Camberwell Girls Grammar School celebrates centenary
It started in 1920 with just eight students. Fast forward 100 years and with 100 times the students, Camberwell Girls Grammar School continues be a vital part of the community.
Inner East
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Camberwell Girls Grammar School has grown 100-fold in 100 years.
Starting in 1920 at St Mark’s church hall on Burke Rd, there was just one teacher with eight students.
Quickly outgrowing the hall, the school moved to its Torrington St site in 1927, which was an old homestead, with 50 students and seven teachers.
“And we’ve been here ever since,” principal Debbie Dunwoody said.
It now has 800 students, from three year olds to Year 12.
Camberwell Girls Grammar celebrated its centenary on February 11 with an event attended by Victorian Governor Linda Dessau and her husband Anthony Howard among hundreds of past staff, students and families joining the occasion.
“It was a beautiful reflection of our past and also … to show our gratitude to the founders who took the first steps of faith in establishing a school that really wants to nurture the hearts, minds and spirits of our girls,” Mrs Dunwoody said.
She said a constant feature of the school through the years was continually looking forward.
“We’ve always looked forward and educated the girls for the times,” she said.
“The headmistresses and principals have been women who want to prepare young women for the future.”
Starting a secondary school for girls in 1920 was an unusual thing in itself and by 1928 they were studying things like physiology and botany.
The 1959 school prospectus said as well as being taught teaching and nursing, there were also things like horticulture, art, hospitality and commerce on the agenda.
Mrs Dunwoody said always been “strongly a part of the whole Camberwell community”.
“The school believes the community is really important,” she said.
“We want our girls to know each other and be known.
“That connection and relationships are an integral part of who we are.”
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Also on show was a special exhibition, with many items showing the advances and changes that have been made during the past 100 years.
The school will continue to hold events to celebrate the centenary throughout the year.