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Contributor
- News of the day
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Cairns Post, Wednesday 13 December 1939, page 13
THE NEW BUILDING.
On October 7 this year the foundation stone for the new brick building to house the High School and Technical College students was laid by the Hon. the Minister for Public Works and Public Instruction (Mr. H. A. Bruce), who stated that accommodation would be made available also for an intermediate school. It is hoped that a brick structure will take the place of the old wooden building. The progress in the erection of this new building has been such that the top storey is in the course of construction. There is a basement area with two storeys above it. Between 300,000 and 400,000 local bricks are being used, and it is expected that apart from appointments £29,000 will be expended on the building, the architectural design of which will appeal to the aesthetic taste, and the dimensions of the building will be commensurate with the rapid progress of this city, besides being a valuable asset from an educational point of view, the structure will contain up-to-date apparatus, modern conveniences, the facilities for students and teachers.
- Background
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The Cairns Technical College and High School building was constructed in 1941 as a purpose-designed facility for state-run secondary and technical education in Cairns. It was designed by the Department of Public Works as part of the government's unemployment relief program during the 1930s and was built using day labour during a period of pronounced construction in Cairns. This commanding, three-storey brick building at the corner of Sheridan and Upward Streets is an important element in the city's streetscape.
State education in Cairns began in 1878 with the opening of Cairns Central State School in Aplin Street. The government (initially the New South Wales Government, and then the Queensland Government from 1859) played an important role in the provision of formal education from 1848 and over time it strengthened and expanded its provision of state education. The Education Act 1860 established the Queensland Board of General Education and began to standardise curriculum, teacher training, and facilities. The Education Act 1875 provided a number of key initiatives for primary education; it was to be free, compulsory and secular. The Department of Public Instruction was established to administer the Act. This move standardised the provision of education and, despite difficulties, colonial educators achieved a remarkable feat in bringing basic literacy to most Queensland children by 1900.
Establishing schools was considered an essential step in the development of early Queensland communities. The formal education of Queensland children was seen as integral to the success of a town, the colony, and the nation. Land and construction labour was often donated by the local people and schools frequently became a major focus within the community as a place symbolising progress, for social interaction, and as a source of pride. Also, the development and maintenance of schools frequently involved donations and work by teachers, parents, and pupils. Due to their significant connections with the local community, schools have occasionally incorporated other socially important elements such as war memorials and halls used for community purposes. They also typically retain a significant enduring connection with former pupils, their parents, and teachers. Social events involving a wide portion of the local community have often been held at schools, utilising the buildings and grounds - such as fetes, markets, public holiday celebrations, school break-up days, fundraisers, sporting events, reunions, and dances.
By 1918 the high school in Cairns was considered inadequate and a separate high school was requested. At the same time, the Cairns Technical College (a private institute established prior to 1899) was looking to move out of their accommodation within the Cairns School of Arts. The Department of Public Instruction took over the operation of Cairns Technical College, combined it with the high school, and created Cairns Technical High School in 1924. This occurred at other technical colleges in Queensland after the Technical Instruction Act 1908 empowered the government to take over technical colleges run by local school of arts committees. The government had taken an active interest in technical education from the early 1900s. This came from a wide-spread concern about the growing industrial success of Germany, attributed to its extensive technical education program, and from Queensland's growing manufacturing sector, which created a need for a more skilled workforce in a variety of trades. After 1908 the government expanded their provision of technical education, establishing new colleges in several centres, including Maryborough, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Mackay. Over the 20th century, the government expanded its provision of technical education to form an integral element of their program. Cairns Technical High School began teaching students from 28 January 1924 in new timber buildings on a large central site on Sheridan Street, officially opened 2 June 1925 by the Minister for Public Instruction, Thomas Wilson. The site had been reserved for a number of civic uses including a school as early as 1910.
In 1990 alterations were made to the Cairns Technical College and High School building including; enclosing the understorey for Special Education rooms, removing and replacing doors and windows, and removing and adding new internal partitions and accordion doors. After 1995, metal awnings were added to the classroom windows of the Sheridan and Upward Street facades.
In 2014 the Cairns Technical College and High School building is known as Block A and continues in use as a teaching building for the school.
Courtesy of the Queensland Heritage Register
