---|
| 1960–1968 | Mervyn Brown |
| 1969–1972 | Norman Bowles |
| 1973–1975 | Les Rodgers |
| 1976–1985 | Austen Hughes |
| 1986–1991 | ???? |
| 1991–2000 | Chris Bonnor |
| 2001–2005 | David Short |
| 2006–present | Terry Griffiths |
The Principal of Asquith Boys from 1991 to 2000 was Chris Bonnor. Bonnor later became Principal of Davidson High School
Davidson High School (New South Wales)
Davidson High School, is a school located in Frenchs Forest, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on Mimosa Street. It is a co-educational high school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training with students from years 7 to 12...
from 2002 to 2005 and was also President of the NSW Secondary Principals Council from 2001–2006 and a Member of the Australian College of Educators
Australian College of Educators
The Australian College of Educators is the principal organisation representing the field of teaching and education in Australia, and acts as the independent interest body for Australian teachers...
(MACE). On 26 January 2007 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for "service to education through significant contributions to the development of educational policy and practice in New South Wales, the promotion of excellence in school leadership, and advocacy for public education."
Notable alumni
- Lloyd Babb SC - NSW Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Garry Frost - Moving Pictures (band)Moving Pictures (band)Moving Pictures was a rock music band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1980. They are best known for their hit single, "What About Me" and multi-platinum album Days of Innocence, both of which topped the charts in Australia.-Biography:...
- Mel GibsonMel GibsonMel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
- Australian Actor. - John Hartigan - News Limited chairman and CEO.
- Leroy HoustonLeroy HoustonLeroy Houston, grew up in Shannon, New Zealand. Houston is an Australian Rugby Union who played for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby competition. He now plays in France, in the Top14 with Union Bordeaux-Bègles.-Career:...
- Australian Rugby Union player. - Dr Mike Kelly MP - former Australian Army lawyer and Federal Member for Eden-MonaroDivision of Eden-MonaroThe Division of Eden-Monaro is anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales.The division was created in 1900, and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the town of Eden and the Monaro district of southern New South Wales...
.
See also
- List of Government schools in New South Wales
- Asquith Girls High SchoolAsquith Girls High SchoolAsquith Girls High School is a girls' government high school located in the Sydney suburb Asquith, Australia.-History:Asquith Girls High School was opened in 1959 while it was still being built to replace Hornsby Domestic Science School, which had been burned down in bushfires.The current Principal...
- Electoral district of HornsbyElectoral district of HornsbyHornsby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Hornsby is one of two post-1927 electorates to have never been held by the Labor party and always by the Liberals, a predecessor party to the Liberals, or an independent, the other such district...
- Division of BradfieldDivision of BradfieldThe Division of Bradfield is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Dr John Bradfield, the designer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is located in the upper North Shore, and includes the suburbs of Chatswood, Killara, St Ives and...
- Hornsby ShireHornsby ShireHornsby Shire is a Local Government Area in the Northern region of Sydney, Australia. The Shire stretches from the suburb of Eastwood in the south to the Hawkesbury River town of Wisemans Ferry, some to the north...
External links
- Asquith Boys High School website
- New South Wales Department of Education - Asquith Boys High School