On 7 February local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo paid a special visit to Gawler and District College as it marked the 50th anniversary, to the day, that he first attended the (then) Gawler High School as a year 8 student.
Mr Piccolo said the visit brought back many memories of his first years at Gawler High School.
“While most of the classrooms and after buildings have since gone and been rebuilt, I can still remember them as if it was yesterday,” said Mr Piccolo.
“The College has a range of new facilities which didn’t exist at the school at the time, which also reflects the fact that it merged with Evanston Primary School and Evanston Pre-School.”
“Some things haven’t changed and as I walked through the tech studies centre I noticed the same work desks we used for woodwork, some 50 years ago.”
Mr Piccolo was taken for a tour of the College by current Principal, Ms Angie Michaels and some current year 8 students.
Mr Piccolo said his years 10 and 11 classrooms were still standing and he vividly remembers the day in 1975 when his physics teacher, Mr John Fielding announced to the class that Gough Whitlam had been sacked as Prime Minister by the then Governor-General, Sir John Kerr.
“I was a Labor supporter even as a teenager,” Mr Piccolo mused.
Mr Piccolo said he was pleased to see the current College has a range of new buildings and facilities that offer students greater education opportunities and choice.”
“I have fond memories of my time at Gawler High. It gave me a strong foundation for my adult life and to study at university.”
Mr Piccolo said his best subjects were history and geography and in years 11 and 12 enjoyed studying economics and went on to undertake a Degree in Economics at Adelaide University.
“My economics teacher, Mr John Chambers was very supportive of my studies, and I was devastated when he died from cancer at a very young age.”
As a Member of Parliament, Mr Piccolo has initiated and financially supported two academic awards at the college in memory of the late Mr John Chambers.
“I still have my year 11 economics project in my drawer – a tape recording of the economic return of a good education.”