|
Davidson High School, (abbreviation DHS) 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 Communities with students from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1972 as a result of the growing population in the Frenchs Forest and Belrose areas.〔 Davidson High has a prominent history of involvement in the performing arts, in Dance, Drama and Music, and annually produces the "Season of Performing Arts" at the local Glen Street Theatre.〔 In 2004 and 2007, Davidson High entered the New South Wales Rock Eisteddfod Competition with pieces relating to the Iraq war. Both performances came under a lot of media scrutiny, with a similar result.〔 Many of its alumni have gone on to notable success, some taking high public office and others gaining distinction within their particular fields. == History == Davidson High School was originally to be called Sorlie High School after George Sorlie, an idealistic developer of land in the district. However, the residents of the area requested a change of name for the suburb, which was granted.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 publisher =Davidson High School )〕 The new suburb, and consequently the new high school, was named after Sir Walter Davidson, a popular Governor of New South Wales from 1918 until his death in 1923, and to whom the parklands of called Davidson Park were dedicated, which now lies within Garigal National Park. This forms the western boundary of Davidson.〔''The Book of Sydney Suburbs'', Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 81〕 However the site of the school lies not in Davidson but on the western edge of Frenchs Forest. A meeting was called on 12 August 1971 at Wakehurst Public School. Representatives of the teaching staff and P.&C. Associations of Frenchs Forest, Wakehurst, Mimosa, and Belrose Public Schools, were advised by representatives of the Education Department of a proposed new school adjoining the grounds of Mimosa School. This new school would be known as Davidson High, with the anticipated completion date of January 1973.〔Davidson High School P&C Association, ''Davidson High School - The First Twenty years'' (Syd, 1992) ISBN 0-646-08149-7〕 The design of the school, drafted by architects I. Hutchinson, D. Anderson and R. Powell under the administration of the New South Wales Government Architect Ted Farmer, was termed a "Study 3 School". The design was created to be the 'go-to plan' for the majority of constructions in NSW state schools from 1971. Thus, Davidson High School was one of many created in this Brutalist style in the period, including Evans High School (1971, Blacktown), Mulwaree High School (1971, Goulburn), Galston High School (1972, Galston), Lake Illawarra High School (1972, Lake Illawarra), Kooringal High School (1973, Wagga Wagga), Casula High School (1973, Casula) and Macintyre High School (1974, Inverell).〔 The design reflected the change in the NSW Education system since the landmark 'Wyndham Report' and the ''Public Education Act 1961'' from the Form-based to subject-based structure of students. Thus each "Study 3 School" was designed with its classrooms organised around each subject department, requiring pupils, rather than staff, to move between lessons, and allowed specialist facilities for each subject, very much an experimental concept at the time. The Brutalist design of the school was one very consciously chosen by the Government Architect's Branch who in one report noted that the school design was "...the largest and most expansive and in terms of the 'heavy' style of architecture, the most handsome yet evolved."〔 Prominent Sydney architect Russell Jack (of Allen Jack+Cottier), in his evaluation of Davidson High's design, agreed, noting that 〔Jack, Russell C., "The Work of the N.S.W. Government Architect's Branch - 1958–1973" (M.Arch. Degree Thesis), Faculty of Architecture, University of New South Wales, 1980, pp. 105-107.〕 The school's earliest students were housed at Killarney Heights High School from 1972-1973. In early 1973, Year 7 classes were situated in Mimosa Public School and Year 8 classes at Killarney Heights Public School. Requiring students, teachers and parents to travel in between schools. The buildings on the present site were first completed and occupied in September 1973.〔 Despite the library not being completed until 1976, the school was officially opened in January 1974 by the NSW Minister for Education, The Hon. Eric Willis.〔 The ceremony was also attended by Dick Healey (Member for Davidson 1971-1981), Harry Turner, (Member for Bradfield, 1952–1974) and the Principal, William Lambert, who said to the students: "...Davidson High is yours, continue the effort that has been made by so many to develop it. Keep building it, with pride and earnest endeavour."〔 In December 1995, the Head Teacher of Legal Studies, Jan Jones, was awarded the NSW Award at the 1995 National Excellence in Teaching Awards, presented by the Australian Scholarships Foundation.〔 Jones was the Teacher of Legal Studies at Davidson from 1989 until her death in 2000, and the school function room was dedicated as the ''Jan Jones Room'' in her memory not long after.〔The Davidson Dispatch, June 2000〕 Teacher of Music since 1989, Helen Oberg, was also awarded the NSW Minister's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1995.〔The Davidson Dispatch, November 1995〕 In October 1997 Davidson High School made a sister School agreement with Morioka Chuo High School in Morioka, Japan.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 publisher =Morioka Chuo High School )〕 In 1999 Davidson High School was awarded the Director-General's Award for School Achievement for "Achievements in Agenda Priority Areas".〔(【引用サイトリンク】 publisher =New South Wales Department of Education and Training )〕 In 2007 the Davidson Community of Schools was unveiled by the Principal, Rod Cawsey, building closer ties with local primary schools, with the intention to enhance the learning of students in the Davidson community through joint educational programs, combined teacher development and the sharing of resources. The community also consists of Belrose, Kambora, Wakehurst, Mimosa and Terrey Hills Public Schools. In 2011, Davidson High signed a school partnership agreement with the Collège Sainte-Anne de Lachine in Lachine, Quebec, Canada.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 publisher =Collège Sainte-Anne de Lachine )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Davidson High School (New South Wales)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|