The Central School – 1944 to 1945



1944 saw me in Form 1b where the Form Mistress was Miss Kissane, 
a white haired lady, who spoke very softly but would suddenly startle 
the class by raising her voice by what seemed to be a thunderous thousand 
decibels---her way of ensuring we paid attention. 
Other teachers I remember were Mr Miller (Science), Miss Fanny Jones (Latin), 
Miss Rankin (Drawing) and a popular Miss McGilpin who taught singing/music 
but was not replaced when she left. Other teachers were Miss McPherson, 
Mr Cooper, Mr Anson, Mr Carroll and Miss Egan.  Mr Anson joined in 1945 
after returning from military service. 
Miss Egan’s very name seemed to strike terror into her prospective pupils. 
My Mum, at age 13, had started at Elwood the day the school opened and 
Along with my sisters and brother had been taught by Miss Egan who was
generally regarded as being "terribly strict" but fair. I'd love to know when 
she actually retired. The only teacher I had a real problem with was Miss Rankin, 
she and I just didn't get on. Her sharp tongue and strap made drawing a 
misery for me--32/100 was my final drawing mark for the year. Some 25 years
later I met her socially and found her to be a really delightful lady. I'd never 
been an overly bright student, especially where arithmetic was concerned, 
but algebra and geometry were my real downfall; along with the 
woodwork (sloyd) classes that we attended at Elsternwick State School. 
End of year exam results saw me being told I would not be spending 1945
in Form 2 but would be demoted from 1B to 1C. I didn't know it at the time 
but this was to be my final year at Elwood. Mr Cooper was Form Master of 1c.  
I suspect that due to the war and a teacher shortage, he may have been one of 
our teachers to come out of retirement. 
Three things stand out in my mind about that final year. Each Monday we 
had a school assembly at which the band played and we sang 
"God save the King" and "Advance Australia Fair" (original version). 
We then pledged allegiance to King, country, and the flag and promised 
to cheerfully obey our parents, teachers and the law. Often there would be 

sniggers from the boys when we got to the part about cheerfully obeying 
our parents, teachers and the law. On one occasion, when Mr Anson was 
taking the Assembly, he noticed the sniggering and very emotionally took 
us to task. He pointed out how lucky we were to live in such a great country 
under such a good king; such a beautiful flag and that because of the war 
there were thousands of children like us who no longer had parents or teachers. 
We didn't know how lucky we were. It was one of those "off-the cuff" remarks 
that a teacher makes that can leave a lasting impression on a young mind.  
It certainly did with me. The 2nd incident I remember concerns Mr Carroll, 
who I think joined the staff in late 1944 or early 1945. He was very nervous 
and timid sort of man who wore a bow tie and was known as "Bow-tie". He 
also bore a resemblance to Antonio Agostini, who in 1944 had been 
convicted of the murder of his wife in what was known as "the pyjama girl 
murder". For this reason he was called “Agostini”.  Some thought he 
actually was the man and had escaped from prison. In an effort to assert 
some authority he decided to have a mass detention for 1c and 1d. 
As the detention dragged on, the classes became more rebellious and 
worried mothers could be seen gathering in Scott St. wondering why their 
children hadn't come home. In those days I can't remember any parents
 waiting for their children after school. I can't remember what the upshot was, 
but Mr Carroll disappeared from the school.




Wednesday, 15th August 1945 was the most memorable day of my 
years at Elwood. For two days prior to the 15th it had been expected 
that the Japanese would announce their surrender to the Allies and 
the 2nd World War would be over. At about 9.45 am on the Wednesday
morning, ships sirens and foghorns started sounding in Hobson's Bay. 
Teachers were summoned to the Headmasters office and shortly 
returned to classrooms to give us the good news. From memory we
were given 3 days off, not returning until the following Monday. 
The whole school went wild. Mr Menzies unlocked the padlock on the 
bell-tower door and boys from Forms 1 & 2 lined up to have turns pulling 
on the bell.  It was the first time in many years that we'd heard the old school bell. 
Ringing the bells during the war meant that the invasion had begun. 
The bell tower has long since gone---I wonder what happened to the bell. 
Perhaps like my old school record cards and photos it has gone into limbo. 
I remember that while in Mr Lester's class, as part of our war effort, he 
organised for each desk to"adopt" a soldier. My desk mate, Don McDonald. 
and I were very proud to be given Mr. Lester's son, Bombadier Basil Lester 
with whom we exchanged letters. 
My dad died when I was three so I started at Elwood shortly after turning 4
 as Mum had to go to work. Now she remarried and my days at Elwood 
came to an end. I left in October--70 years ago and yet it sometimes seems 
as though it was only yesterday. 
Now in my 84th year, my memories of Elwood are on the whole happy ones.

Apart from the names mentioned above, I can still remember about 70 
other pupils and put faces to their names, though I doubt if many would 
recognise each other today. I remember Ron Aarons, Roger Firman, 
Mervyn Woodhead, Bill Thorne, Ruth  Lake, Diane Watson, Joan & Harry Oulton, 
Janet Hassle, Kevin Elliot, John Jacobs, John Willis, David Joseph, Joan Tyzak, 
Gordon Castle, Ken Greatorex, David Hallo, Dick Munro, Rachel Wald, 
Peter Gibson, Barbara Bell, Jennifer Garlick, Neil Dore, Shirley Hawkins, 
Doug & Valmai Flaherty, Helen Blake, Pat Burns,Keith Drane, Pat Ferrier, 
Margaret Wallace, Ted Wheeler,Jill Holden,Desma Braddock, Max Cohen, 
Bruce Cowling, Frank Kindler, Edward Joel, Ray Spector, Harold Smith, 
Ron Newlands, Robin Robbins, Ted Bridgeman, Isobel Wolf, Spiro Moratius, 
Helen Courtney, Vivien Hackwell, Doug Price, Kevin Beard, Gay Kemp, Carol Ryvich, 
Betty O'Brien, Geoff Hamer, Olive Prentice, Barry Aarons, Don Taggart, Billy Green, 
Ron Guy, Clive Ross, Dianne Tolley, Thelma Hazeldene, Frank Perrin, Ron Vines, 
Lindsay Myers, Evelyn Stockton, Wilma Thomas. 
Some of these are no longer with us, I know of at least three who have died, 
others like myself, may be living in octogenarian land and taking frequent 
nostalgia trips down memory lane, which is how I discovered this website. 
Hopefully some of us may still be able to enjoy the school centenary.





NRW