Canterbury Boys' High School

Canterbury Boys' High School traces its origins back to 1917, when a deputation from the local Primary School's Parent and Citizens Association asked the Minister for Education to open a high school in the district. There was a concern that the demand for places in local High Schools would exceed available places, and as a result of this request, the Department decided to establish the school at Canterbury.[4]

Ernest John Rourke B.A. first Principal of CBHS

The school was opened in January 1918, in what is now the Primary School buildings, and began operating with two classes and 72 students, with Ernest John Rourke B.A. as Headmaster. The school was initially an intermediate high school (1st to 3rd year), and was therefore named Canterbury Intermediate High School. At its foundation, the search had already begun for a more appropriate site for the new school.[4]

In 1919, the land on which most of the original part of the school now stands was resumed, and plans for the new school were prepared. A section of the resumed land is historic, forming part of a 100-acre (0.40 km²) grant made by the Rev. Richard Johnson on 20 May 1793. This farm was called "Canterbury Vale", and it was from this that the suburb of Canterbury and the school is named. Plans for the new building were completed in late December 1923, and a tender for £22,000 (A$44,000) was accepted in May 1924. The building was completed and occupied in July 1925 and officially opened on 1 August of that year.[4]

The building was soon overcrowded due to the rapid growth of population in the area served by the school, and so plans for extensions were started. Further land acquisitions occurred in 1929 and 1931, and in 1933 the extensions to the northern and southern wings of the original building were completed.[4]

CBHS student cheer squad at the Combined High School sports carnival, 1934

The school became a full high school in 1925, and was subsequently renamed Canterbury Boys' High School. For some years, difficulty was experienced in encouraging boys to complete 4th Year, and to sit for the Leaving Certificate Examination the following year. This was due in part to the difficult economic conditions of the time, and in other cases, boys preferred to enrol in one of the more established high schools such as Sydney Boys' High School and the Sydney Technical High School. In order to increase enrolments in 4th year, Rourke pressured the Department, and boundary lines were established so that boys living within the area were compelled to enrol at Canterbury. The school was to later become a selective high school from which time many student enrolments were from out of area.[4]

Further land on the northern side of the school was resumed in 1945, and later the gymnasium was erected on part of this land, and completed in 1954. Increasing enrolments and a lack of specialist rooms led to a major extension of the school buildings again being undertaken. The new structure, opened in 1969, contained six science laboratories, two music rooms, three art rooms, two technical drawing rooms, two woodwork rooms, a metalwork room, a new library and several classrooms, new toilets and a new canteen. This extension was connected to the old building via overhead walkways, and due to it being constructed around a central courtyard, quickly gained the name of the 'doughnut' block.[4]

The appearance of the school changed little over the next two decades, however that was changed in 1988. Canterbury had been campaigning for a multipurpose hall for many years, and so there was much disappointment when a major refurbishing program for the original building and the provision of another classroom block did not include a school hall. There was however a transformation of the original building to that of which is present today. The main changes were lowering of the ceilings, replacement of the assembly hall, the conversion of some rooms on the top floor to a multi-purpose library, transferring the administration office to the front entrance, providing study rooms and two new staff rooms, and reducing the size of the original staff room. A ground level and first floor walkway was also constructed along the eastern side of the building.[4]

In 1958, the status of the school was altered to become "semi-selective", that being from Years 1-3, three classes were fully selective and two classes were of a technical nature, ie, technical drawing, woodwork, metalwork etc. Students from all classes were invited to complete Years 4 and 5. The school retained this status until 1976 when it became a comprehensive high school as part of the school restructuring at the time. Today many of the school’s programs have received acclaim in the printed media, on television and in Parliament. The school also received the Director General School Achievement to: "recognise the exceptional quality and outstanding achievements of this school in its Student Welfare Program and Harmonious Race Relations."[4]

Main school entrance

Courtyard near
the main buildings

The facilities of Canterbury Boys' High School include a library for texts and references and four main computer labs with smaller computer rooms scattered around the school buildings for the many courses which require computer access. It also has facilities for technology and fine arts programs, science labs, a gym, two outdoor basketball courts, and an oval for its physical education and sports programs.

The school holds an annual "Cantervale" musical concert to showcase the talents of students and teachers, as well as featuring many cuisines and snacks from different cultures, provided by teachers, students and parents.

In 2004, the school featured in a four-part documentary, televised on the ABC, titled Our Boys. The program, directed by Kerry Brewster, documented the 2002 school year at Canterbury Boys' High School.[3][5]

The school is also the subject of Fred Brown's Schooldays, a book written by former student, Fred Brown. The book gives an account of life and conditions at the school during World War II .[4][6]

During the first of two live shows in the Sydney Opera House on 14 December 2010, Oprah Winfrey donated $1 million to the school to overhaul the school's library and music rooms as well as providing laptops for every student at the school. The show included a live cross to the students who were in attendance.[7]

Alumni of Canterbury Boys' High School are known as Old Cantabrians, and may join the schools alumni association, the Old Cantabrians' Union. The union was inaugurated in 1928, and today former students often visit the school, and are represented at formal functions such as the Year 12 Farewell, Presentation Night and the Prefects Induction evening.

• List of Government schools in New South Wales

• Brown, F. 2004. Fred Brown's Schooldays. Ginninderra Press, Charnwood, A.C.T. ISBN 1-74027-262-5.