John Curtin College of the Arts
Encyclopedia
John Curtin College of the Arts is a high school with student intake from the greater Fremantle
area, in Western Australia
. The school currently has over 1100 students attending.
Originally, named John Curtin High School after the late prime minister
John Curtin
, it was the first government-built secondary school in the south-west metropolitan region of Western Australia
. It was built to replace the twin co-ed schools Fremantle Boys' School and Princess May's Girls' School. The first building was opened in 1942, the rest of the school was built between 1954 and 1958, and an arts centre was added in 1987. During the first decade or so of the school's operation, a number of annexes were dotted around Fremantle and used for some classes.
The science annex, built later than the main school, is separate from the main school buildings because it was funded by the federal government
.
Fremantle's first official cemetery
was on top of the land that is now the College oval. The cemetery was first established in 1852 and used until 1899 when it was decommissioned. It later fell into a poor condition. Throughout the 1930s all unbroken headstones were transferred to Fremantle Cemetery
on Carrington Street. Families were required to pay for the exhumation and reburial of their relatives’ remains, and many did not do so for various reasons. The existence of these interred bodies has over the years given rise to a number of campus ghost stories (often involving the oldest building on campus, the Manual Arts building).
Following the entrance of Japan
into World War II
and the threat of attack on Australia, four anti-aircraft gun emplacements were established where the College buildings currently stand. Throughout the war years the former cemetery became a base camp used by the troops who manned the guns and was a significant part of Fortress Fremantle for the defence of the port.
John Curtin College of the Arts has many specialist programs including football (soccer)
, drama
, dance
, music
, ballet
, music theatre, gaming
, arts media and the A.E.P. (Academic Extension Program) for English
, mathematics
, science
and society and environment.
In 1990, a history of the school was written by the then Ancient History teacher, Tim Johnson. The slim volume, entitled Guns Graves and Dreaming, the History of Fremantle's High School: John Curtin Senior High School, was never published (but is available at a number of Western Australian libraries).
In 2001, the College was placed on the WA Register of Heritage Places.
In 2006, John Curtin College of the Arts celebrates its 50th year of operation, and hosted a gathering for the school community in honour of this event on the 12th of November.
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
area, in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The school currently has over 1100 students attending.
Originally, named John Curtin High School after the late prime minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
John Curtin
John Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
, it was the first government-built secondary school in the south-west metropolitan region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It was built to replace the twin co-ed schools Fremantle Boys' School and Princess May's Girls' School. The first building was opened in 1942, the rest of the school was built between 1954 and 1958, and an arts centre was added in 1987. During the first decade or so of the school's operation, a number of annexes were dotted around Fremantle and used for some classes.
The science annex, built later than the main school, is separate from the main school buildings because it was funded by the federal government
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
was on top of the land that is now the College oval. The cemetery was first established in 1852 and used until 1899 when it was decommissioned. It later fell into a poor condition. Throughout the 1930s all unbroken headstones were transferred to Fremantle Cemetery
Fremantle Cemetery
Fremantle Cemetery is a 46 hectare cemetery located in the eastern part of Fremantle, Western Australia. Established in 1898, it is known as the final resting place of Bon Scott and several other notable Australians....
on Carrington Street. Families were required to pay for the exhumation and reburial of their relatives’ remains, and many did not do so for various reasons. The existence of these interred bodies has over the years given rise to a number of campus ghost stories (often involving the oldest building on campus, the Manual Arts building).
Following the entrance of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the threat of attack on Australia, four anti-aircraft gun emplacements were established where the College buildings currently stand. Throughout the war years the former cemetery became a base camp used by the troops who manned the guns and was a significant part of Fortress Fremantle for the defence of the port.
John Curtin College of the Arts has many specialist programs including football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, music theatre, gaming
Game design
Game design, a subset of game development, is the process of designing the content and rules of a game in the pre-production stage and design of gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters during production stage. The term is also used to describe both the game design embodied in a game as...
, arts media and the A.E.P. (Academic Extension Program) for English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and society and environment.
In 1990, a history of the school was written by the then Ancient History teacher, Tim Johnson. The slim volume, entitled Guns Graves and Dreaming, the History of Fremantle's High School: John Curtin Senior High School, was never published (but is available at a number of Western Australian libraries).
In 2001, the College was placed on the WA Register of Heritage Places.
In 2006, John Curtin College of the Arts celebrates its 50th year of operation, and hosted a gathering for the school community in honour of this event on the 12th of November.
Famous alumni
- Bon ScottBon ScottRonald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
- Paul MercurioPaul MercurioPaul Joseph Mercurio is an Australian actor, dancer and TV presenter. Mercurio is well-known for his lead role in Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom . His father was the character actor Gus Mercurio.- Biography :...
- Sam WorthingtonSam WorthingtonSamuel Henry J. "Sam" Worthington is an English born, Australian actor. After almost a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Worthington gained Hollywood's attention by playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation and the lead role, Jake Sully, in James Cameron's science...
- Megan GaleMegan GaleMegan Kate Gale is an Australian model and actress.- Career :Born in Perth, Western Australia, Megan Gale's father is English and mother is part Maori and is the youngest of three children with two older brothers.-Modeling:...
- Bradley JonesBradley JonesBradley Scott "Brad" Jones is an Australian football player who plays for Liverpool as a goalkeeper. He was a member of the Middlesbrough team for over a decade, and also had a number of loan spells at a succession of lower league clubs; Shelbourne, Stockport, Rotherham, Blackpool and Sheffield...
- David TarkaDavid TarkaDavid Tarka is an Australian football player. He plays as a central defender for WA state league club Cockburn City.-Club career:...
- Lisa de VannaLisa De VannaLisa Marie De Vanna is an Australian football forward currently playing for Newcastle Jets in the W-League in Australia and is a member of the Australian National Team.-Early years & playing style:...
- Courtney JohnsCourtney JohnsCourtney Johns is an Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League. Wearing the number 21 Guernsey, he plays full-forward and occasional back, seen as a power forward due to his strong build, height, ability to take a strong mark and inflict damage.-Early career and...
- Simon LyndonSimon LyndonSimon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon (born February 1971, in London is an Australian actor who grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is a WAAPA graduate. He played Jimmy Loughlin in Chopper with Eric Bana, for which he won an AFI award for Best Supporting Actor and a Film Critics Circle...
- Kavyen Temperley
- Greg StoneGreg StoneGreg Stone is an Australian actor who has appeared in films, television and on stage.-Biography:Stone graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney in 1983 and won a Helpmann Award and Green Room Award for Best Actor for his role of George W. Bush in David Hare’s Stuff Happens...
- Stevie Killuminati
- Peter Harmsworth
External links
- John Curtin College of the Arts website (first established in 1997 with a team of student editors).