Skye:

1991 was the start of my Frederick Irwin journey, and I never really understood the significance until I returned to the School and I became a Freddies parent. 

I remember the first day like it was yesterday. It was HOT, and the Pinjarra parents decided we would all take the bus on the first day.  So, on we all hopped, new uniforms and bags sparkling clean, and then for some reason we ended up being late, on the first day. 

Now unlike these days where I do enjoy a good entrance, at the age of 9, the thought of a dramatic entrance to my new classroom with everyone staring at me filled me with dread!

Charles:

My first day was a little less theatrical.  I certainly wore a brand new uniform, with the green shirt, grey shorts, and short socks - those knee length monstrosities weren’t yet available at the uniform shop for the first term! Instead of the bus, my trip was by car from Halls Head, in the air conditioned comfort that only a 1986 Toyota Camry could bring.  I had Fiona Mader for Year One, who on the first day of class read us stories on the classroom mat.  I now realise that “the mat” was just a fancy name for carpet.  There wasn’t a mat!

Skye:

My teacher, Mr Barrett was someone who only lasted a term. Apparently, we were a tough group, the Year 5s of 1991…I’m sure Sally Glass could confirm that! Also, I don’t think his idea of making our whole classroom a ship helped, including using sailing terms! It was never going to last! 

So, Sally took over for a term before Terry McNeil, future Head of Primary, became my Year 5 and 6 teacher for 1991 and 1992.

Charles:

Terry was firm, but fair.  Oh, and strict.  I remember forgetting to pack my hat (though I think I tried to blame my parents).  The rule was you had to spend recess and lunch facing the brick wall, under the verandah overlooking the playground.  I asked Mr McNeil to show me where to sit.  As an innocent five year old, I counted the bricks to the spot Terry picked for me - that way, if I ever forgot my hat again, I wouldn’t have to ask him. 

Skye:

What do I remember about 1991?  I remember the canteen being part of Pre-Primary, and the DRAMAS of allowing students to order choc milk – something about preservatives and colour? I remember Mrs Sandra McCullough, the amazing Head of Primary and the first Head of the School before Geoff Arnold started, who was both tough and maternal all at once. She was about the same height as me when I was 10, and yet could make all of us listen when she spoke! But I also remember sitting in the office, hysterically crying for some unknown dramatic reason, and her taking the time to listen and support me. She lives in Tasmania these days, I had hoped she would be here, as she holds a special place in my heart. 

Charles:

I totally agree.  Sandra conducted our interviews for admission to Freddies, in late 1990;  I remember discussing such topics as the Iraq War (the first one).  I also remember the day she entered our classroom to inform our teacher that the school had been burgled, and the one and only photocopier had been taken.  That caused major disruptions for all classes - I think the blackboards were used the most they ever were.  Oh, and blackboards and chalk were the way of much of the first year - whiteboard were only retrofitted to classrooms after the school was well and truly open.   

Skye:

I still wander through the Design and Tech area, and reminisce about my Primary years.  In particular, the hours of folk dancing practice with Terry McNeil, which would culminate in many Anglican Church fete performances! Secondary School was great but for different reasons…I was one of those independent thinkers, who liked to challenge…Geoffrey Arnold, Principal was lucky enough to receive a petition for the Rock Eisteddfod, if MCC can do it, why can’t we?  I was told it wasn’t happening! He also sat through many Rotary Speech Competitions I competed at, in which I demanded a republic, changing the flag and a few other controversial subjects! 

Charles:

Meanwhile, I entered a Year 9 speech competition with a piece titled, “The Internet - the superhighway to destruction.”  Even though it was dial-up, and certainly not a superhighway, 23 years ago I obviously predicted recent events at Twitter! 

Skye:

Geoffrey Arnold still returns for the reunions, and remembers everything! He knew all of our names, and I remember at the Class of 2002 reunion (I was there as part of the Alumni team) where he asked about my parents, remembering little bits about them.  My parents were on the original P&F, my dad as Treasurer and my mum as Assistant Canteen Coordinator.

Charles:

My mother, Merrilyn Jenkinson, started working at the school in 1993, and served as Principal’s Secretary and Registrar until 2008.  Nearly anyone who toured Frederick Irwin in those times would have been shown around by Mum.  I’m so glad she is able to be here tonight. 

Skye:

I also remember the fetes we held in the first few years, a couple of those we hosted as part of the Stawell Gift, a professional running race, and Dean Capobianco was racing in one year. My memories of this were of the mums commenting on what a talented runner he was - at 11 I didn’t get it, at 41 I do now! 

High school for me was also a blur of Blue notes and Thursday afternoon detentions – I liked to talk, and that meant blue notes.  5 blue notes is a detention, so it was me, the chatty Year 8/9/10/11/12 girl with mainly the boys of the School, who definitely weren’t in detention for talking too much!

Charles:

Like the 5 year old me, in High School, I kept my socks up, and shirt tucked in.  The only blue note and detention I ever received were the slips I souvenired just prior to graduation.  Yes, I was a bit of a nerd - and my wife Clare (Class of 2003) will tell you that I still am!  

Skye:

When I had the opportunity to return as part of the Community Relations team, I was both excited and anxious!  I had missed my Reunions due to working in Canberra and then having small children as a single mum, so I hadn’t had the opportunity to return. 

Walking through the quadrangle I felt 17 again, and seeing teachers like Juliet McCauley (who recently retired) and Stephen King (who is retiring at the end of the year), my Year 7 teacher, was such a wonderful experience. I remember saying to my mum on returning, oh Peter Skeggs (Head of Phys Ed) is still there, I was sure when I was Year 9 he was about 50! My mum responded with ‘I’m pretty sure he was younger than you are now’. 

Charles:

And I hate to say it, Skye, but most of the teachers were…

For me, Mr Clive Spencer was a teacher who had a tremendous impact.  He was my year coordinator from 1998 until 2002.  His Yorkshire accent, booming, “Listen up folks!” to catch our attention at assemblies will remain with me forever.  His kindness and compassion, when being the nerdy kid made school life difficult won’t be forgotten.  The faith he placed in our year’s more “troubled” members was remarkable - when he passed away 8 years ago, the tributes those students paid; the esteem they held for Clive, were the most touching of all.  I know many of us miss him, and that’s a testament to the effect he had on so many people.

PAUSE

Skye:

I became a Freddies mum in 2020, when boys started in 2020.  Seeing them dressed in the uniform, the green formal shirts, the polos, it made me so proud to be a Freddies girl and mum. Plus I will always be an Ellis girl in my heart, except what is with Ellis being gray?  Seriously fuchsia would have been my choice if I had voted.

Charles:

Clare and I live in Perth now, and our two daughters, Cora and Georgia, are schooled in the city.  But we sometimes discuss what house faction they’d join if they attended Freddies.  Clare always argues Jamieson.  But there are so many years of the mighty Gordon House amongst the Jenkinsons, including my brother Brett, that it would probably be the first argument I’d win in our 10 years of marriage…  Maybe…  

Skye:

These days, for Mandurah people, if you say you went to Freddies, people know where you mean, we’re the green school after all! And when I tell people I’m a Foundation student plus parent and member of the staff, it’s a credit to the community spirit Frederick Irwin has.  And to be able to work with a fellow Alumni, Amber, where we can reminisce about the experiences we had almost 10 years apart, is pretty amazing too!

Charles:

Mandurah was a strange place in the 1990s.  It was undergoing rapid change, transforming from a sleepy seaside village to the bustling city I barely recognise today.  And this school in many ways can claim credit in being a trailblazer in education.  It set standards for high quality learning that is seldom seen outside capital cities.  Its sporting programs have boasted Olympians, Commonwealth champions, AFL footballers.  All of this was made possible by those early members of our close-knit community.      

Skye:

We really are Frederick Irwin Anglican Community School, and yes, I know the Community has been taken out of the title, but we will always be a community, a family and that makes me proud.  

Thank you.  

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