Historical information

On Feb 3rd 1948, the Mt Beauty State School was opened with 28 pupils in all grades up to VII. Classes began in the SECV Recreation Hall, which was converted to classrooms during the school week and returned to a recreation hall on weekends for motion pictures and social occasions for SECV workers and their families.
A new school building was opened in 1950 on the current school site, with an enrolment of 170 primary and secondary students. A further extension of 4 buildings was added in 1951 with a population increase to 303 students. In May 1953, the status of the school was raised to Higher Elementary School with a total of 403 students. In 1958, the school population rose to a high of 617 students with 436 in primary and 181 in secondary. In 1964, the status of the secondary section of Mt Beauty HES was raised to a High School and was moved to separate facilities in the west of town in September 1964

Significance

Pictorial history of children who attended Mt Beauty Higher Elementary School in 1960. Many of the students would have had parents working on the Hydro-Electric Scheme in and around Mt Beauty. Many of the children would also have been the descendants of parents who immigrated to Australia as foreign workers on the Hydro Electric Scheme such as Alex Van De Ruijt, whose parents were Dutch.

Physical description

Photocopy of a black and white class photograph of Mt Beauty H E School Grade 2B, 1960
Back row: Lawrence Woods, John Wayne, Terry Hertzog, Phillip Jervies, ?, Alex Van De Wright , ?John Sigmund, Wayne Shoebridge, Brian Harkin
3rd row: Doug Newbound, Roy Hetherington, ? Kevin Hills, Peter Renshaw, ? Grenville Gerecke, ?, Ken Thomas, Detlef Rueff, ?, not in picture Berndt Homfeld
2nd Row, ?, Lyn Plant, ?, Gabrielle Sigmund, ? Pauline Gerecke, Christine Harmer, ?, Lesley McDonald, not in picture, Jenny Richardson
Front Row, ? Christine Pennery, Robyn Symons, ?, ?, Sue Mckendrick, ?,
? with a name may not be correct

Inscriptions & markings

Chalk Board at front of children in photograph – MT BEAUTY H.E.SCHOOL GRADE 2B. 1960
Handwritten in top right hand corner of photograph, with arrow pointing to the boy 4th from the right
Alex Van De Auigh (Ruijt) dutch now De Wright
Handwritten on back of photograph – Top row: 6 from left (4th from Right)