Excerpts from the Laurels

● July 1980 saw the retirement of Mr.Smith, inaugural Principal of MHS. Mr Smith a visionary, dedicated 15 ½ years to the on-going development of this school community. A Recognition Dinner and a Staff farewell were held in his honour, whilst a presentation was made by the students at his final assembly.

● Mr.G.Lee became Acting Principal.

● For the first time our musical production “The Pirates of Penzance” was staged in our own Theatrette. Seventy budding Carusos and Melbas, musicians and backstage crew performed one of the best musicals produced in the history of the school.

● School house system reintroduced-:

Wirra( white), Nioka ( green), Dinjalla( brown) Allinga ( gold).

House trophies 1980: Swimming - Allinga, Athletics - Wirra, Champion House – Wirra

● MHS continued its dominance of local inter-school sport and performed creditably at higher levels of competition. 28 pennants were won across various levels of competition. Badminton was successfully introduced .

● Tragic loss of Tim Hughes, student of MHS 1970-1975. Oct 3^rd 1980, 22 year old Tim slipped from a frosty mountain track in the Himalayas, India, and fell to his death. Tim’s brilliant photographic work had led Sir Edmund Hilary to choose him for film work in India.

● Cairns, 18 day trip in May, for 41 students. Who wouldn’t remember Paul after the “Big Banana”, what happened to Sue while on the ‘Boom nets’ going to Great Keppel or Rohan’s run in with the snowdropper in Cairns or the Fraser Island live lunch plate decoration.

● Year 9 heroes, Jill and Fawz managed to extinguish a fire in Room 16A. Mr.Sadgrove what do you have to say?

● A happy and successful year for the girls in the Art/Craft Dept. A handspun, hand knitted garment won 1^st prize in Victorian schools section of the Australian Sheepbreeders’ Association. Clever Batik and charming machine embroidered wall hangings won several major coveted ribbons at the Royal Melbourne Show. In October Years 10 and 11 organised a Fashion Parade, modeling the garments they had designed and produced along with clothing lent by retailers Sussan and Opal.

● Alternative Living students developed a range of interesting enterprises including the nurture of goats, turkeys and chooks. Several of the troop grew herbs and vegetables with the main member being Tom the Garden Gnome.

School sports day

Cairns trip

The Pirates of Penzance