Prize Dahlias and Barefoot Students
Former student Mr Brian Manning made an unannounced but gratefully received visit to LEPS in May 2014. Having spent his childhood in our local neighbourhood, Mr Manning, now into his 80's, showcased his sharp memory with an entertaining and unique recollection of the early history of LEPS.
Starting Kindergarten in 1930, Mr Manning recalled the austere times of the depression. Many children never wore shoes and uniforms didn't exist, most students brought bread and butter or marmite sandwiches for lunch and for those who could find a penny, Mr Driver's bus would take them back to Roseville Train Station after school. Between 1930 – 1948, Mr Warren Brown was the LEPS Principal. Mr Manning remembers him as a big man who had a passion for gardening. The Principal proudly entered the school into many of the local 'Flower Shows' and LEPS became renowned for growing prize roses and dahlias. Mr Manning joked that 'the boys did all the hard gardening, but only the girls got the opportunity to accompany Mr Brown to the shows'.
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.
An Unexpected Visitor
An unexpected visitor turned up at LEPS in August 2011; a former LEPS student, Mr Dick Urlett. He popped in, introduced himself, and was inquisitive as to how his old primary school had grown.
The spritely LEPS alumnus, fondly recalled for me his schooldays of the early 1930's and his time spent learning in what are today the ESL and Mandarin classrooms. The East Lindfield area at that time was yet to be opened up to widespread residential subdivision and was in Mr Urlett's words, "just all bush".
Incredulous stories of infants students being required to collect firewood from the surrounding bushland, to kids stoking the classrooms' open fire and eating lunch unsupervised in what is now the Garigal National Park, are a far cry from modern day 'duty of care' requirements.
Mr Urlett remembered the school having around 60 students divided into 3 composite classes. Concertina-like doors were opened and shut throughout the day to allow large group lessons. A strong learning strategy, Mr Urlett recalled, was that of students in a multi-age class repeating the exact same mathematics lesson year after year after year. He believed this consolidation of process as an extremely effective teaching practice.
Mr Warren Brown had an 18-year period as Headmaster during this time (1930-1948). As a teaching Principal, he had a strong reputation for getting excellent student results and if required would keep children back long after school in order to maintain his proud academic record. Liberal use of the cane was also part and parcel of discipline in those times. Mr Brown was also a very keen gardener and became renowned for the award-winning roses he produced in the area where the tennis court is now situated. The tall radiata pines that grace the LEPS playgrounds were actually grafted and planted by Mr Urlett and other students in gardening lesson time. The sheer size that these little seedlings have matured to, some 80 years later, was staggering for Mr Urlett.
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.