Mitcham Primary School is a South Australian State school serving the Mitcham area and situated on Hillview Road, Kingswood. It is the oldest continuously operating school in South Australia.Cornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press, 1997, p. ix. It has an enrolment of approximately 766 students from Reception to Year 7 and an Out of School Hours Care Program. The school predominantly serves the suburbs of Kingswood, Mitcham, Hawthorn, Netherby and Torrens Park. The school opened in 1847 with Thomas MuggMitcham Chronology retrieved 6 March 2014 as the teacherCornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press Press, 1997, p. 7. in a hut on Mitcham Reserve. The school moved to the Mitcham Institute in 1870Cornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press Press, 1997, p. xiv. and then to a purpose built school on Bulls Creek Road (Belair Road) in 1880. A new Primary school opened on the current site in Kingswood in 1953 and the Infant school and Primary came together on this site in 1981.Cornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press Press, 1997, p. xv.

History South Australia was first settled by colonists from Britain in 1836 and by the late 1840s Adelaide was a thriving community, with Mitcham being a significant village a few miles to the south. A combined chapel/school building was erected, paid for by subscription of local families, and opened as a school in 1847Cornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press Press, 1997, p. 6. with the teacher Thomas Mugg who had been a cabinet maker in London. As attendance steadily increased the classroom became very crowded. Mugg continued as the teacher to 1868 teaching a very basic curriculum and enforcing strict discipline with regular use of a cane.Cornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press Press, 1997, p. 8.

Growth

At this time the community of South Australia was struggling with the problem of how to manage and extend public education in the colony. The Central Board of Education heard complaints about the quality of teachers in community run schools. Of 290 teachers supervised by the Board in 1875 only 135 were certificated as teachers.Thiele, C. Grains of Mustard Seed. Education Department of South Australia, 1975, Griffin Press, p.3. In 1875, the South Australian parliament passed the Education Act,Education Act 1875 retrieved 1 February 2014 establishing a public school system. All licensed schools such as Mitcham became Public Schools. The Act made schooling compulsory for children from 7 to 13 years (but not full-time).samemory.sa.gov.au retrieved 3 February 2014

The crowded conditions continued to 1880 when a new purpose built school was opened on Bulls Creek Road (now Belair Road). Three years later the Mitcham Railway Station was opened next to the school on the new Adelaide-Aldgate line, creating with the school, a new centre of the Mitcham community. The close proximity of the school to the main Adelaide-Melbourne railway line entertained generations of children but severely restricted the expansion of the school grounds. The school continued to grow and enrolment was approximately 200 in 1900 and 200 by 1930.Cornwall.C. Mitcham School 150 Years of History: 1847–1997. Griffin Press Press, 1997, p. 201.

In 2013 the Junior Primary and Primary schools were consolidated under one principal.

Headmasters/Principals Principals YearsTitleThomas Mugg 1847–1867 Teacher William Anderson 1867–1868"Charles Webb 1868–1878"Paul Mueller 1878–1891Head Teacher Fred Kruger 1892–1899" James Fowler 1900–1905 "Josiah Willmott 1905–1918"Isaac Jacobs 1918–1927" Robert Alexander 1927–1828 "Walter Huntley 1928–1930 Dennis Murphy 1931" Henry Hudson 1932" Charles Pearson 1932–1936"

Primary SchoolYearsTitleInfant/Junior PrimaryYearsTitleDon Charmichael 1945–1950 Head Master Rosina Naughton1948–1950Infant MistressEdgar Sexton 1950–1951 Head Master John Blizard 1951–1952 " Irene Harmer1950–1955"Herbert Townsend 1952–1955 " Elizabeth Eardley1956–1957"Francis Hussey 1956–1957 " Una Macdonald1957–1958"Raymond Koehne 1958 " "Garry Habich 1959–1966 Master of Method Monica Naylor1958–1966"Alick Smith 1966–1974 " Rita Atkinson1966–1970"Rex Hosking 1975 " Margaret Tscharke1972"Ross Carthew 1976–1980 PrincipalJudith Smith1972–1976PrincipalAnthony Earle 1981 Acting PrincipalPolly Graetz1976"Denis Vance 1982–1985 PrincipalVirginia Watts1977–1985"Gerald White 1986–1990 " Daphne Liebelt1986–1987"John Travers 1991–1998 " Patricia Cosh1988–2003 "Rod Tyney 1998–1999 Acting PrincipalGaye Glade-Wright 2004–2008 "Steve Adams 1999–2010 Principal Suzie Sangster 2009–2012 "Maryanne Tiller2011–2012" Jodie Kingham 2012–2012 "

Primary SchoolYearsTitleMaryanne Tiller 2013–2018 Principal Scott Greenshields 2019–Principal

Notable students NameYears attendedNotesThomas Playford II 1847... One of the first students at the school, later became a farmer, member of parliament and Premier of South Australia, whose father, Thomas Playford I, was one of the founders of the school. His grandson Thomas Thomas Playford IV was also Premier of South Australia from 1938 to 1965 – the longest serving Premier.Bill Kibby, VC 1914–... William Henry Kibby was a volunteer in the Second Australian Imperial Force who served in World War II and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the face of the enemy.Julia Gillard 1967–1973 Prime Minister of Australia from 2010–2013, and Australia's first woman Prime Minister. Gillard continued her education at Unley High School.

References

External links Mitcham Primary School School website. Retrieved 3 June 2020.