Eltham District Historical Society Inc, Eltham
Digital file only
Scanned from photographs on loan
Historical information
Head Girl's Prefect, Norma Pepper standing on right, the school's Headmaster, Mr Harry Moody on left.
Visit by Prime Minister Robert Menzies, Mrs Menzies and daughter Heather to Eltham High School, Thursday November 5, 1953
Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), Thursday 5 November 1953, page 21
The PM gets bushed
The Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, got lost this afternoon looking for Eltham High School - and ended up at the wrong school.
After reversing several times, asking directions from two schoolboys and a truck driver, his party finally arrived over a dusty, bumpy road at the back gate of the high school.
They waded through long grass up to the back of the school, while the welcoming party; and scores of local residents waited at the front gate.
The Prime Minister, Mrs Menzies and their daughter Heather, were on a goodwill tour of the Deakln electorate with the Liberal Federal member, Mr F. J. Davis and Mrs Davis.
FIRST SPEECH
Mr Menzies told the 450 pupils, of the school about the first time he ever made a speech.
"When I stood up, my mouth opened and shut and opened and shut and grew drier and drier and not a word came out," he said.
"Of course, many, unkind people say I've more than made up for it since," he said.
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