Lindfield East Public School was opened largely due to the efforts of Mrs Grace Sullivan of Tryon Road. She was tireless in her endeavours to have a school built and began submitting applications for a school to the Department of Education from 1921. In 1926 a submission containing 51 names was lodged and soon after planning began to build LEPS. Mrs Sullivan's youngest child, Jean, had reached secondary school age by the time the school was opened, so none of her three children attended the school after all.
The foundation stone was laid for a two-classroom school in 1928, and the school opened on 27th May, 1929. The names of 17 children between the ages of 5 and 14 years appear on the Admission Register for that day and by the end of the year 49 children had been enrolled.
The LEPS Archives makes original documents, pictures and talks, recollections and oral history interviews available as they are transcribed, scanned or otherwise digitised, for use by LEPS teachers and students.
Please enjoy this photo movie of LEPS history which was produced for the 75th Anniversary.
Mr Manning reminisced of the daily raising of the Union Jack and of the 34 enrolled students singing 'God Save the King' (his schooling was in King George VI's reign). The athletics carnival was held annually on 'Empire Day' and age group winners were rewarded with a 'threepence', with a 'tuppence' going to the runner up and a 'penny' for third place. Most placegetters, as Mr Manning recalled, left immediately after the 3.30pm bell to visit Mr Mortimer's General Store on Melbourne Road to spend their winnings. Empire Day would always culminate with a bonfire each year, burning the huge woodpile structure that the students had willingly spent the previous weeks constructing from branches collected in the surrounding bushland.
Mr Manning also talked of how accomplished a tennis player Mr Brown was. He joked about how often he would take up the Principal's offer each Friday and roll out the dirt court in readiness for the Saturday competition, rather than having to complete the daily spelling lesson.
LEPS, much like today, had a reputation for its strong academic success during these formative years, with the majority of Mr Manning's year group attaining selection and placement at the local high schools in North Sydney. Mr Manning was a guest speaker at the LEPS 75th anniversary back in 2004 and now resides in the Cronulla area.
Mr Urlett spent his entire working life in the shipping industry and now resides happily on Sydney's northern beaches. I'm glad he popped in. (Andrew Stevenson, Principal)
Mr Brown's award-winning rose garden on what is now our tennis court site. Note the sandstone columns, two of which are still standing outside our Science laboratory.